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2019 Mini E Countryman Review | Not a great plug-in hybrid, but still great

At first glance, the 2019 Mini E Countryman plug-in hybrid is wildly unimpressive. It can only go a meager 12 miles on electricity alone, and when out of plugged-in electrons its turbocharged three-cylinder engine manages an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in combined driving. Pretty good for a compact SUV, but crap for a hybrid. Its price tag is eye-watering. Although it starts at $37,750, including $850 destination, my test Countryman hit the register at $45,750 and still didn't have power seats, leather, satellite radio, adaptive cruise control, and other items that should be included on a vehicle at this price range in this segment (compact SUVs like the Mercedes GLA or Volvo XC40). Admittedly, if you skip our test car's $2,000 John Cooper Works Appearance package (not a bad idea), you can add some of those extra niceties instead, but the price would still be steep. An E Countryman, or 2019 Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 as it's officially and ridiculously known, is roughly about $4,000 more than a comparable gas-only Cooper S Countryman ALL4. There are some functional disadvantages as well. The plug-in hybrid lacks the regular Countryman's sliding back seat that adds cargo space without folding the seat backs and therefore wiping out passenger space (see video below). It also has only about 30 percent of the under-floor storage available in the cargo area, the result of the batteries needing to go somewhere. Now, Senior Editor Alex Kierstein reports that he found the E Countryman to still be perfectly space efficient. There was sufficient room for his wife to sit up front with a rear-facing baby seat behind her and a big stroller in the trunk. Still, he would've had even more room in the regular Countryman. The bottom suitcase in the right photo would not fit in the E Countryman since it lacks this regular version's removable floor panel. Really, all the above issues make the plug-in hybrid version of the Countryman a little hard to recommend ... at first. At second, third and fourth glances, it actually starts to make a lot more sense. Sure it only went between 10 and 12 miles on electricity after I recharged it, but hey, that's still 10 to 12 miles further than any other Mini can muster. You can even utilize the "Save Mode" that allows you save that electric range for times when you know it'll be most beneficial (say, the urban-driving conclusion to the morning commute).

2015 Mini Cooper stuns crowd, itself [w/videos]

Remember the Mini Rocketman concept from 2011? While we were really, really hoping for a production version - a properly mini Mini - that never happened. And it won't. But what we are getting is a whole lot of that showcar's styling cues applied to the third-generation Mini Cooper hardtop, a model making its debut here at the LA Auto Show. And while from most angles, the new Mini is as cute as ever, we just can't quite warm up to that face - or that huge front overhang. The car simply looks like a frightened goldfish (that yellow paint isn't helping, either).
The car simply looks like a frightened goldfish (that yellow paint isn't helping, either).
It should probably be pretty nice to drive, though, with the base Cooper using a new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine good for 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Friskier Cooper S models get a healthy power increase, their 2.0-liter turbo engines putting out a full 189 hp and 207 lb-ft, with both engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Mini Countryman PHEV caught at electric watering hole

Our spy photographers have once again found the next generation Mini Countryman out testing in the wild. This time, they caught it replenishing its thirst for electrons. Although we knew some sort of hybrid Countryman was coming, this confirms its existence and plug-in capabilities beyond any reasonable doubt. Like the rest of the Mini lineup, this new Countryman will be noticeably larger than its predecessor. It also appears to feature a larger, more aggressive grille and lower intake vents. Other than that, the car appears to be quite evolutionary in design. Our spy photographers expect the plug-in hybrid Countryman to debut in 2019 powered by a combination of the 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and an electric motor. We have also predicted that the gasoline engine could power the front wheels while the electric motor (or motors) powers the rear wheels, which together could provide all-wheel-drive and 240 horsepower. Related video: