Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

MINI Countryman review - Practicality & boot space

The MINI Countryman is more practical than before, though it’s still behind rivals on this front

Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Practicality & boot space Rating

3.5 out of 5

The MINI Countryman is not only the brand’s current largest car, it’s the largest MINI ever. Its latest dimensions put it on par with rivals like the Nissan Qashqai and it’s even larger than the Range Rover Evoque, in terms of size. MINI has put the extra space to good use, and the latest Countryman has rear seats big enough for fully-grown adults, though getting in and out of it isn’t as easy as in some rivals. That said, this boost in practicality means it’s a more viable family car than the previous model.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Those back seats can also slide forwards and backwards to prioritise legroom or boot space, which is a useful touch – it’s clear that MINI has aimed to make the latest Countryman more usable than ever, as well as making it more comfortable for passengers.

Size comparison

Model 

Length

Width

Height

MINI Countryman

4,433mm

1,843mm

1,656mm

Range Rover Evoque

4,371mm

1,904mm

1,649mm

BMW X1

4,500mm

1,845mm

1,642mm

Mercedes GLA

4,419mm

1,796mm

1,440mm

Does the MINI Countryman have a big boot?

The MINI Countryman’s boot is larger than the old car’s by 10 litres, for a total of 460 litres – that figure is identical for the petrol and electric models. If you need more space, the seats fold down to free up 1,450 litres of luggage space. It’s not a class leader in this area, of course, but that at least puts it slightly more on par with rivals such as the Mercedes GLA and BMW X1 than before. 

The load area is fairly conventional, and we would have liked to see more practical storage solutions back here, but there are a couple of plastic bag hooks and some decent space under the boot floor, the cover of which is hinged very far back making it easy to move out of the way to load items. This underfloor storage area will be useful for charging cables in the electric models.

Boot space comparison

Model 

Boot space

MINI Countryman

460 litres

BMW X1

476 litres

Mercedes GLA

485 litres

Is the MINI Countryman a good tow car?

Petrol versions of the MINI Countryman can tow up to 1,500kg, while the towing capacity of electric versions is less at 1,200kg.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

MINI Countryman review – MINI charm in a practical package
MINI Countryman front quarter driving
In-depth reviews
1 Jul 2024

MINI Countryman review – MINI charm in a practical package

All-new MINI Countryman for £280 a month: Hot car deal
MINI Countryman front quarter
Deals
16 May 2024

All-new MINI Countryman for £280 a month: Hot car deal

Most Popular

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe: details and first drive of the sleek executive four-door
BMW M235 Gran Coupe front quarter
News
26 Nov 2024

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe: details and first drive of the sleek executive four-door

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s Black Friday offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
29 Nov 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s Black Friday offers

New Audi Q5 Sportback lands with SUV stance and a swoopy roof
Audi SQ5 Sportback front quarter
News
26 Nov 2024

New Audi Q5 Sportback lands with SUV stance and a swoopy roof

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024