The MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 PHEV has an impossibly long name for such a (relatively) small car. It’s the first and last version of the crossover with a plug-in hybrid powertrain since the next-gen model will drop the PHEV option. In its place, a purely electric derivative will be sold alongside the combustion-engined model. Before the Mk1 is retired, the Spanish journalists at km77 decided to conduct some tests.
The first order of business was to have the SE Countryman undergo the dreaded moose test. The car in question had optional 18-inch wheels with Pirelli Cinturato P7 rubber measuring 225/50 R18 at all four corners. Although it’s a MINI, the electrified crossover is quite heavy as it tips the scales at 1,780 kilograms (3,926 pounds). The car’s tires and weight are crucial factors in a moose test, hence why we felt the need to point out these facts.
The SE Countryman Was Surprisingly Nimble
Anyway, back to the moose test itself. The high-riding PHEV managed to impress right from the beginning as it successfully completed the first run. It had an entrance speed of 74 km/h (46 mph) and didn’t ram into a single cone. There was minimal body roll while the electronic stability control system barely intervened.
Subsequent tests revealed the highest possible entrance speed of 79 km/h (49 mph) to finish the test without any “casualties.” The Cooper SE had an exit speed of 41 km/h (25 mph) after doing about 66 km/h (41 mph) at the halfway point. The MINI was praised not just for its speed, but also for how it responded to the driver’s inputs.
In the slalom test conducted in both ways, the car completed the course in 23.3 seconds. It’s actually the best time ever recorded by km77, beating the likes of other small cars like the Cupra Born and Peugeot 308 Hybrid.
Source: km77 / YouTube
