MINI Countryman U25 v Mini Cooper F66 5-door v Aceman

The MINI Countryman is now in its third generation and it just got a Masters degree in Wumbology because this is the biggest MINI you can buy.

2025 MINI Countryman

With prices starting at £29,350 plus on-road costs, the all-new third-generation MINI Countryman is the biggest MINI ever made. With such size, it feels like it's no longer fit to be called a MINI, perhaps it should be called a Wumbo from now on. These folks behind this car did set it to Wumbo.

2025 MINI Countryman Electric

The first-generation Countryman in 2010 has an associate degree in Wumbology. The second-generation model is just a bachelor's degree. This all-new third-generation model earned the right to claim the Master's degree in Wumbology because this is the biggest MINI ever made. While donning a fresh new take on the familiar styling, the sizing is the proof.

2025 MINI Countryman interior

Like today's MINIs, the all-new Countryman adapts to the new MINI interior featuring a 240mm OLED screen in the middle that works as a speedometer also, backed by MINI Operating System 9. This OLED touchscreen features an onscreen mascot named Spike and he pops up upon using the rather annoying and Alexa-ish MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant feature.

There are switches below the screen that can control the power, the volume, the air conditioning, and of course, seven MINI Experience Modes that each have a specific user interface design that also affects the lighting inside the vehicle.

On the topic of boot space, the all-new Countryman can carry up to 450L of boot space with the rear seats present but if you fold the rear seats down, it goes up to 1450L. That's the biggest boot space of any Mini you can find.

2025 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman

The normal Countryman is offered a choice of a 1.5L 3-cylinder petrol engine for the front-wheel-drive C variant, and a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine for the S ALL4 with 204HP of power. All are mated to a 7-speed gearbox and mild-hybrid technology.

The Countryman Electric, meanwhile, is offered a choice of a 204HP front-wheel-drive variant with up to 286 miles of driving range and the 313HP S ALL4 variant with up to 266 miles of driving range.

Those wanting more from the Countryman can go for the high-performance MINI John Cooper Works Countryman. With the 300HP 2.0L turbo engine, ALL4 4-wheel-drive system, and seven-speed AT to match, the can-go-anywhere JCW Countryman has a 0.62mph time of 5.4 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. This model is too cool to be ignored, even by the likes of people behind the Forza games.

Although it drives slightly better than the previous model, the U25 MINI Countryman is packed with numerous safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and Remote 360, among others, not to mention the Parking Assistant and optional Parking Assistant Plus systems.

Less of a MINI, and more of a Wumbo. This all-new third-generation Countryman is taking shape in this brave new world it faces. Let's admit it with such sizing, it no longer deserves to be called a MINI. Thankfully, there is a MINI worthy of its name but with extra doors for practicality just like the latest Countryman.

2025 MINI Cooper 5-door

This is the five-door version of the Mini Cooper F66. With prices starting at £24,050, you can afford one rather than the Wumbo-fied Countryman.

Although it features several nooks and crannies from its 3-door equivalent, the extra doors at the back make it fit for family use or road trips with your mates. With boot space from 275 to 925L, it fits for almost everything.

The Mini Cooper F66 5-door has two versions; the C and the S. The Cooper C has a 1.5L turbocharged 3-cylinder engine that produces 181HP of power and it will go from 0-62mph in 8 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. The range-topping Cooper S, meanwhile, has a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 215HP of power. 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds and flat-out in 150mph seconds. All are mated to a 7-speed DCT.

Sadly, there's no five-door version of the J01 MINI Cooper at the moment so you might need to take a look for an alternative like this;

2025 MINI Aceman

This is the first-ever all-electric MINI Aceman. With prices starting at  £31,800 plus additional costs, it's £10,280 cheaper than the MINI Countryman Electric, a hard bargain for what's surprisingly known as the coupe-crossover equivalent of the said car.

2025 MINI Aceman

2025 MINI Aceman interior

At first glance, the Aceman looks and feels just like today's Countryman but because being the coupe-crossover equivalent, the boot space can accommodate up to 1,005L of boot space. That's less than what you get from the Countryman but more than what you get from the five-door Mini Cooper F66.

Being an FWD-only all-electric coupe crossover, the Aceman features two different electric powertrains. The E with the 38.5kWh battery has 184HP of power and can go from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds with a driving range of up to 192 miles. The SE, meanwhile, has a 49.2kWh battery pack that produces 218HP of power. It can go from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds and has a driving range of 251 miles.

The MINIs of the new normal are not as MINI as they were in the past as demonstrated by the all-new Countryman. Even with the F66 or the coupe-crossover Aceman, they're still deemed not worthy to be called MINIs. It hurts but that's maturity for you. They grow up so fast.

Photo: MINI