Production of the Mini Countryman began in 2010 and continues today. As with the Mini Cooper, the Countryman has improved in reliability and niceties as it has aged.
The Mini Countryman produced between 2011 and 2013 was less than stellar and had some significant faults.
However, things turned upward after this point, and the Countryman became a better vehicle.
Let’s dive in the many years and models.
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The best and worst years for Mini Countryman are:
The best years for the Mini Countryman are 2015 to the current model year. This is because the refresh of 2013 had taken hold in the model lineup by that time.
The result was reliability, which has been getting better every year since.
Due to these measures and continued innovation on the part of BMW, the Mini Countryman has become more dependable than those that were built before 2014.
For 2023, the Mini Countryman shares the same 1.5L 3-cylinder that produces 134 horsepower.
Check also: here are the best names for Mini Coopers.
Although the Countryman is slightly heavier than the Mini Cooper, it can still make it from zero to 60 miles per hour in a respectable 9.2 seconds.
You can check the best and worst years here for the Mini Cooper models.
When wearing the ‘S’ designation or JCW (John Cooper Works) badging, power for the Countryman comes from a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder that produces 310 horsepower and 331-pound feet of torque.
This power gives the Mini Countryman the oomph to cover the same zero to 60 paths in 4.9 seconds.
That is a sports car track-time, and a good argument for upgrading a Mini Countryman.
Both engines and safety features have contributed to a few Mini Countryman models being the worst of the years they’ve been built.
These are the most reliable years the Mini Countryman:
Almost every car manufacturer has stellar years.
There are occasions when everything comes together as planned and goes off without a hitch, and presto, change-o, there sits a gem of a car.
The last five to seven years of the Mini Countryman’s production have produced better vehicles than before.
There have been changes in the engines across the product line, chasing the ever-elusive higher fuel mileage number. Over time, the Mini Countryman has become slightly larger, and its seating capacity has been increased from four to five passengers.
2014 Mini Countryman
Owners of the 2014 Mini Countryman commented on the quality of the interior. The excellent safety ratings were also a deciding factor for some buyers. The only complaint for this model year was the lack of power from the base engine. If you want to spend the money, there’s a way to fix that.
Overall, the 2014 Mini Countryman was the first model year to benefit from the changes made from the previous models’ problems.
2015 Mini Countryman
Reviewers from Edmunds call the Mini Countryman rock-solid, reliable, and fun. One owner suggests getting the manual shift for extra thrills.
The Mini Countryman S or JCW models are as reliable as their less expensive counterparts, even though they are more expensive.
However, the added power makes them fun to drive and more capable vehicles.
2018 Mini Countryman
The 4 out of 5 rating from J.D. Powers for the 2018 Mini Countryman speaks for itself. This was the year that a plug-in hybrid became available, as well as Apple car play, so there were new features to detract from the weak base engine.
However, peppier engines were available then and are now if you want a quicker Countryman than the base model.
2020 Mini Countryman
Like the 2018 Mini Countryman, the 2020 model received a rating from J.D. Powers of 4 out of 5 for reliability.
Considering the price of a new Mini, purchasing one two to five years old can finally be a way to get a Countryman in your driveway.
No matter what model of Mini Countryman you decide to purchase, having a car with warranty is helpful because you know you want one. It is also good insurance against any breakages you might have.
2022 and 2023 Mini Countryman
The 2023 models of the Mini Countryman haven’t been out long enough for a lot of feedback. However, early reports show they are doing as well as the 2020 model and getting positive feedback.
The reliability of the 2022 and 2023 Mini Countryman is currently about average. However, adding enough statistics will take a few years to give a clear picture of their overall reliability.
However, the 2022 and 2023 Mini Countryman should be the most reliable models if the past can predict the future.
What Mini Countryman years should you avoid?
The mini Countryman, built from 2011 to 2013, should be avoided altogether.
Also, the Mini Countryman, of any year powered by the base, the non-turbo engine, does not have the power to push the Mini Countryman around very spryly.
A few of the models in these years of production had a complete engine failure, and a few caught on fire.
However, by 2014, BMW was getting things sorted out, and from 2015 forward, the problems with the Mini Countryman continued to fall.
It takes the turbo-charged powered models in the Mini Countryman to keep the sporty handling that it gets with a few more horsepower.
2011 to 2013 Mini Countryman
These are the worst years of the Mini Countryman.
They had leaky valve cover gaskets, rough-running engines, and faulty exterior hardware not working or falling off.
There have also been incidents of failure of the VVT solenoid. When this happens, the engine will run roughly, and a check engine light should light up.
The failure of the engine to run could leave you stranded.
Any car problem that leaves you on the side of the road is not worth the risk, and these particular models of the Mini Countryman are liable to do that.
2019 Mini Countryman
J.D. Power gave the 2018 Mini Countryman a 4 out of 5 reliability rating. However, the 2019 model year didn’t fair quite as well.
The 2019 model of the Countryman had owners who had minor issues with their engines.
They also had a problem with body hardware falling off or not working right.
The electrical system also received complaints from owners who had plans that failed. An electrical failure is not only a costly repair. Failed wiring issues can lead to a fire in some instances.
What are some typical problems with the Mini Countryman models?
The earliest years of the Mini Countryman, 2011 to 2013, were their worst years of production.
It was a new concept, and many of the same parts shared with the Mini Cooper had the same failures.
These issues include water pumps that failed around the 50,000-mile mark.
Other problems include:
- leaky valve cover gaskets,
- bad transmissions,
- and faulty clutches.
Failed wiring harnesses that cause warning lights to illuminate are another issue in these model years of the Mini Countryman.
Also, the Mini Countryman models are one of the SUVs with the least ground clearance.
So, don’t expect it do be a fantastic mini SUV for snowy roads.
Is a Mini Countryman a good car to buy?
Overall, the latest models of the Mini Countryman, although not problem free, have fewer issues than models from 2011 to 2015.
But, of course, later model cars will have lower mileage, in most cases, and may command a higher price.
This leads to the best part of this article, because the good news is the Mini Countryman holds its value well.
It will only lose about 29 percent of its value when it’s five years old.
So, rest assured, unless you buy a lemon or don’t take care of your Mini Countryman, it may be worth as much when you sell it as it is now.
It can take several years of production to work the kinks in a new vehicle model, and the Mini Countryman has been no different.
All but one of the years, as mentioned above, have gotten good reviews, and the most notable similarity to the Mini Cooper is the Mini Countryman’s sportscar-like drivability.
ⓘ The information in this article is based on data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall reports, consumer complaints submitted to the NHTSA, reliability ratings from J.D. Power, auto review and rating sites such as Edmunds, specialist forums, etc. We analyzed this data to provide insights into the best and worst years for these vehicle models.