Most rugged-looking SUVs are about as wilderness-ready as a suede loafer. MINI’s new Countryman Untamed Edition at least makes an effort: proper all-terrain tyres are available, the electric SE sits higher, and the cabin has rubber mats you can attack with muddy boots without first drafting an apology.
That sounds like faint praise, but it is refreshing. Special editions too often consist of black badges, a fashionable paint colour and a brochure full of adjectives. The Untamed adds some hardware to the costume, although you will need to choose the right version to get the full effect.
The electric one gets the useful lift
Britain will receive four powertrains: petrol C and S models, plus electric E and SE versions. Prices start at £33,595, orders are open now and first deliveries are expected in early 2027. The range sounds broad, but the off-road upgrades are rather more selective.
The 15mm suspension lift is reserved for the electric SE. Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres are optional on the S and SE, while MINI’s ALL4 system appears on the relevant all-wheel-drive models. In other words, the cheapest Untamed is chiefly buying the appearance and cabin treatment. If you want the version most able to clamber beyond a gravel car park, the order form will lead you uphill financially as well as physically.
That is a shame because the basic idea is sound. A modest increase in ride height will not turn a Countryman into a mountain goat, but it can provide useful breathing room on rutted tracks and awkward campsite entrances. Tyres matter even more. Chunkier tread and tougher intent are far more convincing than another plastic garnish pretending to be a bash plate.
Rugged details that understand British weather
The cosmetic work is mostly well judged. The vertical grille and Dark Steel trim give the Countryman a tougher face, while textured protective film covers the wheel arches, sills and bonnet’s power dome. That film may not quicken anybody’s pulse, yet stone-chip protection is exactly the sort of unglamorous feature an outdoors-themed car should include.
Exclusive 19-inch wheels echo old steel-wheel designs, and the new Hideaway Grey and Nomad Blue paints avoid the usual military-green cliché. A matt Frozen Nomad Blue follows for orders from January 2027, becoming MINI’s first factory matt finish. It will doubtless look splendid until a hedge introduces itself.
Inside, the Nightshade Blue sports seats, knitted dashboard surfaces and Cornflower Blue details deliver the fashion-show portion of the programme. More useful are the redesigned centre box with elastic straps and the rubber floor and boot mats. Anyone who has transported wet dogs, walking boots or children coated in half a forest will understand that washable flooring is a luxury feature.
The camping catalogue is optional
MINI has also prepared the accessories necessary to turn an overnight stop into content. A roof tent developed with AUTOHOME uses gas struts and weather-resistant material, while HELINOX supplies folding chairs and tables. They are optional and bought separately, which is probably for the best. Plenty of buyers will like the idea of camping more than the 3am reality of rain tapping directly above their eyebrows.
The roof can carry up to 75kg on the move and 300kg when parked. An optional towbar is available across the range, with capacity reaching 2,000kg depending on specification. Those numbers give the Countryman genuine holiday usefulness beyond a mountain logo on the C-pillar.
The Untamed Edition succeeds because its best changes are practical, slightly nerdy and easy to appreciate after a filthy weekend. The frustrating part is that MINI has scattered the meaningful hardware across selected versions instead of making every Untamed equally adventurous.
Still, this is a lifestyle special that has remembered life involves stones, mud and badly chosen shortcuts. Pick the SE, add the right tyres and actually take it somewhere. Nothing tames an “adventure” badge faster than a lifetime spent outside a coffee shop.
Sources
- New MINI Countryman Untamed Edition primed for off-road adventures
- Designed for the road less travelled: Introducing the MINI Countryman Untamed Edition
Image credit: MINI / BMW Group
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