FX.co ★ The novelty from Mini: a second-generation crossover

In the rear there are three seatbacks. They can be reclined fore-aft up to 13 cm. Besides, the engineers enlarged back-door apertures. Its predecessor has already got them.

Thanks to higher seating position a driver can observe everything what happens on the way before and after him. The engineers tried to make the vision optimized for a car owner.

Countryman is available with two engine options: gasoline (136 hp and 192 hp) and diesel (150 hp and 190 hp).

MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 is the first automobile of the company which is fitted with a plug-in hybrid drive. The fuel distance with electric traction amounts to about 40 km, the speed-limit is 125 km/h.

The renewed MINI with eight-speed Steptronic does 0-100 in 7,2 seconds, by 0,9 sec faster than the predecessor.

It should be noted that one more technical solution puzzled out by the engineers of the company is LED headlights which are framed with the daylight rings.

The luggage boot also comes as a kind surprise: 450 liters with options for expanding to 1390 liters (with the fold-flat rear seatbacks). The maximum trunk volume of the predecessor was up to 220 liters.

The switch around the gear lever allows to choose the mode of automobile duties: MID, SPORT or GREEN.

Sales in the European countries will begin in February 2017, in other markets – in March. The crossover price is still unknown.