We returned after an overnight stay in Deal, but with 40 miles of that trip left, the car said I had just 50 miles of range. Despite reducing my speed, the prediction was dropping quickly, thanks to the heating required in the icy conditions. The nav also seemed concerned, routing us to a service station chargepoint.
Happily, the top-up was very quick. I plugged into a fast charger with 22 per cent range left, but barely had time to peruse the magazine rack or buy a coffee before a MINI App notification said the Countryman was at 42 per cent and we could continue our journey.
By the time I’d found my wife and got back into the car, we were at 56 per cent, for a cost of £18.25. Once we left the motorway and slowed to the urban speed limit, we arrived home with plenty of charge to spare. Would we have made it without stopping? Probably, if we turned the heating off, but for the sake of a 14-minute wait, why be cold?
MINI Countryman SE ALL4 JCW: second report
A mid-size SUV that’s actually fun
- Mileage: 3,042
- Efficiency: 3.4 miles per kWh
When it comes to building a brand, few have done it better than MINI. And I’m not just talking about logos, brochures or showrooms; it’s the whole package. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said: “Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man.” I suggest that, if you drove that child in a MINI, you’d have them hooked by four. Both of my grandchildren are totally sold on our Countryman, and the youngest is just two.
