2023 Mini Countryman Untamed Edition Review: Almost Out of Gas

If you forgot the Mini Countryman was still on sale, you’d be forgiven. So did I. The current-generation Countryman has been on sale since 2017, but it’s become an afterthought in the segment over the past few years, with cars like the Volvo XC40, the Audi Q3, and even the BMW Group’s own BMW X1 overshadowing it. Mini is preparing the Countryman’s replacement as we speak but, before that car arrives, it released a few special editions of its not-so-mini SUV to squeeze out a few more sales before it’s finally gone. I had the chance to live with one of those special editions, the 2023 Mini Countryman Untamed Edition, for a week to see if the Countryman is still worthy of being remembered.

Little is changed for the Untamed Edition, as it’s still essentially the same Mini Countryman as it was before. It’s still based on the BMW Group’s “FAAR” front-wheel-drive chassis and it still has the same powertrain—in this case, a 2.0-liter turbo-four paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive. The only differences brought by the Untamed Edition are cosmetic and, try as they might, it’s hard to see them as anything other than lipstick on an aging pig.

While the Mini Countryman is still dated, lacks the tech of modern rivals, and looks ancient at this point, it’s still a solid car that does feel a bit more special because of its special edition package. Does that make it worth buying over its newer rivals? That’s what I spent a week finding out.

The Basics

Mini doesn’t really need this Untamed Edition package to save the Countryman. This current generation is about to be replaced in just a few months' time. Instead, it’s simply designed to add a few more numbers to the end of the Countryman’s sales sheet before it heads off to the junkyard in the sky. However, outside of die-hard Mini lovers, I’m not so sure this special edition is worthy of customer attention.

You really have to study the Countryman Untamed Edition from the outside to realize there’s anything different from the rest of the Countrymans (Countrymen?) on the road. There are some differences, though. The new chunky wheels, for example, look pretty good, with their two-tone black and silver design. There are only two color options for the Untamed Edition: Momentum Grey and Nanuq White. My test car was the former and it looked handsome on the Countryman’s aging body. However, I could do without the stripes on the sides of the car.

Inside, however, is where the Untamed Edition makes itself seem valuable. I actually said “Oh wow” out loud when I opened the door because the Highland Green leather, with its contrast stitching, is pretty kick-ass. So often these special editions can feel trite and cynical but the Untamed Countryman’s Highland interior really does feel special. It has that typical cheekiness that Mini used to do so well without feeling snobby. It feels fun and I really liked it. I hope Mini keeps Highland Green as an interior option for the next Countryman.

The rest of the cabin is the same as every other Countryman, though. It has the same, dated infotainment system, with its console-mounted turn dial that works the opposite way it should, and the same toggle switch controls. None of it is actually bad—the switchgear feels solid, the infotainment works well enough, and its ergonomics are odd but in that quirky way that makes Minis fun. However, the infotainment screen is small compared to those in its more modern competitors. If you don’t think that’s important, try going back to an iPhone 5. The pop-up head-up display is also lacking, compared to the larger, full-color displays you get in some Hyundais nowadays. The Mini’s cabin isn’t terrible, it’s just dated, which makes it a hard sell in 2023.

You can get the Countryman Untamed Edition in three different flavors: Cooper S, Cooper S All4, and Cooper SE. Both the Cooper S and Cooper S All4 use the same powertrain, a 2.0-liter turbo-four, making 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. However, the All4 gets all-wheel drive, while the standard car remains front-driven. The SE gets a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a bit more power (221 hp) but my test car was the Cooper S All4.