Archive · 30 Aug 2026
2026 Mini Countryman C Review: A Family SUV With Personality
The Mini Countryman C is a larger Mini designed to work as a family car.
A reviewer drove it around Mumbai with a baby, two parents and a spouse.
Everyone had enough room to sit comfortably.
The back seats can slide and recline, and the boot can hold 505 litres of luggage.
Its small turbo engine has 156 horsepower and makes the car feel quick in traffic.
Special driving modes make the car more playful and change the cabin’s colours and sounds.
Cameras and a high driving position help the driver park and navigate narrow streets.
However, the gearbox can hesitate, some controls are hidden in the screen, and the ride can feel firm.
Overall, it offers family practicality without losing Mini’s distinctive personality.
The Countryman C comfortably carried five people, including a one-year-old child and two senior passengers, through Mumbai.
Its 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine produces 156hp and 240Nm, with front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The cabin features a circular OLED display, textile surfaces, ambient lighting, Experience Modes and a fisheye camera.
Rear passengers get generous space, while the sliding and reclining rear bench improves comfort and the boot offers 505 litres.
The car is enjoyable and easy to manoeuvre, but its gearbox, touchscreen controls, firm ride and 19-inch wheels have drawbacks.
- Who
- The reviewer, accompanied by a wife, one-year-old son and senior parents, tested the Mini Countryman C.
- What
- A family-focused road test and review of the 2026 Mini Countryman C.
- When
- During a weekend test drive; the article does not give specific dates.
- Where
- Mumbai, including the route from the suburbs to Nariman Point.
- Why
- To assess the car’s practicality, comfort and driving manners with three generations aboard.
Family Strengths
Key Compromises
Passenger comfort
Family Strengths
The spacious rear seats, 130mm sliding range and up to 25-degree recline allowed the senior passengers to remain comfortable during the Mumbai trip.
Key Compromises
The car’s ride became terse on deteriorated roads, and its large 19-inch wheels reacted sharply to potholes and tall speed breakers.
Urban driving
Family Strengths
The engine felt peppy in traffic, while the high seating position and 360-degree cameras made tight lanes and crowded parking areas easier to manage.
Key Compromises
The dual-clutch gearbox could hesitate at crawling speeds, and the car lacks paddle shifters for drivers who want more control.
Technology and cabin design
Family Strengths
The OLED display, ambient lighting, Experience Modes and camera gave the cabin a colourful, entertaining character that also appealed to the child passenger.
Key Compromises
Climate controls are buried in the touchscreen, and some menus require too much attention while driving.
- Engine
- 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol
- Power and torque
- 156hp and 240Nm
- Transmission
- Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
- Drivetrain
- Front-wheel drive
- Boot capacity
- 505 litres
- Claimed fuel economy
- 15.92kpl
- Price
- ₹47.50 lakh, ex-showroom India
- Safety rating
- Five-star Euro NCAP