The automotive industry is changing faster now than it has for decades. More people are waking up to the virtues of plug-in hybrid vehicles, so manufacturers are ramping up investment in the technology. MINI is the latest car maker to surf that wave. It combines low running costs with decent performance in a practical off-roader body, but it has a tough job on its hands going up against our favourite plug-in hybrid family car, the Volkswagen Golf GTE. The VW may not possess the MINI鈥檚 rugged looks, but it has quality, sharp handling and efficiency. However, both will have to overcome the challenge from Britain鈥檚 favourite plug-in hybrid, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Japanese car is a bigger SUV than the MINI and a completely different body style from the Golf, but all three cars claim to offer practicality and parsimonious running costs. Which is the most convincing? The Countryman S E is MINI鈥檚 first plug-in hybrid.
With a 134bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine mated to an 87bhp electric motor, the 拢29,075 S E ALL4 offers surprising pace, all-wheel drive and impressive claims of up to 134.5mpg. Can it deliver on its on-paper promises? The Countryman S E might be heavier than conventionally powered models, but it retains that sense of fun that has been a MINI trait for years. Still, that 1,735kg kerbweight means the MINI isn鈥檛 as agile as the Golf. The steering is quick and with plenty of grip turn-in is positive - plus the electric four-wheel-drive system gives good traction and you can feel the subtle boost from the motor under full throttle. On test the Countryman served up an impressive 0-60mph time, taking just 6.4 seconds to cover the sprint. It鈥檚 helped by the automatic transmission that shifts smoothly and contributes to the overall relaxing experience on the move. In gear, the instant torque from the electric motor gave excellent response as the MINI accelerated between 30 and 50mph in fourth in 3.1 seconds, while there鈥檚 plenty of urge to roll along in EV mode.
You get some three-cylinder thrum from under the bonnet when the engine kicks in, but the car is relatively refined at speed. However, the chassis has been stiffened to cope with the extra weight of the battery pack, so the Countryman doesn鈥檛 float over bumps with as much composure as the regular car. Push harder and the extra weight is noticeable through the looser body control as the dampers struggle to control the mass. It鈥檚 a fair match for the Golf, however, and is far more composed and fun than the Outlander. You can also tweak the drive modes for extra efficiency or a sportier feel; the latter adds weight to the steering, but the default mode is best. An area where the Countryman scores well is its brakes. Pedal feel on these regenerative set-ups can be vague, and although the MINI isn鈥檛 perfect, it鈥檚 one of the better ones we鈥檝e tested.
Testers鈥?notes: 鈥淭he way the Countryman combines its petrol and electric propulsion is slick. Recently facelifted for 2017, the VW Golf remains the only car on sale in the United Kingdom offered with petrol, diesel, full electric and hybrid powertrains. Here we test the 拢29,635 plug-in hybrid Golf GTE in Advance form, which costs 拢560 more than the MINI but is 拢2,170 cheaper than the Outlander. Can it convert that into victory? The GTE sits at the sportier end of the plug-in market, combining GTI performance with even lower running costs than the Golf GTD. However, it doesn鈥檛 drive with quite the same verve as those cars, but it鈥檚 closely matched with the MINI and more enjoyable than the Outlander. The suspension has been tweaked and is stiffer to cope with the weight of the battery pack mounted underneath the boot. To give an idea of how much this weighs, the GTE is 250kg heavier than a GTI. It doesn鈥檛 change direction as sharply as other Golfs as a result, but it鈥檚 more alert and agile than the MINI, helped by its lower centre of gravity, while the Outlander simply can鈥檛 compete.
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