2014 New York Auto Show: Mini Countryman facelift revealed

The updated Mini Countryman has been officially unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show. The Countryman is the biggest Mini of them all, with four doors and a usable boot (unlike its three-doored siblings) and can also take on a fair amount of off-roading, making it quite popular in the European markets.

The 2015 Mini Countryman was introduced without much fanfare, probably since it is not an all-new car and still uses the current model platform. But it does get subtle design improvisations which include a more prominent hexagonal grille, new front and rear bumpers, LED day time running lights and restyled alloy wheels. The 2015 Mini Countryman also features LED fog lights and sump guards on all-wheel drive variants.

The other highlights are three new exterior colours: Jungle Green metallic, Midnight Grey metallic and Starlight Blue metallic. The subtle upgrades continue in to the cabin as well with revised instrumentation, chromed switches and the latest version of the Mini Connected infotainment system. 

The current engine options have been carried over but tuned to offer improved fuel efficiency, and come mated with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed autobox. The Mini Countryman Cooper S will boast of an upgraded 1.6-litre turbo that now produces 193PS and 240Nm of torque. With the more powerful motor the 2015 Mini Countryman S claims to sprint from 0-100kmph in 7.5 seconds and will have a top speed of about 218kmph. All-wheel-drive is optional for the Cooper and Cooper S, though it is standard on the sporty John Cooper Works model. 

The 2015 Mini Countryman goes on sale around July 2014 in Europe and is expected to be around Rs 13.90 lakh ($23,000) internationally.