MINI Countryman hybrid boot space & seating

The MINI Countryman (which shares underpinnings with the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer) was designed from the start to use plug-in hybrid technology, so you don’t give up too much interior space to the battery. In fact, other than a little less headroom in the rear and a slightly smaller boot, this car is every bit as practical as the standard Countryman – and a match for rivals such as the Renault Captur E-TECH, Kia Niro PHEV and Toyota C-HR.

MINI Countryman hybrid interior space, storage & comfort

In the front, the hybrid is just as spacious as the regular Countryman – and that means only relative giants will have any issue with the amount of space at their disposal. The main change in the hybrid is that the rear seats are set slightly higher to accommodate the batteries; they also can’t slide forwards and back, which is a shame. However, that’s only a small sacrifice, and the high roofline means there’s still plenty of headroom.

There are loads of places to put your odds and ends around the car, too. The pockets in the front and rear doors each take a one-litre drinks bottle and there’s a storage compartment in the centre console. There are also two cup-holders beside the gear selector.

Boot space

As with passenger space, so with boot space: the hybrid has a little less luggage room than the regular Countryman, because the batteries are placed under the boot floor. However, it’ll still take 405 litres – only 45 less than the normal Countryman – which is roughly on a par with standard family hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf. It's a little more boot space than in a Toyota C-HR (377 litres) and only a bit less than the Kia Niro, which holds 427 litres. Plus, there’s storage under the floor to keep the charge cables.

The rear seats split and fold in a 40:20:40 configuration, so it’s possible to travel with four adults and fit long items like skis or snowboards, although the adults in the back will feel squeezed for elbow space if you do this. Again, this hybrid has a little less space than a regular Countryman when you drop those rear seats – 1,275 litres rather than 1,390 – but that’s still a decent amount, and not far off what you’ll find in a Niro.