The 2027 MINI Countryman Untamed Edition is the off-road version of the Countryman, with a 15 mm suspension lift, 19-inch Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires, and new underbody protection. In the US, it starts at $43,900 before destination. We drove it up and down a rocky off-road course at Lake Tahoe and then through town. It got through the whole course, though it needs momentum on the steep sections, and MINI could have taken the idea further.

What The Untamed Edition Actually Changes On The Countryman

The lift adds almost 20 mm (0.75 inches) of ground clearance, and MINI recalibrated the ABS, stability control, and steering to work with the new suspension and tires. In the US, the package is offered on the S ALL4 and the electric SE ALL4, both on steel springs. In Europe, pedestrian-protection rules limit the lift to the EV, which also gets passive adaptive dampers.

Outside, there’s a grille with vertical slats, protective film against rock chips on the hood and sides, and colors that include a matte Frozen Nomad Blue. Inside, you get rubber floor mats, elastic straps on the center console to hold a phone, rock-pattern fabric, and Untamed badges. The rest is standard Countryman, right down to the drive modes, Go-Kart included.

How It Handled A Rocky Lake Tahoe Off-Road Course

The course is harder than it looks on camera. Early on, one wheel lifted off the ground in a deep hole, and the traction control almost instantly sent power to the tires that still had grip. In a sharp, rutted turn, the Countryman lost momentum and sank into a hole, then climbed out with a little more throttle. On the last big climb, it stalled on top of a rock and needed a short roll back and a faster second run to get over.

The steep descent near the end, at close to 20 degrees of pitch, was the hardest part, and the Countryman got down without scraping its underbody. Guides spotted us through the trickiest sections, and a Jeep ahead of us on the same trail wasn’t finding it easy either.

Is The Countryman Untamed Worth $5,000 Over A Base S ALL4?

The Untamed package costs $1,600, but it requires the $3,400 Iconic trim with Comfort Package Plus. That puts a Countryman S ALL4 Untamed at $43,900 before destination ($45,250 with it), or $5,000 more than a base S ALL4. MINI hasn’t announced pricing for the electric version, and US deliveries are expected to start in the first quarter of 2027. An Autohome roof tent is sold separately.

On the road, you pay for it with tire noise, more road texture through the steering wheel, and a slightly firmer ride than a standard Countryman. None of it bothered us in town, and we’d make that trade. The regular Countryman is a sensible family crossover, while the Untamed looks like something you buy because you want one. Our complaint is that MINI stopped short on both the suspension and the styling. The Countryman is already MINI’s best-seller in the US, and if the Untamed sells, MINI has a reason to build something more extreme.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com