Business 215
Fine Jewellers Fight Back as Dupe Culture Booms
MINI Countryman Untamed Edition Review: Off-Road Capability With Limits
The 2027 MINI Countryman Untamed Edition adds a 15 mm suspension lift, all-terrain tyres and underbody protection, but a Lake Tahoe off-road test suggests MINI could have pushed the concept further.
By Edward Beaumont · 4 min read
MINI has taken its largest model off the beaten track with the 2027 Countryman Untamed Edition, a factory-backed off-road variant that adds a 15 mm suspension lift, 19-inch Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tyres and new underbody protection. In the United States, the package starts at $43,900 before destination charges, and it is offered on both the petrol-powered S ALL4 and the electric SE ALL4, both riding on steel springs.
The changes are more than cosmetic. The lift raises ground clearance by almost 20 mm, and MINI has recalibrated the ABS, stability control and steering to work with the revised suspension and tyres. European buyers face a different proposition: pedestrian-protection rules limit the lift to the electric version, which also gains passive adaptive dampers. Visual and practical additions include a grille with vertical slats, protective film against rock chips on the bonnet and flanks, and a matte Frozen Nomad Blue paint option. Inside, the Untamed treatment brings rubber floor mats, elastic straps on the centre console to secure a phone, rock-pattern fabric and bespoke badges. Everything else carries over from the standard Countryman, including the drive modes and the Go-Kart setting.
On a rocky off-road course at Lake Tahoe, the Countryman Untamed proved capable but not invincible. Early in the run, a wheel lifted clear of the ground in a deep hole, and the traction control quickly redirected power to the tyres still in contact. In a sharp, rutted turn, the car lost momentum and sank into a hole before climbing out with additional throttle. On the final big climb, it stalled atop a rock and required a short roll back and a faster second attempt to clear the obstacle. The steep descent near the end, at close to 20 degrees of pitch, was the hardest section, though the Countryman reached the bottom without scraping its underbody. Guides spotted the trickiest lines, and a Jeep ahead on the same trail was also finding the going difficult.
The value question is central to the Untamed Edition's appeal. The package itself costs $1,600, but it requires the $3,400 Iconic trim with Comfort Package Plus. That brings a Countryman S ALL4 Untamed to $43,900 before destination, or $45,250 with it, which is $5,000 more than a base S ALL4. MINI has not announced pricing for the electric version, and US deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027. An Autohome roof tent is sold separately.
On the road, the trade-offs are audible and tactile: more tyre noise, extra road texture through the steering wheel and a slightly firmer ride than a standard Countryman. None of that proved bothersome in town, and the overall package remains liveable. The regular Countryman is a sensible family crossover, while the Untamed looks like something bought on desire rather than pure logic. The main criticism is that MINI stopped short on both the suspension and the styling, leaving room for a more extreme interpretation. The Countryman is already MINI's best-seller in the US, and if the Untamed finds an audience, the company will have a clear reason to build something bolder.
6
