2021 Mini Countryman problems

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The Mini Countryman, also called Mini Crossover in Japan, is a subcompact crossover SUV, the first vehicle of this type to be launched by BMW under the Mini marque. It was launched in 2010 and received a facelift in 2014. The second generation vehicle was released in 2017.

Pre-production concepts

The Mini Crossover Concept previewed the design of the Countryman. It has four doors (2 right swing open, 1 left swing open, 1 left lift/sliding) and four single seats. It was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

The 2010 Mini Beachcomber Concept was based on the Crossover Concept and the Mini Countryman, with no doors and no conventional roof. It included ALL4 all-wheel drive and offroad wheels. It was unveiled at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

2021 Mini Countryman

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Common 2021 Mini Countryman problems

The 2021 Mini Countryman has been praised for its fun driving experience, unique exterior and interior design, and higher-quality materials compared to subcompact rivals. However, there are some common problems that owners have reported.

One of the main issues is the small cargo area, which can be a limitation for those who need more space for their belongings.

Another issue is the requirement for premium fuel for the engines, which can be an added expense for owners.

Furthermore, the rear seat and boot space, while large and configurable, have been reported to have some shortfalls in terms of ergonomics and cabin noise, which can be particularly noticeable on harsher roads.

Lastly, the fuel economy isn't great, which can be a concern for those who prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

It is worth noting that the 2021 Mini Countryman has received positive reviews for its fun and spirited drive, as well as its luxury-themed Mini Yours trim, which offers quirky additions both inside and out. However, these issues should be taken into consideration when evaluating the overall value and practicality of the vehicle.

2021 Mini Countryman engine

What are common faults with Mini Countryman?

What are the most common problems with a used Mini Countryman hatchback?

  • Crankshaft sensor. A problem with the crankshaft sensor of some examples built from 19 May and 9 June 2018 could lead to the engine going into an emergency reduced power mode and limiting performance. ...
  • Swivel bearings. ...
  • Crash protection plate.

Is Mini Countryman a reliable car?

The Countryman has actually placed in the top spot for reliability on some popular surveys, while driver reviews are also positive. The Countryman seems to be a great indication that Mini has left behind any reliability issues it had in earlier years.

Is the 2021 Mini Cooper reliable?

The 2021 Mini Cooper has a predicted reliability score of 83 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.

What is the biggest issue with Mini Cooper?

The 1st generation (R50/R53) Mini Cooper is known for premature clutch wear and failure. This typically occurs between 40,000-60,000 miles on vehicles built from 2001-2006. The root cause is due to an under-designed single-mass flywheel and weak factory clutch that cannot handle the torque of the supercharged engines.

2021 Mini Countryman car problems categorized by type of issue

After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Mini Countryman problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:

  • Vehicle speed control problems
  • Forward collision avoidance problems

The graph below shows statistics for all 2021 Mini Countryman vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

2021 Mini Countryman complaints

The NHTSA has received 1 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2021 Mini Countryman.

2021-10-26

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE PROBLEM

  • Date Of Incident: 2021-05-10
  • VIN: WMZ23BR08M3
  • Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
  • Summary: The vehicle brakes during turns in the road when it is inappropriate. Has led to braking almost to a stop on the highway in one incident and could possibly cause a rear end collision. It has done this around 30 times in the past year of owning the vehicle and has begun to cause anxiety on the road due to not knowing when it will activate. It also has not warned during near front end collisions when it should have. The software is faulty and I have brought it to the Mini of Dallas’ attention as well as the Mini of Arlington and the Mini/BMW N. America executive customer relations team which set up an appointment once for it to be inspected but then they said they couldn’t ‘recreate the road conditions’ and thus couldn’t do anything for me. Mini of Dallas said the same thing as well. No resolution even when having talked with the highest customer sales reps. Not really sure how to get this issue fixed. The mini of Dallas said it was the ‘computer just seeing ghosts in the screen’ and even though they recalibrated it or turned the sensitivity down it continues to do this random braking in bends of roads with no one on the road, oncoming traffic on the opposite side of the road, and other situations.

2021 Mini Countryman recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 2 recalls for different components of the 2021 Mini Countryman.

2021-07-21
  • Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
  • Components: SEAT BELTS
  • Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
  • Consequence: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
  • Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
2020-09-30
  • Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
  • Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
  • Summary: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance and X3 xDrive30e and MINI Cooper Countryman All4 SE, 2020 BMW i8, and 2021 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le xDrive and X5 xDrive45e vehicles. Debris may have entered one or more of the hybrid battery cells during their production.
  • Consequence: The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.
  • Remedy: BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. The remedy is currently being developed. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Negative 2021 Mini Countryman car reviews

  1. Clovis Kshlerin 2024-09-19

    The dealership informed me that the front brake pads needed to be replaced at 17k. They mentioned that this car is designed for rally purposes and therefore the brake pads are thinner. Although I have never used it for rally, I understand the reasoning behind it. However, I do wish that the brake pads could last longer. I am concerned that the cost of ownership for this car may be high.

  2. Devonte Cremin 2024-08-14

    I recently rented this car while my own was being repaired after a collision. Unfortunately, I found the suspension to be quite stiff and the acceleration onto the freeway required a lot of effort. Additionally, the radio/infotainment system was difficult to navigate and even had a warning not to scroll through it while driving. The seats were not particularly comfortable and leg room was cramped in the front. While the car rides okay at freeway speeds with cruise control on, it is not ideal for city driving or sitting in traffic. There were also some minor inconveniences such as needing to use a key to enter the car and the Bluetooth occasionally cutting out. The air conditioning was quite loud and made it difficult to hear the radio, especially when on full blast. Unfortunately, this car does not have navigation or support for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Overall, I would recommend looking for other options when renting or purchasing a car. There are plenty of better cars available for a cheaper price.

  3. Juvenal Rath 2024-06-20

    This car is a blast to drive and has some really neat features like the interior lights, moon roof, and keyless entry. However, the technology could use some improvement for the price point. Unfortunately, the car did not sync up with the key to keep the driver's settings and Google Maps is not available on the system. Additionally, the Mini Connected app did not function as intended. Despite these setbacks, I am looking forward to returning the car.

  4. Rodrick White 2024-02-23

    I would like to share our experience with our 2019 Countryman lease with option to buy. Although we have driven it for about 2 years and 8 months and have covered 62,000 miles, we have had some issues with it. Recently, the sunroof cable that closes and opens the sunroof broke and since it had 60k miles when we took it, it was out of warranty. We were disappointed to learn that it would cost $850.00 to repair it. Additionally, we were informed that it needed new motor mounts, which would cost $1,500.00. We have also had to replace all four tires, all brakes, and two roots. Recently, we have had to jump start it a few times and have been unable to find a battery for it. We contacted the dealer, but the closest appointment available is 7 days from now. Although we have had some issues with our car, we hope that our experience can help someone avoid making the same mistakes we did.

  5. Nicholaus Bailey 2024-01-20

    I love Mini Cooper, but I wasn't happy with my last one. I'm hoping that my next lease will be as good as the first one I had.

Positive 2021 Mini Countryman car reviews

  1. Dock Mosciski 2024-10-19

    The MINI Countryman PHEV is a fantastic choice for getting around town. With the home 220/50 AMP CHARGER installed, achieving 65+ MPG is a breeze. Using the Green mode is a lot of fun as the car just rolls! We've owned our MINI Countryman PHEV for over a year now and it continues to be a great performer, both in terms of low cost of ownership and driving pleasure. We've driven it around town and on multiple trips ranging from 70 to 300 miles, including lots of freeway miles, and we're averaging an impressive 64 MPG. In today's world, that's pretty amazing! If we had to make one complaint, it would be the multiple billing processes for chargers on the road.

  2. Alberto Bauch 2024-10-11

    After 15000 miles, I must say that I have had some great driving sensations with this car. I find the braking to be very powerful and efficient. The real electric CITY range is around 11/12 miles in winter and 15 in summer, so forget about the other numbers you see around. However, it is not very economical on the motorway above 60 mph, and the boot size is a bit disappointing. Overall, I still think it's a great car!

  3. Isaac Hagenes 2024-09-15

    This car was just what you were looking for! Edmunds got straight to the heart of your search and produced a vehicle well worth the money and way exceeded your expectations!

  4. Jamison Hartmann 2024-08-28

    Hi there! I noticed that you've only had the car for a few days and you're not quite satisfied with its performance. You mentioned that you might have made a mistake by not buying the S model. Do you think that could be the reason why it seems a bit gutless? Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

  5. Ron Strosin 2024-07-04

    High quality, strong, and fun to drive. It may be expensive, but I'm okay with it.

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Additional sources

More sources of information about 2021 Mini Countryman problems:

Countryman Common Problems - North American Motoring
Countryman Common Problems - North American Motoring
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r60-r61-stock-problems-issues/326533-countryman-common-problems.html

Apr 24, 2018 ... Small problems in a mini are a bit more $$ and difficult than a Fusion. ... Autumn Pavelko , 10-11-2021 ... FYI, I bought a countryman used, from a ...

Mini Cooper S Reliability on newer and newest models (2019-2021 ...
Mini Cooper S Reliability on newer and newest models (2019-2021 ...
https://www.minif56.com/threads/mini-cooper-s-reliability-on-newer-and-newest-models-2019-2021-and-2022.90193/

May 16, 2021 ... Common issues are the top motor mount, for this a new one was released late last year ( my 10/20 build has the new one. Also front control arms ...

Which Year Models of Used MINI Countryman to Avoid - CoPilot
Which Year Models of Used MINI Countryman to Avoid - CoPilot
https://www.copilotsearch.com/posts/which-year-models-used-mini-countryman-avoid/

Apr 25, 2023 ... Transmission problems - Numerous Countryman models are susceptible to transmission issues. Common symptoms include abnormal noises, delayed ...

Mini EV common problems | MINI Electric Forum
Mini EV common problems | MINI Electric Forum
https://www.minievforum.com/threads/mini-ev-common-problems.1440/

Nov 2, 2023 ... Mini EV common problems. Jump to Latest ... 2021 MINI SE Iconic. Like. Reactions ... MINI Cooper SE, Countryman SE and Countryman Plug-In Hybrid.

Mini Cooper Countryman Reliability and Common Problems - In The ...
Mini Cooper Countryman Reliability and Common Problems - In The ...
https://www.carparts.com/blog/mini-cooper-countryman-reliability-and-common-problems/

Aug 3, 2023 ... Mini Cooper Countryman Reliability and Common Problems · The Mini Cooper Countryman is a reliable SUV with a 3.5 out of 5.0 reliability score ...

Other years of Mini Countryman

mini countryman 2022 photo
Countryman 2022
Mini

2

0

15

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
mini countryman 2023 photo
Countryman 2023
Mini

1

0

12

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
mini countryman 2014 photo
Countryman 2014
Mini

0

0

0

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
mini countryman 2015 photo
Countryman 2015
Mini

0

0

0

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
mini countryman 2016 photo
Countryman 2016
Mini

0

1

0

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
mini countryman 2017 photo
Countryman 2017
Mini

5

2

3

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

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2021 Mini Countryman photo