The MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 receives a mid-cycle refresh in its second generation boasting aesthetic and functional upgrades all-around, making the already great flagship crossover even better. Let’s dive a little deeper.

There’s nothing ground-breaking about the exterior changes to the vehicle, but subtle details provide a further polished appearance. The slightly reworked hexagonal mesh grill features a slim one-piece chrome surround, and has a complementary lower grille framed in a contrasting silver colour that is integrated with the front spoiler.

LED headlights are now standard, as are signature upright rear LED taillights adopting the nifty Union Jack illumination adopted from the standard Cooper S signifying the brand’s British heritage. The silver rear diffuser also sports a more textured look. Our press loaner was sprayed in a coat of the freshly added and very unique Sage Green metallic paint.

It’s quite odd not to see the familiar oversized round instrument metre on the dashboard, replaced with an optional 5.0-inch digital display (included in the $7,350 Premier+ package). The other controls are pretty much unchanged, and the infotainment system remains one of the better executed examples in the industry utilizing quite an intuitive interface.

MINI calls the model “the biggest and most versatile member of the family” and it’s not wrong. The 40:20:40 split second row bench accommodated two sets of golf clubs just fine on a run to the driving range, and depending on the configuration can squeeze in between 450 and 1,390 litres of cargo at the back.

No changes to report in terms of engine output, the TwinPower Turbo 2.0-litre inline-four mill still making 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This trim has always offered a peppy, sharp ride and continues to do so, though turbo lag remains evident when full throttle is applied like when trying to pass, for example.

That said, fuel consumption is top notch for the segment, the compact SUV doing about 10.4 L/100 km in mixed city and highway driving.

The base 2021 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 starts at $35,990.