Categories: Cars

New MINI Countryman Scores Five Stars In Euro NCAP Crash Test

The new MINI Countryman is among the 15 cars evaluated by Euro NCAP in this year’s final round of crash tests. As you would expect from a BMW Group product, the not-so-mini crossover aced the test by earning all five stars. This third generation is more BMW than its predecessors since the model is built in-house at the Leipzig factory in Germany. Production of preceding models for global markets was externalized to third-party companies.

The “U25” passed Euro NCAP’s crash test with flying colors after earning the following scores: 83% for Adult Occupant protection, 87% for Child Occupant, 81% for Vulnerable Road Users, and 79% in the Safety Assist category. As shown in the adjacent images and video, several cars were crashed to assess the level of safety offered by the Countryman.

It’s the first Countryman offered in a fully electric version, replacing the old plug-in hybrid from the “F60” years. You can think of the Countryman as a sister model of the BMW X1, also made in Germany but at the Regensburg plant instead. It’s no longer MINI’s sole crossover since there’s now a smaller Aceman offered strictly as an EV. Euro NCAP has yet to crash-test the subcompact model built exclusively in China. From 2026, the Aceman will also be produced at home in Oxford, UK.

The Countryman is one of just two BMW Group cars crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2024. The new X2 also got five stars back in July. After grabbing a maximum safety rating in December 2023, the i5 returned this year for a separate test. This time around, its driver assist systems were put under the lens. The electric 5 Series got a “Very Good” rating after scoring 76% for Assistance Competence and 90% for Safety Backup.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Aceman and the new electric Cooper three-door hatchback fare. The “J05” and “J01” are built on a separate platform co-developed with Great Wall Motor. The EV hatch will also be assembled in Oxford from 2026.

Source: Euro NCAP