New Mini Countryman is a grown-up option with a grown-up price tag

At 4.45m long it is the largest Mini crossover to date and the introduction of a zero emissions option also makes the Countryman range more diverse than ever.

A drivetrain borrowed from BMW’s iX1 and iX2 features a 64.7kWh battery that can deliver a 251-mile range and a rapid charge from 10 to 80 per cent in under half an hour.

In the range-topping twin-motor guise tested here it also challenges the rapid Countryman John Coopper Works for pace.

With 302PS and 494Nm of torque delivered via Mini’s All4 all-wheel-drive system, a sprint to 62mph takes 5.6 seconds.

The suspension is extremely well-judged for a tall car packing all that performance. It is firm, but never uncomfortable. The Countryman’s helm does lack feel, and the engagement of the smaller Mini Cooper, but it is rapid point-to-point.

The new Countryman is a premium crossover option. Prices at £42,090 for the 204PS single motor, with the dual-motor costing from £47,180.

A sprinkling of magic from the Mini options list took our test car to £56,200.

Mini’s £5,300 Level 3 options pack added a Harmon/Kardon sound system, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, heated front seats and adaptive LED headlights.

It also brought augmented reality sat nav – overlaying directions onto live footage of the road ahead on Mini’s striking 9.4-inch circular OLED display – and a head-up instrument display, without which you would rely on the speed shown on that centrally-located infotainment screen.

The quality of the spacious interior is top notch. Tactile net-like fabric covers areas of the dashboard and door cards, through which LEDs shine at night.

That OLED display centralises many functions via an app-like menu display. This takes some exploring but looks excellent and brings cartoons, games and video streaming to view when the car is parked.

All this stacks up to a family car that impresses the kids as much as the adults. It is a grown-up option with a very grown-up price tag, mind you.