2023 Mini Hatch teased in camouflage

Mini has teased its fourth-generation Hatch before a possible 2022 reveal of the iconic city car.

Covered in camouflage and powered by an electric motor, the vehicle teased retains a lot of the Mini Hatch's common features, from the large, round headlights to its tall and wide grille, as well as the small bonnet inlet.

Although the camo does its job of making its real proportions, it looks like the 2023 model will feature shorter overhangs at the front and rear, potentially downsizing to become closer to its original roots.

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The Mini Hatch isn't going all-electric just yet, as internal combustion engines will still power some of the model's variants, likely including the range-topping John Cooper Works performance trim.

However, the arrival of the fourth-gen Hatch signals the start of Mini's move towards electrification, as the manufacturer has previously announced it will launch its final ICE powered model in 2025, followed by a move to a fully-electric line-up by 2030.

While the Hatch is set to downsize, the Countryman has aims of taking on the Audi Q3 and BMW X3 by getting bigger, looking to muscle its way into the small SUV category which is popular amongst new car buyers.

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Although it's potentially a few years away, we could eventually see Mini's Urbanaut concept come to life, bringing retro van styling to a modern EV platform, suitable for almost any urban environment.

In the light passenger vehicles above $25,000 segment, the Mini Hatch is a leader, with 1614 sales year-to-date, also accounting for more than half of Mini's 3186 units sold to the end of October 2021.

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Above: the Mini Rocketman concept, revealed in 2011, has kept fans hoping for a more compact version of the popular hatch