Mini Countryman is an all-new model in the iconic British car range not a stretched standard Mini. It is larger in all directions and is almost in the midsize SUV class rather than being a small vehicle. Yet it is still very much a Mini in its styling and cheeky character. Which is what Mini is all about.
As in the heyday of the original Mini during the swinging sixties the Countryman is a stylish beastie that can be customised in a multitude of ways, both inside and out. The Countryman we reviewed was the Cooper S with the petrol engine, surely the Mini of choice for the driving enthusiast.
Countryman is sold as a front-wheel drive as have been all Minis since their introduction way back in 1959, but the big news in the Countryman is the option of an all-wheel drive system, tagged as Countryman ALL4. As with all of its type in the crossover field it’s not intended to be an off-road vehicle, but to be able to traverse unmade roads and icy surfaces.
Ground clearance is greater on the Countryman than in the others in the Mini range, however at 149 mm it’s not much greater than in some passenger cars.
In Australia the Countryman will be appreciated by adventurous families who love to spend their weekends exploring new bush tracks, forest trails and the like.
Because the Countryman is a substantial 398 mm longer than the Mini three-door hatch it can be used to carry people in the back seats without those in front needing to give up a fair bit of their legroom. To further facilitate this the Mini Countryman has four conventional passenger doors.
Cleverly, the Countryman is offered with a choice of two bucket seats or a three-seat bench in the rear.
Versatility is further enhanced by enabling fore-and-aft adjustment of the individual back seats so you can juggle occupant space in various ways.
Luggage space is significantly greater in the Countryman than in the Mini three-door. Even with all four seats occupied it can carry a useful 350 litres of luggage. Folding and/or sliding the back seats in different ways increases the carrying capacity to as much as 1170 litres. We got a couple of good sized suitcases in without a hassle.
Engine options are petrol and diesel. Petrol units are a 1.6-litre four-cylinder without a turbocharger that produces 90 kilowatts of power; the same engine with a turbocharger to pump it up to a zippy 135 kW that we really appreciated for the way it responded to the throttle at a moment’s notice.
Manual and automatic transmissions, both with six forward ratios, are offered in the complete Countryman range, a smart move in Australia where fewer and fewer driver are opting for the control a manual gearbox provides.
The auto box fitted to the Mini Cooper S we tested was pretty good in its reading of the correct gear at any time. Our preference when going hard was to use the steering wheel mounted levers.
Rather than the usual paddles these use the BMW system, also used by some Porsche models, of pushing down to go down and up to go (you guessed it...) up a gear. Though this method of manually overriding an automatic transmission has gone somewhat out of fashion we do like the instinctive way it operates.
Steering and overall handling in the Countryman are possibly not quite as sharp as that in the smaller standard Mini, but are still way ahead of any other front-drive car on the market. The way this little SUV responds to your inputs to the steering and throttle make it a delight to drive.
Ride comfort depends very much on the road surface. Smooth bitumen or concrete were handled well, with little noise intrusion and relaxing travel. Rough roads, and we are not talking outback rough, just suburban roads that had seen better days, really shook the Mini Countryman about. You could regard this as a blast from the past from the original Mini, or enjoy the racetrack-like feel - or you could really come to hate it. So make sure you include some roughish surfaces on your own pre-purchase road test.
Mini has been a fashion statement for fifty years now and the all-new Mini Countryman will further enhance the fun side of motoring, particularly when you get right into customising yours.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Cooper Countryman: $37,700 (manual), $40,200 (automatic)
Cooper Countryman Chilli: $43,100 (manual), $45,600 (automatic)
Cooper S Countryman: $47,500 (manual), $50,000 (automatic)
Cooper S Countryman Chilli: $53,150 (manual), $55,650 (automatic)
Cooper S ALL4 Countryman: $50,400 (manual), $52,900 (automatic)
Cooper S ALL4 Countryman Chilli: $56,050 (manual), $58,550 (automatic)
Cooper D Countryman: $40,950 (manual), $43,450 (automatic)
Cooper D Countryman Chilli: $46,350 (manual), $48,850 (automatic)
Cooper D ALL4 Countryman: $43,850 (manual), $46,350
Cooper D ALL4 Countryman Chilli: $49,250 (manual), $51,750 (automatic)
Cooper SD ALL4 Countryman: $52,100 (manual), $54,600 (automatic)
Cooper SD ALL4 Countryman Chilli: $57,835 (manual), $60,335 (automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: $2500 option in all models
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Not offered in Cooper, standard in Cooper S
Reversing Camera: Not offered
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in all models
Bluetooth: Standard in all models
Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS (MINI Countryman Cooper S 1.6-litre five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.598 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.50:1
Bore/Stroke: 77.0 x 85.8 mm
Maximum Power: 135 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque: 240 Nm @ 1600-5000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Not offered
Final Drive Ratio: Not supplied
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4110 mm
Wheelbase: 2595 mm
Width: 1789 mm
Height: 1561 mm
Turning Circle: 11.6 metres
Kerb Mass: 1310 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 47 litres
Towing Ability: Not supplied
Boot Capacity: 350 litres (1170 litres with rear seat back folded)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts, coil springs, gas damper, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Multi-link, coil springs, gas damper, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 7.6 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Petrol 95RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (EU): 6.6 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years / 100,000 km |
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