Okay, it’s obviously not as tossable as a Cooper hatch, but it’s still very adept at clinging on to the tarmac on highway on-ramps and twisty country roads. The speed-sensitive, electric-assist power steering is nicely weighted at speed, a little too heavy during parking-lot manoeuvres.
On the highway at 100 km/h, the engine is spinning at 2,500 rpm, which is very tolerable and provides low fuel consumption. Our average of 8.4 L/100 km is, in our opinion, very good, and obviously lower than what we observed in the turbocharged, all-wheel drive Countryman S ALL4. Too bad premium fuel is required.
But MINI’s crossover doesn’t quite get the unanimous thumbs-up around the office. Some think the squared-off schnoz doesn’t represent the brand’s corporate face very well, while others (like me) understand that to please the dudes, you need to give your trucklet a little more visual muscle. Overall, though, the Countryman is unmistakably a MINI, and on a personal note, I think the company did a good job in the styling department.
The entry price for the base model is $27,850 before you get slapped by taxes as well as freight and delivery charges. Our tester also includes no-cost white roof and mirror caps, the $1,900 Comfort Package (sunroof, heated seats, USB port), the $450 Style Package (chrome and piano black trim), the $1,200 Tech Package (multimedia interface, MINI Connected) and $750 Convenience Package (alarm, intelligent key, front armrest, climate control). Total: $32,150.
If you ask me, I could live without all of these packages, although it’s a shame that the seat heaters and centre armrest can’t be chosen as standalone options.
So, has MINI created a niche of its own, or does the Cooper Countryman have any serious rivals? Well, for about the same price as this base version of the MINI, you can get a Nissan Juke SL AWD, a Mitsubishi RVR GT 4WD, a Kia Sportage EX or a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0L Trendline. All four are more powerful, but only two of them (Juke and Sportage) are arguably as noticeable on the road as the Countryman.
It may not be the best deal, it may not be the most entertaining to drive and it may not be the cheapest to service and maintain, but the Countryman has its charm. A MINI is different in several aspects; showing yourself off in a MINI is a way of telling the world that you’re someone special, that you hate conformism, that your middle finger is the one you exhibit the most often and, an important detail, that your kids sitting in the back seat will grow up with the same values. Try doing that in any other compact crossover.
On the highway at 100 km/h, the engine is spinning at 2,500 rpm, which is very tolerable and provides low fuel consumption. Our average of 8.4 L/100 km is, in our opinion, very good, and obviously lower than what we observed in the turbocharged, all-wheel drive Countryman S ALL4. Too bad premium fuel is required.
But MINI’s crossover doesn’t quite get the unanimous thumbs-up around the office. Some think the squared-off schnoz doesn’t represent the brand’s corporate face very well, while others (like me) understand that to please the dudes, you need to give your trucklet a little more visual muscle. Overall, though, the Countryman is unmistakably a MINI, and on a personal note, I think the company did a good job in the styling department.
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| Our tester also includes no-cost white roof and mirror caps, the Comfort Package, the Style Package, the Tech Package and the Convenience Package. Total: $32,150. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
The entry price for the base model is $27,850 before you get slapped by taxes as well as freight and delivery charges. Our tester also includes no-cost white roof and mirror caps, the $1,900 Comfort Package (sunroof, heated seats, USB port), the $450 Style Package (chrome and piano black trim), the $1,200 Tech Package (multimedia interface, MINI Connected) and $750 Convenience Package (alarm, intelligent key, front armrest, climate control). Total: $32,150.
If you ask me, I could live without all of these packages, although it’s a shame that the seat heaters and centre armrest can’t be chosen as standalone options.
So, has MINI created a niche of its own, or does the Cooper Countryman have any serious rivals? Well, for about the same price as this base version of the MINI, you can get a Nissan Juke SL AWD, a Mitsubishi RVR GT 4WD, a Kia Sportage EX or a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0L Trendline. All four are more powerful, but only two of them (Juke and Sportage) are arguably as noticeable on the road as the Countryman.
It may not be the best deal, it may not be the most entertaining to drive and it may not be the cheapest to service and maintain, but the Countryman has its charm. A MINI is different in several aspects; showing yourself off in a MINI is a way of telling the world that you’re someone special, that you hate conformism, that your middle finger is the one you exhibit the most often and, an important detail, that your kids sitting in the back seat will grow up with the same values. Try doing that in any other compact crossover.
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