Since BMW took over The Mini, and created the new MINI, the marque has steadily grown in popularity once more. Smart marketing, innovative engineering and adherence to brand has seen the darling of the 60’s disco set stand tall in the age of techno.
But up until now it’s been pretty much a one song show playing to the same old crowd.
Enter the Countryman, a contemporary number built to entice a whole new audience.
As a potential off-roader the Countryman breaks new ground. It is the first MINI to feature four doors. It’s the first to offer 5 seats (and at no extra cost!). And it’s the first MINI to offer 4 wheel drive. Designated All4, the moniker properly suggests this is more of an all-wheel drive than a true off-road vehicle.
MINI Countryman in St Germain, Paris
Appropriately I first saw one of these revolutionary MINIs in the real world while in Paris, outside Les Deux Magots in St Germain des Prés. While I didn’t lose my head, I was pretty excited! In the company of a MINI Cooper S, it allowed me to see just how much bigger this new beast was. And at the same time, still very much a MINI.
With the rain pelting down, and the warm interior of the cafe (and an increasingly wet and impatient partner) waiting, I could only snap a couple of pics and leave the Countryman for another time.
Finally, that time had arrived.
Daniel with the Countryman
MINI Garage in the Valley, Brisbane, was the location this time, and as different a day as you could imagine with warm sunshine and clear skies. This was the public’s first chance to test drive the Countryman, and together with fellow MINI enthusiast Daniel, I was looking forward to the opportunity.
The model I saw back in October, 2010 was a Cooper S, distinguished by the twin tail pipes set on either side of the vehicle, unlike on an ‘S’ model MINI hatch which has them together in the middle. It also has the black honeycomb grille set in its snub snout, with a second grille in the lower airscoop. The Countryman at my brief disposal now was again an ‘S’, albeit in Light White, with Surf Blue interior trim.
The first thing that hits you is the size. At approximately 4m the Countryman is longer than the standard MINI, and as you can see quite a bit taller – the specs say it is 1561mm in height. Climbing into the vehicle you are struck by that extra space.
Yet thanks to the layout it all feels familiar. The back seats in particular offer greater space, and are individually adjustable. You have the choice of the standard two in the back, with the centre rail running through the middle of the car, or three seats and a truncated rail.
The boot has reasonable space at 350/450l with seats up, improving to 1170l with everything down.
One item that will strike you as different is the speedo, which doubles (and more) as the radio/CD player and general command station. Still sitting centrally on the dashboard it has been reconfigured and is the nerve centre for much of the car’s entertainment and communication. Each model has a slightly different, and optionally upgradeable, version.
Engage reverse, and if you have the Radio MINI Visual Boost, you will be met by an interface that co-tester Daniel dubbed the fishfinder. No doubt this will be a real ‘boost’ for people unused to the extra size of their MINI!
The Radio MINI Visual Boost 'fishfinder'.
Other options for this console include a navigation system, telephone via bluetooth, iPod hookup, video function (while not moving) and MINI Connected. The control toggle sits abaft the gear shift, forward of the redesigned hand brake.
Another difference is the rail that runs through the centre, and accommodates the arm rest and a host of other features depending on the level of optioning. The mood lighting is really something else and should be experienced. Throw in a lava lamp, some curtains and cushions, and you could have quite the swingers pad on wheels! YEAH, BABY!
Edging the Big MINI out of the pcked parking lot quickly revealed that the turning circle is a little more than that needed by the hatch. About 2 and a bit turns gets you full lock to full lock from the rack and pinion steering.
Out on the road the ride is everything you’d expect from a MINI. Despite the extra dimensions it still feels nimble and light. Cornering is sharp, with good feedback from the suspension, which was softer and smoother than on my Cabrio or Daniels ‘S’. The best way to describe it may be ‘civilised’.
The 'S' model, with a Cooper behind it.
The motor is the usual 1.6l in-line 4 cylinder, twin-scroll turbo job. Even though our car had a tiny 38km on the clock it still revved freely, and the acceleration was impressive given the extra weight it was pulling. In traffic the clutch was smooth enough, but efforts to produce a fast change under power were thwarted by a jerking that was similar to drive-train snatch. Maybe this was a new clutch thing, maybe not.
The brakes were again what we have come to expect from MINI, with ABS assistance. There is also CBC (Cornering Brake Control) and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). Think of them as aids to better performance. If you do run out of talent, there are 6 airbags to ensconce you and knock you senseless.
The verdict? Well, our model was really just a bigger MINI hatch given that it wasn’t all-wheel drive. It was, like any MINI, fun to drive. It’s comfortable, well-appointed and will probably be economical given it’s heritage, especially the diesel. It would be ideal for a young family, or as a weekend escape vehicle. It’s the MINI you can put your golf clubs in, or your surfboard on.
And at just $43,460 on-road for a Cooper base model, it’s priced about right to meet competition from Subaru, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Nissan and Suzuki in the SUV stakes.
With the added advantage that, of course, it’s a MINI.
MINI - even the ads are fun!
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