2015 Mini Countryman Reviews

How many variations on the Mini theme can you get? Now, there's a five-door SUV model called the Countryman - in various permutations.We got hold of the Cooper S variant with front wheel drive (also available with all wheel drive) and have been enjoying the drive time especially given it runs a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with 135kW/240-260Nm output.It makes the compact Countryman pay attention when you push the throttle that's for sure.Being front wheel drive excludes this particular car from any sort of offroad driving and means chains for the snow.But on the other side of the coin, it uses less fuel and accelerates faster than the 4x4 model.We have regularly seen 7.0-litres/100km fuel economy in mixed driving from the cheeky little box.The engine is from BMW and features a twin scroll turbo for optimum efficiency as well as direct fuel injection and variable valve operation. The same engines arrive in BMW's revised 1-Series in a couple of months.Our Countryman has a six speed manual (also available with a six speed auto) and a decidedly sporty nature, especially when accelerating thanks to the turbo. Whoosh and you're off.DRIVINGHandling and ride is on the sporty side and you can actually punt the Countryman nearly as hard as the Mini three door hatch.  But it's considerably bigger in every measurement and is over 4.0-metres long. That means plenty of space inside for four or five depending on chosen seating configuration.Ours has the schmicko centre rail with extra storage and arm rests but loses the middle rear seat.Equipment levels are generous for the $47,500 asking price and we'd definitely go for the lurid exterior striping and variable ambient lighting package inside. We'd also go for the auto.Countryman Cooper S is an interesting little beast that occupies a particular prestige niche that no other maker plays in - yet.Mini Cooper CountrymanPrice: from $37,700.Engine: 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol, turbocharged petrol and turbodiesel four-cylinder.Transmission: six-speed manual or automatic, front or all-wheel drive.Thirst: 4.4 (Cooper D) - 8.1 (Cooper S ALL4) l/100km.

With the introduction of the Countryman, Mini is no longer the one-model wonder of BMW's stable.There's more to come than just its take on soft-roaders to keep DINKS and well-funded trendy folk in the fold when they need to make a lifestyle vehicle change.The car we're in is the front-wheel drive Cooper S six-speed auto, which provides wagon space and ample pep without the AWD set-up to get it dirty, or bogged.The Cooper S Countryman starts on the pricelist at just a tickle under $50,000 but the options and extras list is easily capable of bumping up the pricetag.Our test car was a Chilli edition, which carries a $53,150 pricetag before $3055 is added for the six-speed auto.The test car is awash with features, starting with the choice of four or no-cost-options five-seat rear bench (which removes the gimmicky centre-rail), front and rear fog lights, remote control central locking, bi-xenon headlights, roof rails and a sports leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls.There's also single-zone climate control, multi-coloured ambient lighting, a 3.5mm auxiliary and USB connection to six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth phone link, cloth upholstery, trip computer, the six-speaker sound system, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlights and cloth-trimmed sports seats.The as-tested price was $62,542 - including 18in black alloy wheels (for $1170), about $1000 worth of striping and chrome bits, the double glass sunroof (which has front and rear vent function, but only the front slides aft) that adds $2587 and the satnav system (with Visual Boost graphics upgrade) contributes $2470 to the bottom line.The Countryman gets the latest incarnation of the 1.6-litre turbo four that Mini and BMW share with Citroen and Peugeot.The little turbo powerplant is flexible and punches hard when asked, thanks to a twin-scroll turbo teamed with direct injection and variable valve systems.Power and torque is the same as the rest of the Cooper S models - 135kW at 5500rpm and 240Nm of torque from 1600 through to 5000rpm, with an extra 20Nm on offer for a short burst when full-throttle demands it.The six-speed auto is 0.3 of a second slower than the manual for overall performance - 0-100km/h takes 7.9 seconds; fuel use in the auto is 7.5l/100km, almost a litre per 100km more than the manual.The Countryman sits 154mm taller, 106mm wider, 128mm more in the wheelbase (part of an extra 381mm in overall length) than the traditional Mini hatches, with a bull-nose look and wider stance suggesting this is a Mini with maxi intentions.In terms of rougher-road work, there's only an extra 19mm of clearance - 149mm for the Countryman over the hatch's 130mm - so regardless of how many wheels are driven, there's not much chance of spending much time far from sealed roads.The cabin - in the test car's case a four-seat configuration with the centre rail - has reasonable space for its overall size, more than ample for two adults and two kids, or four average-sized adults.You'll need the cargo area at its lower-capacity level for fully-grown occupants, but I - now bearing the title apparently of Carsguide's burliest road-tester - can sit behind my own driving position without serious discomfort.Bootspace isn't invaded by a spare tyre of any type and can be tailored a little using the rear seat to boost luggage space from 350 to 440 litres, or with all rear seats folded the capacity rises to 1170 litres.The little SUV gets a full list of safety features - dual front, side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes with corner brake control and electronic brakeforce distribution, switchable stability and traction control and a tyre pressure monitoring system for the hard-riding runflats.Even with the higher ride height and slightly elevated clearance, the Countryman still carries attributes that mark it as a Mini.The steering is sharp as you'd expect, tipping the wagon into corners with gusto thanks to the punchy little powerplant.The 1.6 works well in most situations with the six-speed auto, but to keep the little wagon singing the sport mode on the automatic (and the Sport mode button that sharpens up throttle and steering a little) helps improve the response a little.The engine also returns decent fuel use figures despite some enthusiastic throttle use - the ADR claim is 7.5 litres per 100km for the auto and the trip computer showed 10.8l/100km at the end of our time in the car.With a 47-litre tank, three litres fewer than it's smaller, lighter sibling, the 620km range (using the ADR figure) isn't ground-breaking.The steering can be effected a little by camber, kickback and torque steer but generally that didn't detract too much from the drive.The cornering capability is considerable - well above what you'd expect for anything purporting to even flirt with the SUV segment.But the ride pay-off is too firm for some, with the rigidity of the runflat tyres on the 18in wheels not dealing with smaller bumps as well as would be ideal.The cloth-trimmed seats are not hugely comfortable but do offer decent levels of lateral support.

From the masters of niche vehicles comes the latest Mini model in new territory for the little Brit - the Countryman. Parent company BMW knows how to carve a new niche and the Countryman is the SUV for those who want to get a little bit dirty without abandoning the Mini brand.The first genuine four-door Mini is being presented as the beginning of a new era for the brand as more than a one-model make.  Two or four-wheel drive, four-seater (or a no-cost option five if preferred), the mini-SUV is looking to squat in some territory not yet claimed by the hordes of small SUVs on offer in the new vehicle market.VALUEThis is no bargain-basement soft-roader (although it has already sold out in the UK) - the Countryman starts from $37,700 for the entry-level Cooper; the Cooper S Countryman jumps up to a starting price of $47,500 if you only want the front wheels driven.Standard fare range-wide includes alloy wheels (ranging from 16 to 18in), multi-function sports steering wheel, trip computer, roof rails, with the S models adding Bluetooth, sports seats, the Sport mode, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights.Any buyers looking for more spice can opt for the Chilli variants, which kick off at $43,100 for the Cooper or $53,150 for the Cooper S Chilli.The four-wheel drive model Cooper S ALL4 will start at $50,400.The Cooper D Countryman will be available from mid-year and will start at $40,950 for the front-drive model, or $43,850 for the all-wheel drive model; diesel Chilli Countryman buyers will be handing over at least $46,350 or $49,250 for all-wheel drive.TECHNOLOGYThe highlight for the Mini tech-heads is the all-wheel drive system, which goes against the front-drive bias industry trend to push only 58 per cent of drive to the front wheels and the remainder to the rear.  The Mini folks say it is uses sensors within the stability control system and is constantly variable, with almost 100 per cent able to go front or rear, but there's no lock-in mode to fix it for off-road duties.The engine line-up mirrors the hatch range, with the Cooper getting the naturally-aspirated 90kW/160Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder that uses 6.5 litres per 100km; the Cooper S has the twin-scroll turbo 1.6 offering 135kW and 240Nm of torque (or 260Nm on overboost) while claiming 6.6 litres per 100km.The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel will deliver 82kW and 270Nm, with claimed combined fuel consumption of 4.4 litres per 100km.DESIGNWhile retaining design cues likes the floating roof and the wheel at each corner, the Countryman is almost 400mm longer (at 4.1m thanks largely to an increase in wheelbase) and 154mm taller, with muscular bulges and a broad stance, but it is still unquestionably part of the Mini family - perhaps just the less attractive sibling.The air intake for the turbo models has moved from the bonnet to the front bumper, giving the nose an almost Mustang-like look.  Luggage capacity with the adjustable rear seats in the rear-most position is 350 litres but can rise to a maximum of 1170 litres, regardless of which rear seat configuration - a two or three-seat rear set-up - is chosen.SAFETYThe safety features list has standard dynamic stability control, anti-lock brakes, six airbags and three-point inertia-reel seat belts, with the front pews getting tensioners and load limiters.DRIVINGBig, broader (in the hips for sure) and taller, the Countryman has presence - that is certain - but it's no oil painting for looks.  Out on the road, it's a little more sedate in a straight line than the hot hatches for which the brand is renowned, being swift rather than scorching for outright pace.The steering is still sharp for response, if not super-informative for the driver, but the rest of the car sometimes feels as though it has to catch up to the helm, with a touch more body roll than expected.The ride quality is not exceptional, partly due to the optional fitment of runflat tyres, and coarse-chip road surfaces generate some noise in conjunction with the tyres.  Pushing harder on a windy back-road or unsealed section and the suspension feels more at home, fidgeting less than it seemed to on the metropolitan sections pockmarked by a lack of maintenance.Some crashing through dirt road potholes was dealt with - albeit with a wince from the occupants and a check of the wheels.  The interior feels airy thanks to the taller glass portions but the feel of the plastics is a let-down and the seats weren't as comfortable as appearances would suggest.The six-speed auto - a $2350 option - is a clever transmission and largely makes the wheel-mounted shift buttons redundant.VERDICT: not bad for its first SUV effort. Mini Cooper CountrymanPrice: from $37,700.Engine: 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol, turbocharged petrol and turbodiesel four-cylinder.Transmission: six-speed manual or automatic, front or all-wheel drive.Thirst: 4.4 (Cooper D) - 8.1 (Cooper S ALL4) l/100km.

The Mini goes maxi with its beefed up Countryman this week hitting Europe's packed small car hatch market. But though Europe's top-selling Volkswagen Golf is in the five-door Mini Countryman's sights, in price and its ability to be tailored to each buyer make it appeal more to the prestige car buyer and, in doing so, ironically, compete with products from its parent BMW.Mini today said the Countryman, which goes on sale in Australia in January at pricing and final specs still unknown, puts 'clear water' between it and the existing Mini models and claims the bigger hatch will lure a different audience. That may be true. Inside the Mini Countryman uses its 130mm longer wheelbase to offer excellent legroom for the two rear passengers - a three-seat rear bench is available as an option - and its high profile for a tall ceiling height.It is clearly aimed at the Mini buyer with more than one friend and though rival five-door cars can offer more room in the boot and a cheaper price tag, nothing really spells exclusivity like this latest model. In the flesh, it's big. At 4.1m long it is almost medium size hatch class and that is enforced by its near 1.6m height.The wheels are 17-inch - though 16s are standard on the base model and 8s are available - and pump out the guards so that, combined with the 'wheel at each corner' design, make it look even more toy-like than the three-door model.But it is balanced - certainly more so than the asymetrical lines and doors of the Mini Clubman wagon - and attracted curious but not divergent opinion this week.Part of the reason for the acceptance is that the Countryman is presented as an all-wheel drive. Mini doesn't exactly term it an SUV because it doesn't see it ever being a softroader. Rather, it points to the AWD system - an on-demand system from Haldex - as providing extra traction for those icy or gravel roads that may be an impediment to reaching your favourite ski field or surf spot.Global car audiences love SUVs and even pseudo-SUVs. Mini says that the Countryman ''bridges the gap between the classic Mini concept and a state-of-the-art Sports Activity Vehicle''.''The design of the Mini Countryman exudes originality, performance, a dependable robustness and versatility. And yet the customary MINI charm and individual allure remain resoundingly intact.''There's no new badge to identify the Countryman. Rather, trainspotters will need to pick out the five-door design and if in doubt, will recognise the Countryman's hexagonal-patterned grille that stands more vertical than that of the other Mini models.The engines will follow existing Mini trends in Australia, with Cooper and Cooper S in diesel and petrol confirmed but Mini says the full John Cooper Works program is unlikely.Speaking at the Mini Countryman launch in Hamburg yesterday, Mini’s product communications director, Cypselus von Frankenberg, says the bigger model has “more rational appeal’’ compared with the hatchback’s “personal appeal’’. “There’s nothing really that it competes with,’ he says.He says that people choosing the Countryman – a name borrowed from a 1960s wagon version of the original Mini – would include “loyalists who want to remain with the brand but for lifestyle reasons want more room’’.He also seeks DINKS (double income, no kids) look at the Countryman because of its all-wheel drive option and as a way of suiting their interests in outdoor pursuits.“It is a pathway car – it will keep the buyers in the Mini brand for longer,’’ he says.  When asked if the Countryman would erode sales of the Clubman – itself a slow seller – Mr von Frankenberg says each has unique appeal.“It (Clubman) has always been ‘the other Mini’ and is popular in a niche private buyer sector but also with fleets,’’ he says.“Its appeal is enough for it to stand alone.’’  The car will get a carryover 1.6 normally aspirated and 1.6 turbocharged petrol engine that it shares with the Peugeot 207GTI.  But it will get a new turbo-diesel that is from the BMW range.The 1.6-ltre turbo-diesel is a downsized version of the 2.0d BMW engine used in its 1-Series and 3-Series models.  It is more economical that the engine it replaces, cutting emissions below 100g of CO2 per km to 99g/km CO2, and has an average fuel consumption of 3.8 litres/100km, beating the existing engine’s 3.9 l/100km.You can dismiss the Countryman as being just another Mini with the same characteristics, charms, idiosyncracies and looks. And, given there is a lot of common components – especially in front of the driver’s eyes – it’s easy to make judgements based purely on aesthetics.But this Mini doesn’t behave like the other Minis.  Thanks to all-wheel drive and different suspension and steering, the Countryman is a superb cruiser that doesn’t mind a bit of dirt under its wheels.Through fast flowing German traffic, the Countryman – tested only in AWD and with the sweet carryover 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine – didn’t embarrass its occupants by keeping up with even the quickest fellow travellers.The six-speed manual was a bit vague which slowed down the shift speed, but when that torque started pouring through from just under 2000rpm it created a swift mid-range tourer ideal for overtaking and with reserves of punch for mid-corner manoueves.Subtle – yet important – changes have been made to the steering. By comparison with the hatch, the Countryman’s electric assist has better feel and is less likely to find a dead spot just off centre.Some of this improved feel is due to the all-wheel drive and some to the more rigid chassis that resulted in the stiffening needed to support the AWD components.The Countryman in AWD (Called ALL4) Cooper S guise weighs 1380kg – 250kg more than the equivalent hatch version – though the extra lard is masked beautifully.The Countryman has a loping attitude to the road, sprung unusually soft on its long-travel suspension. Even the run-flat tyres (there’s no spare) are compliant and there’s no ill effect on occupant comfort.The engine is raspy and a bit agricultural at idle when standing outside. Inside the cabin, it’s quiet and will cruise at 140km/h (German autobahn style) in near silence.The cabin treatment is subdued in terms of colours but typically mish-mash in terms of the layout and design of switchgear and instruments. The central speedo, for example, is too big to read clearly so the digital speed readout in the tachometer – attached to the steering column – is used.Visibility is reasonable, marred by the tiny rear window and the width of the car, but that affects only the driver. It is, for example, a nice spot for kids to view the passing scenery.The two bucket seats in the back can be swapped at no extra cost for a bench seat that, ostensibly, will accept three people. In fact, Mini expects a relatively small pick up of this option and sees buyers staying with the intimacy of a four-seat car.