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Mini Countryman 2011 road test

MINI has big aims for the Countryman. The model was invented because the brand was tired of losing people who had grown out of the MINI Hatch: the need for five doors by families was never likely to be sated by the ‘five-door’ MINI Clubman (two doors at the back and a rear passenger door on the ‘wrong’ side was unlikely to). Another MINI was needed: less mini, yes, but viable for many more. Not everyone ‘got’ the idea of the Countryman at first. Slowly, though, it’s gaining traction, as a genuinely realistic Volkswagen Golf alternative. Buoyed by this growing impact (last year, 1 in 4 new MINIs sold was a Countryman – and it’s growing all the time), MINI has launched the next phase: a 2.0-litre diesel MINI Countryman. Taking the range further upmarket in price, it’s a VW Golf GTD rival that is even available with all-wheel drive. Image, space and all-year-round usability wrapped in an eco-friendly package: too good to be true? Let’s find out.

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Performance

The engine is taken straight from the BMW 118d, a model that’s already a strong performer. In the MINI Countryman SD, it’s not the genuinely amazing rocketship its smaller MINI Cooper SD Hatch is, but it’s still decent – particularly with the added traction and confidence of all-wheel drive. The All4 version is an advanced fully-electronic system that, in real time, splits power front to rear. It’s so able, it’s actually faster than the 2WD car to 62mph – suggesting the 224lb/ft of torque, spread over a near-1000rpm rev range, is more than able to challenge the front tyres. You feel this on the road: it’s a lot heavier than the hatch, but this is still a powerful hatchback with a long-legged feel. The engine is responsive so long as you keep it above 1800rpm, and thanks to a crisp, snickety six-speed gearbox, it’s an entertaining steer on all roads. The confidence of high-speed drive combines with the stability from all-wheel drive to make it an able high-speed cruiser, too.

Ride & Handling

Occupants sit high in the MINI Countryman, which has a loftily-set feel that’s enhanced by flat sides and an upright dash. Which makes the feeling of MINI tenacity from the drive all the more surprising. Many of the wieldy, fun, fast-responding traits found in the smaller model are present here: they’re toned down a bit, because of the larger dimensions and in deference to the family-friendly buyer profile, but they can still be felt. Tidy, agile and with great steering, this is a fun MINI to drive (and you never have to worry about traction or muddy-road dramas, either – with All4 further enhanced by the upscale MINI DTC stability control system). The MINI Countryman rides much better than the standard hatch. It has a taut feel, still – you wouldn’t get such great handling without it – but it’s still nicer and more occupant-friendly in everyday conditions. The car’s extra weight also helps here, while the feeling of well-damped absorbency from the long-travel suspension pays dividends in town.

Build Quality & Reliability

Surprisingly, the MINI Countryman feels a bit low-rent in places inside. As a BMW Group product, you expect exceptional finish throughout, but while the upper dash plastics are good, trims lower down are just a bit too hard, shiny and scratchy. As the dash is so upright, there’s a lot of them too – passengers may also be disappointed by tapping and touching some of the door trim and dash elements. Confidence is further dulled by audible rattles from the rear of the car on the move. It’s as if the twin rear seats and parcel shelf do not quite sit true, with any rattles magnified by the open-plan rear. Luckily, the mechanical substance of the car itself is excellent: on the road, it feels every inch the premium machine, with total reassurance from the controls. The trademark MINI sliding centre rail is also wonderfully over-engineered, and while the 2.0-litre engine is new to MINI, it’s been really well-proven in BMWs for several years.

Safety & Security

All-weather grip is a big bonus for the MINI Countryman, giving it a USP over rivals such as the Golf GTD and Alfa Romeo Giulietta. When combined with the smart handling, it provides a reassuring feel similar to that in big, expensive executive cars. Cooper S and Cooper SD models, as mentioned, have an enhanced version of the stability control system: this makes it more able in sporty motoring (while also giving drivers a ‘sport’ mode for more steering weight and throttle response). MINIs are secure cars built using BMW-standard anti-theft technology, which gives them a bit of an advantage in the family hatch sector. The MINI Countryman performed well in Euro NCAP testing too, gaining a full 5-star rating overall. It secured 84% for adult protection, 83% for child protection and 71% for safety assist.

Space & Practicality

Don’t be misled by the ‘MINI’ tag – this is a genuinely roomy family car, with much more space than you would expect. The doors are a bit narrow but, once in, occupants step up into a cabin that’s swimming in headroom, boasts comfortable seats and has, particularly in the rear, really surprising leg and knee room. The boot is big, too: Thanks to the flexible rear seats, it stretches from 350 litres to 450 – or, when folded, a full 1170 litres. The boot floor is high, though the tailgate is massive and there is a gap between the seats in 2-seat mode. MINI offers a choice of twin bucket-style rear seats, or a more conventional three-person bench. The former comes with the much-advertised sliding centre rail, but the latter obviously has more all-round flexibility. Throughout, the MINI Countryman has been very well designed to maximise practicality, making up for the compromises of the MINI Hatch.

Ownership & Value

Despite its power and all-wheel drive traction, the MINI Countryman Cooper SD All4 still manages to average 57.6mpg. CO2 emissions are just 130g/km, too. The front-drive alternative is more economical still – 61.4mpg and 122g/km CO2. Being a Cooper SD range-topper, equipment is decent, although big additions still need to be made, such as the vital £2515 Chili pack. This, along with the heady £23,190 list price, means the MINI Countryman Cooper SD All4 is not a cheap machine. The 2WD alternative costs less, at £21,970, but it’s still hefty in family hatch circles. This means it is not stunning value up front, although good retained values will, in time, help offset this. Low running costs and the sheer surprise practicality it offers will also help long-term ownership vibes. A very well-rounded new MINI that, if you can get over the fact it’s not ‘mini’, makes an unexpectedly good case for itself.

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