MINI Countryman Review

As said, we were really impressed with the comfort provided by the MINI Countryman, although we hadn’t tested a top-of-the-range configuration. In fact, besides the seats that were impressively good, most features were at a more decent level.

And this may be exactly one of the issues. Paying EUR35,000 for a car that comes with automatic air conditioning (to be read “the most basic”automatic air conditioning setup) and not even heated seats, isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do unless you’re a MINI fan and you really enjoy the idea of being a MINI driver.

So, as we’ve mentioned before, the version we tested was equipped with automatic air conditioning, a central armrest with some kind of storage support which proves to be too small for larger mobile phones, smartphones or wallets plus MINI’s very own Center Rail that offered a couple of additional storage compartments. In fact, storage is not at all a problem inside the Countryman and there’s a place for everything. There are two cup holders at the bottom of the center console, the adjacent storage compartments on the front seats, the Center Rail, the armrest plus additional storage places between the rear seats (depending on the configuration you choose).

However, we missed a lot of features and, after having a look on the options list, we finally understood that this is where BMW got involved once again. Following the perfect BMW trend, MINI Countryman has more features on the options list rather than in standard form so, if you’re looking for a better equipped configuration, check your bank account.

Regardless if we’re talking about the heated or ventilated seats, the audio system, the navigation system, the sunroof or many other comfort features, you can find them all on the options list with a pretty high price to pay.

Last but not least, ergonomics is above the average, but MINI Countryman is far from excelling at this particular chapter. Although we initially swore like hell because of the power windows controls mounted on the center console, it takes a few minutes to get used to them. In the end, it proved to be a smart solution, as this manages to retain the original MINI style, with minimum discomfort to the driver.

It is a Countryman S but does it really manage to behave like an S? We would say no, especially after we tested its abilities on open roads where the only thing we had to do was to shift, brake, steer and accelerate. As we said, you shouldn’t experience too many problems if you intend to drive within the speed limit but, if you ever had the chance to test the car like we did, you might discover a few setbacks.

Given the fact that this is a Countryman S, the 184 horsepower engine, which is said to help the car sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 7.6 seconds, should feel a bit more alive. Meaning that the go-fast sensation we enjoyed a lot on the MINI Cooper S no longer exists and this is pretty much the result of using the same engine on a heavier, bigger vehicle.

The Countryman is fun to drive, that’s for sure, and if you’re a skilled driver, you’ll definitely appreciate the six-speed manual transmission. Probably the best thing about it is that it is pretty “flexible”, meaning that it allows two types of driving styles: either you shift and accelerate slower and thus obtain lower performances or you shift quickly and press the throttle harder and choose sportivity detrimental to efficiency.

In normal conditions, the all-wheel drive system, baptized “All Four”, sends the power to the front wheel until it detects slip. It then alters the configuration to compensate and maintain stability, just like any other traction control system. It automatically turns off when speed reaches 140 km/h (87 mph), so extra adrenaline is guaranteed at higher speeds.

The engine used on the Countryman suffered several modifications before being fitted on the crossover. It now develops 184 horsepower, as compared to the 172 hp output on today’s models, and employs several technologies to mix performance and fuel efficiency for best results - dual-scroll turbo, direct injection and variable valve timing.

Truth is, a Countryman driver would pay more attention to the experience per se than to fuel consumption, although real figures are pretty far from the ones indicated by MINI. The specifications list reads 31.4 mpg (7.5 L/100Km) city, 43.6 mpg (5.4 L/100Km) highway and 38.6 mpg (6.1 L/100Km) combined.

If you’re asking us, the MINI Countryman is a gadget per se. Although it’s now a big boy, the car is a toy and must be treated like one. As for the gadgets inside it, there are some, but it surely fails to reach expectations. At least for the price you have to pay to buy one…

First of all, it has a decent audio system. And, for us, decent actually means playing radio and CDs with an acceptable quality level. But that’s pretty much all. It has an auxiliary port located at the bottom of the center console, but no USB port and no additional connectivity options. Surprising or not, paying EUR35,000 doesn’t bring you the most popular inputs offered as standard on 99 percent of today’s cars…

The air conditioning system is indeed automatic but the description ends here. Once again, no dual-zone climate control or other fancy systems, just air conditioning and that’s all. Heated seats – no, ventilated seats – no, heated steering wheel – no. And don’t judge us, we’re talking about features one would expect to see on such a highly priced model.

But that’s probably the way BMW influenced MINI. Tons of options, with only a few standard features and a pretty high price to be paid. We’ll stop judging the German’s marketing strategies and we’ll continue reviewing the Countryman’s gadget department, just to be sure you won’t consider us BMW haters…

The number of features that missed on the tested model is pretty big, and we must include here the foldable exterior mirrors (YES! We had to fold the mirrors manually), a keyless entry/start system, an electrochromic mirror (at least the interior one) and a navigation system. Instead, we got rear parking sensors (basic ones, with audio warnings) and ambient interior lighting with three modes, pink, violet and blue.

Last but not least, we also “enjoyed” the all-four power windows, the cruise control function and the Start-Stop that became really annoying during the heavy traffic we experience every morning.

And before ending this chapter, we must ask: how on Earth is it possible to unlock a car with another key? Because yes, it happened to us, consider us fouls, but we locked the car with the key inside. Truth is, the car locked itself EVEN if the key was still in the ignition and the radio was turned on. The result? Swearing and cursing all the way. After tens of minutes of forcing the doors, we finally got the “brilliant” idea to try to unlock the car manually with a Subaru key… And… It worked! Surprised? You should be, we still can’t believe it and we perfectly understand if you can’t trust us for saying the truth.

The MINI Countryman wasn’t tested by safety institutions but the parent company assures us that we’re dealing with a very safe vehicle. Truth is, the robust appearance it boasts really convinced us, although our test car wasn’t equipped with too many safety features.

All Countryman versions are offered as standard with front and side airbags, as well as side curtain airbags for the front and rear seats, plus three-point seatbelts with tensioners and belt force limiters for the front seats.

And the safety equipment list ends here. Still, if you’re looking to increase your confidence in the Countryman’s ability to protect the passengers, you should look onto the options list. There, you can find a long and detailed list of equipment which could make the Countryman as safe as a crossover should be. Or, if you excuse us, as safe as many other (cheaper) crossovers out there...

Last but not least, MINI says that the Countryman is really capable when talking about minimizing the impact consequences, with crumple zones and a powerful body cell especially optimized to protect the cabin. If you’re willing to read MINI’s marketing stories, here you are: „.”

We’ve heard a lot of people saying that the Countryman is just a regular MINI and the only difference between the old and the new models is the design. And the above statement is partially true. The Countryman is and is not a MINI. It looks like one but completely changes the way people are talking about the MINI brand.

The good thing about it is that the Countryman remains agile, sporty and extremely appealing. It’s actually one of the few cars that managed to make passing strangers smile, not only because it looks great, but also because it innovates. It is, as we said, a niche in a niche, and although it is pretty expensive and it targets only a few buyers (and probably even fewer will actually buy one), it will surely have millions of fans all around the world. Including in the US where the Countryman is not available for the time being.

We’ll mix the bad and the ugly bits because we can’t really decide which is which. If you ask us, the two ugly/bad parts about the Countryman are the price and the equipment levels. We can’t really understand how you, as a carmaker chief executive, would expect a EUR35,000 priced car with so limited equipment options, to perform during such difficult financial times…

But the general idea remains. MINI Countryman is not a model addressed to the mass market, it’s like building unlimited units of a limited model. MINI doesn’t expect to break sale records with the Countryman, but the car surely brings the iconic brand to another level.