The new Mini has been an unmitigated success. People love its cheeky looks, cheerfully modernised from its classic forebear, along with its go-kart handling and the perceived build quality that comes with being part of the BMW brand.
But there comes a time in every man’s (and woman’s) life where he must put aside childish things. For many people, this happens when a family is started, and their beloved Mini is often one of the first things to be cast aside.
This is obviously an issue that has been vexing executives at Mini for some time. Their solution is this the Mini Countryman. Bigger in every direction than the regular Mini, it also has two extra doors and is available with four-wheel drive.
The range starts at £16,000 for the basic One model, rising to just over £22,000 for the Cooper S ALL4 model I had. Despite its jacked-up appearance, most Countrymans (Countrymen?) are front-wheel drive, with only Cooper S and Cooper D models being offered with four-wheel drive at a cost of around £1000 extra.
Buyers can choose between a traditional rear bench seat or a four-seat configuration. My test car came with the latter its four individual seats are split by an aluminium rail that runs from the front of the car to the back. This houses cupholders, a mobile phone holder and a sunglasses case, all of which can slide forward or back along the rail.FunThe rest of the interior follows the marvellously fun template of other Minis, with the same occasional flourishes of style over usability, such as the out-of-reach electric window switches.
Boot capacity more than doubles, from 160 to 350 litres, and with the seats down there’s a maximum of 1170 litres of space, compared to the standard Mini’s 680.
It’s much more practical than the hatchback Mini. Two adults can occupy the rear seats in reasonable comfort and the boot will hold more than a couple of shopping bags. Cleverly, in four-seat format there’s no partition between the rear seats and the boot, so passengers can rummage for stuff mid-journey.
It’s still far from the last word in roominess, though, and practicality seekers should look at the Nissan Qashqai or the lower-cost Juke.LooksLike other Minis, the Countryman will stand or fall on its looks and driving dynamics. Opinion is split on the former. I really like its chunky Mini-on-steroids appearance, but one of my co-workers said it “looks like a Mini, only uglier” so make your own mind up.
On the driving side, I’m pleased to report that despite its extra height and girth the Countryman remains a terrific drive. It still handles on rails and feels more agile it has any right to.
The downside to this is a flaw common to all Minis ride is quite firm and jiggly, and both wind and road noise are less suppressed than you’d like them to be.
The 184bhp 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engine in the Cooper S version gets it from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds. Thanks to BMW’s efficient engines and technology including stop-start and brake energy regeneration, fuel economy is above 40mpg.
I liked the Countryman a great deal. Its styling is a question of taste, and it’s not as practical as some rivals. But it offers enough practicality and enough of the Mini experience to tempt fans of the brand who need a bigger car.
Price: £22,030.0-62mph: 7.9 seconds.Top speed: 130mph. Economy: 42.2mpg. CO2 emissions: 157g/km.