The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
Snappy form-meets-function design has been a staple of MINI’s philosophy since day one, and the trend continues with the Countryman. Behind The Wheel Is the magic of the MINI Cooper hardtop’s balance, verve and refinement that makes it such tossable fun on the road lost in the Countryman? Has the spell has been broken by lumping on the pounds and doing too little under the hood to negate the effects? The big MINI doesn’t pump up the adrenalin like the original does, but it comes close, real close. We spent most of our time at the Countryman’s press introduction in Austin Texas wheeling a Cooper S variant and can report that turbo torque is its savior. The turbo engine’s wide powerband allows it to defy its extra 540 pounds (over a standard Cooper S hatchback) and extra inch in additional ride height. The 6-speed manual is the key to full-throttle nirvana. The manual ensures supreme control over the engine, allowing the driver to steady the 1.6-liter into its sweet spot, and according to his will. Conversely, the sloppy Sportronic sucks the life out of the drive. It’s slow response, how it self-shifts at 6,200 rpm, and its opposition to down shifts – even at reasonable speeds – borders on infuriation. MINI reports 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds for the Cooper S and 9.8 for the base model (both equipped with manual transmission). The Countryman shines the brightest on tight, curvy roads where MINI’s traditional handling prowess can be fully exploited. The steering set-up is the star of the drive, providing a quick, confident initial turn- in and great feedback. The Countryman bites and settles when set into a corner very well, but we were a tad disappointed with the amount of body roll (which the aftermarket will soon cure, no doubt). Still, the Countryman will take other traditional crossovers to school and is a real blast to drive when the urge hits. We drove vehicles outfitted with the factory optional 18-inch rolling stock and with dealer accessory John Cooper Works 19-inch combination. Both would be money well spent. The ALL4 system was transparent for the most part. It comes off more as a foul weather friend SUV-type system than a game changing performance-system like that of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Overall the Countryman delivers the dynamic driving experience that MINI owners have come to expect and the Doubting Thomases out there can rest assured the company’s reputation and street cred is still intact. End Game Tantalized yet? The Countryman is a kick in the pants in everyway, save the wallet. Pricing is quite competitive with base models going for $21,650, the Cooper S starts at $25,250 while the Cooper S ALL4 tops the line $26,950; all prior to piling on the optional extras and, of course, a $700 destination fee. The Countryman has that flare for on-road adventure that makes MINI’s so much fun to drive but it offers more space than either the standard Cooper or Clubman models, and with more style and substance than traditional crossovers. With these attributes, the Countryman is in a class of its own and families that want to keep the MINI home fires burning, but need four-door convenience with the added safety of optional all-wheel drive, will be at the head of the queue. Comparision Chart: Model MINI Cooper MINI Clubman MINI Countryman Nissan Juke Toyota RAV4 28 www.mc2magazine.com Length (in) 145.6 155.9 161.3 162.4 181.9 Curb 1,230/2712 2,954/3,252 2,959/3,146 3,360/3,699 Max 24.0 32.8 41.3 35.9 73.0 Ground Weight (lbs) Cargo (cu ft) Clearance (in) 2,535/2,712 4.8 4.8 5.86 7.0 7.5 Height (in) 55.4 56.1 61.5 61.8 68.7 Wheelbase (in) 97.1 100.3 102.2 99.6 104.7 7KH YHKLFOH PD\ EH QHZ EXW WKH HQJLQH LV WKH WULHG DQG WUXH XQLW DYDLODEOH LQ ERWK QRUPDOO\ DVSLUDWHG DQG WXUERFKDUJHG YHUVLRQV OLWHU 3ULQFH 7KH VSHHGR SRG LV VRPHZKDW GLIIHUHQW LQ GHVLJQ DQG IXQFWLRQ WKDQ SUHYLRXV 0,1,V ,W UHJLVWHUV VSHHG DQG FRQQHFWV \RX WR VDWHOOLWH UDGLR )DFHERRN DQG 7ZLWWHU DVVXPLQJ \RX ZDQW WR FRQQHFWHG ZKLOVW GULYLQJ 3XVK LQ KDWFK UHOHDVH LV GLVJXLVHG E\ ORJR EDGJH ,W HDVLO\ RSHUDWHV WKH ODWFK ORRNV QLFH DQG ZH WKLQN D QLIW\ VW\OLQJ FXH