The Mini Countryman had a rough start in life, with the Mini enthusiasts very disappointed in the brand’s direction saying it’s not “Mini enough”. Over the years though the Countryman gained favour with more and more people and now it’s one of the most sold under the MINI brand. MINI then have had some years to perfect the Countryman and we went to sample their latest facelift version of the Countryman, and I definitely can report all is great!
Being a facelift we didn’t expect a lot of changes and Mini made very subtle changes indeed. The front bumper and grille have been redesigned as well as the rear bumper. The taillights feature the Union Jack style design that has become very synonymous with the latest MINIs’ and I actually like it, no brand is so true to its origins like MINI and you see it in their products.
Looking inside the cabin, a new digital instrument cluster is now in place in a compact size, it is very neatly packaged but I definitely see some people finding a little childish but the nature of Mini is more on the fun side and if you can understand that you will see the beauty in it. The infotainment system has been upgraded as well, it now has a touchscreen, which is great since most cars have it but I truly do appreciate how they kept the control wheel for us that just can’t move on.
On the launch there are 2 engine choices available to choose from, the MINI Countryman Cooper has a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, delivering 100 kW and 220 Nm, while the Countryman Cooper S produces 141 kW and 280 Nm from its 2.0-litre 4-cylinder motor. I got lucky that on the very first day I was in a Chilli Red Countryman Cooper S, and I enjoyed it.
The power is perfect for the size and I believe that people buying it will not be needing more than what the S can produce. I do also think that people that opt for the S, do so because one day they want to feel like they driving a quick car, and the Countryman Cooper S does have a party trick. When Sports Mode is enabled the exhaust note gets very fruitful and you do get the occasional pops from the exhaust for extra excitement, the ride gets firm and it becomes as fun as you would expect a MINI on Stilts should be very manageable fun.
My favourite is definitely the Cooper S as when it’s off the Sports mode it is just as tame as the Cooper you can ride around in a very civilised and calm manner. The gearbox is a real gem in both derivatives, in all situations, it is what you need it to be and at times you can’t even feel the gearbox changing gears and when the going gets fast it can handle that as well as when you just want to cruise.
The MINI Countryman is the car that you need when you still want to keep a part of your youth, while adulthood and it’s responsibilities pile on, it reminds you that you still need to let your hair down no matter what your age is. It’s a very important car in my eyes and I hope MINI keeps making this car for as long as people still drive.
Pricing
Cooper Countryman R599 624
Cooper S Countryman R631 004
