Countryman gives MINI thrills for family drivers

Owners who had been forced to part company with their sprightly little hatchbacks due to the pressures of an expanding family needed an alternative to keep them in the MINI loop.

The result is the pumped-up MINI Countryman which, at first glance, looks like an angrily overweight addition to the range.

With a front end sporting a look of shocked disapproval, it certainly has the ability to grab attention.

But those swollen proportions and angry face do make sense for a more rugged vehicle coming with the option of MINI’s All4 four-wheel-drive system.

Although awkward-looking next to the immaculately proportioned hatchback, the Countryman’s appearance did grow on me.

The usual MINI suspects are offered in Countryman form (i.e. One, One D, Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper D), with prices ranging from £16,030 to £23,725.

The Cooper S All4 tested here is £22,030, but the optional Chilli Pack style tweaks, a Harman Kardon stereo, sat nav, heated folding door mirrors, a heated windscreen and leather seats added £6,000 to the list price.

That options list can be a MINI adventure too far.

Exploring the Countryman’s interior is a trip worth taking, though.

Reservations about the outside appearance are salved by ample interior space, front and rear, along with a reasonable 350-litre boot.

As well-built and retro-quirky as ever, the Countryman’s interior is a hit.

A BMW i-drive style combination of colour LCD screen and navigating toggle operate the stereo, sat-nav, bluetooth telephone settings and trip computer is premium quality, even if that little toggle is hard to locate while on-the-go.

Critically, the Countryman doesn’t handle like a MINI.

Even in 184bhp (177lb.ft. of torque) Cooper S form, supple suspension provides family car comfort but robs it of the hatchback’s hyperactive cornering ability.

The Countryman even squats under acceleration, the bonnet rising markedly as it lunges towards to a claimed 7.6 second sprint to 62mph.

It can corner quickly though—grip is strong despite a degree of lean—and traction out of corners is peerless in ALL4 guise.

It somehow manages to return 46mpg on the combined fuel cycle, too.

There’s no doubting that this is a usefully quick car, but it’s not the pseudo sports car that the hatchback is.

Considering that you could pick up a Volkswagen Golf GTi five-door or a Tiguan 4Motion for the same money as the Cooper S tested here and the dilemma is clear...

There’s no doubting the Countryman’s blend of speed and economy, build quality, comfort, and unique styling though.