Alternative review of MINI Countryman

I've always like the thought of owning a MINI but space has always defeated me. MINIs are cute - but just not big enough. Even the Clubman estate, innovative though it is, wasn't quite what I was looking for. But here's a MINI model that may be - the Countryman. The Countryman is the largest MINI to date, offering extra potential for this cheeky brand to capitalise on the well documented loyalty of its customers, providing somewhere to go for those with commitments who, like me, have outgrown a supermini-size car.

Like all MINIs, this one looks unique, displaying all of the brand's usual traits, from the foursquare stance with the wheels pushed right out to the extremities of the vehicle to the unmistakable font end with its rounded headlamps. Everything is scaled up for this larger five-door car though, with the wheelbase and the overall height far in excess of anything that has gone before. I liked it. MINI's usual high beltline looks even higher on the Countryman and there's a hatchbacked rear end giving access to a 350-litre boot. I was interested to find that the cabin can be configured in one of two ways. There's a four-seater layout based around a novel Centre Rail running down the middle which lets various storage receptacles be clipped to and slid along it. Alternatively, buyers can go for a conventional five-seat layout with a three-seat rear bench that can fold down, raising the boot capacity to 1170 litres.

If you like the driving experience of the standard second generation MINI models, then you'll like the feel of a Countryman since the recipe is exactly the same. Under the bonnet, a selection of 1.6-litre four-cylinder units is offered, opening with the 89bhp diesel in the Countryman One D and progressing up to the turbocharged 184bhp petrol engine with variable valve management in the Cooper S model. All the Countrymen (?) have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but a Steptronic automatic is available as an option on petrol models. The 'crossover'-type 4x4-esque looks suggest four-wheel-drive but in fact, this isn't fitted to every model. MINI's ALL4 system is only offered as an option with the more powerful engines in the range. It's an advanced set-up with an electrohydraulic differential to vary the power distribution between the front and rear axels according to the detected levels of grip. Under normal conditions, 50% of the engine's output is sent to the rear but as grip is lost, up to 100% of drive can go in that direction. And sure enough, this adds a further dimension to the MINI's acclaimed on-road handling. All the Countryman models have a sophisticated suspension system based around that of the standard MINI. MacPherson strut front suspension with forged track control arms is paired with a multi-link setup at the rear.

This was the first MINI that I felt I could really live with, family commitments and all. Yet it isn't boringly practical, the whole reason why MINIs appeal to me in the first place. The Countryman then, is a car that will bring new customers to the brand: they might even include me.

TOP 5 MINI DEALS

The results below show the top MINI deals on buyacar

Mini Countryman 1.6 Cooper D ALL4 5dr diesel hatchback
Price £18,907	Save £1,553
Mini Hatchback 1.6 One 3dr
Price £13,265	Save £195
Mini Hatchback 1.6 Cooper D 3dr diesel
Price £15,297	Save £883
Mini Countryman 1.6 One 5dr hatchback
Price £15,912	Save £588
Mini Convertible 1.6 Cooper D 2dr diesel
Price £17,247	Save £1,123
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