Mini Countryman test drive impression of a fun hot hatch
When the Mini Countryman was first shown to the motoring media, there was mixed reactions. The older media frowned at a thought of a 4 door Mini. The younger generation now had a Mini to grow old with. Yes, this is the first ever 4-door Mini.
Sitting higher than the regular Mini, the Countryman is no compact car. It is somewhat more like compact SUV. From the outside, the Countryman looks like an oversized hatch on steroids. It’s raised ground clearance and SUV-style design elements make it look a little overweight and give it an odd front-on appearance. Add to that the extremely large grille, the Mini family face and this new Mini is definitely unmistakable on the road. It sits higher of the ground and the roofline is higher than most mid-segment sedans in the market.
Visual there is no mistaking the Countryman as a product of Mini. The exterior is filled with typical Mini detailing and the large 17-inch alloy wheels fill into the large fenders with ease. There rear doors open wide and seating position is high in the rear. Luggage room is decent but lacking if you take a family holiday with the rear seats in use.
Enter the Countryman and all the typical Mini ‘gear’ is in front of you. The interior front cabin is shared with the rest of the Mini range and in the rear you get a proper ISOFIX ready seats for the family. Get into the driver’s seat and you are greeted by a retro style cockpit and an almost over-abundance of buttons and toggle switches. The cabin does have a quality feel about it though and everything does have a place, even if you do need to take some time to acquaint yourself with where everything is before starting off.
The dash layout and centre console is very driver-focussed and the driver and front passenger is separated both visually (and physically) by a dominant centre console area. Entry into, and out of, the new Countryman is easy with its high roofline. Move into the rear and there is a centre rear arm rest with cup holders. There is plenty of headroom, although leg and foot room was a bit tight for tall passengers. The 60:40 split-fold rear seats allows for extra cargo room. There is a cargo net to keep things secure and a cargo cover to keep things out of sight from prying eyes.
Ignite the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and the sound insulation allows for just enough engine noise to excite the driver. On the typical office commute the Countryman is a quiet, refined offering. There is minimal wind or tyre noise and the suspension is compliant over most irregularities. The ride, however, is jiggle at lower speeds along badly maintained city roads and the six-speed automatic works well. Surprisingly, the 184bhp 1.6 turbo petrol is able to pull this large car along with little hesitation. Like other Mini’s, this 4-door Mini corners like its on rails and the jiggle harsh ride is the trade-off if you can live with it. I suppose smaller alloy wheels and higher profile tires will change all this and give this Mini a pliant comfortable ride on most uneven surfaces.
MINI Countryman Cooper S Specifications
Engine: 4-cylinder Turbo 16v
Capacity: 1598cc
Power: 184bhp @ 5500rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1600-5000rpm (Overboost) 260Nm @ 1730-4500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed with manual steering gearshifts
0-100km/h: 7.9secs
Top speed: 225km/h
Price: RM268,888.00
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