- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.5T, 3 cyl.
- Engine Power
100kW, 220Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2017 Mini Countryman first drive review
Tired of its position as a provider of second or third vehicles in the family garage, Mini set about repositioning its compact SUV as the main method of transport for couples and young families.
This new Countryman is the result – a larger, better equipped and safer proposition, one that could woo people away from the likes of a Mazda CX-5 or Volkswagen Tiguan, and into a premium brand.
Part of growing up is knowing when to admit you were wrong. While Mini is not about to stoop to an apology, heavy revisions to the range highlight shortcomings in the old Countryman. The previous model lacked a reversing camera, front parking sensors, rear air bags and back seat air vents that now join sat nav, a powered tailgate and climate control as standard features in the new car.
Better yet, the new Countryman is loaded with a standard safety pack that includes autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning and active cruise control systems with a semi-autonomous stop-start traffic mode.
Acknowledging that manual and all-wheel-drive options added needless complexity to the range, every car is now equipped with a conventional six-speed auto transmission and all but the top-of-the-range Cooper SD drive the front wheels.
Priced from $39,900 plus on-road costs, the new entry-level Countryman Cooper is $3400 dearer than last year's equivalent automatic model – not too bad, when you consider the extra kit.
In addition to all of the above, the standard Cooper gets a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine with 100kW and 220Nm, 18-inch wheels, a digital radio, smart keys, active headlights and more. Buyers keen for something sportier can go for the $46,500 Cooper S Countryman (pictured), which benefits from a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that offers 141kW and 280Nm outputs, along with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Diesel models include the $43,900 Cooper D, which adds a 2.0-litre turbo diesel motor with 110kW and 330Nm and an eight-speed automatic transmission, along with the top-line Cooper SD that brings 140kW and 400Nm working in league with reactive all-wheel-drive.
First impressions are that this is indeed a bigger Mini. While that may put off some buyers, the updated car is much more useful than its predecessor, offering decent room in the rear for adults on a bench seat that can slide and recline to accommodate people of different sizes. A 100-litre larger boot now holds around 450 litres of cargo, and there are plenty of places to stash odds and ends.
Unmistakably Mini both inside and out, the Countryman features an evolution of the old car's dashboard with a 6.5-inch touchscreen monitor as standard, offering an 8.8 inch display part of a $2400 option pack that includes a 12-speaker stereo and head-up display system. The brand's quirky toggle switches remain in play, as does a multimedia controller tucked below the gearstick, further out of reach than most gadgets of its type.
The Countryman features a somewhat upright driving position with plenty of headroom and a decent view out of the cockpit. Once underway, the new car adopts Mini's usual road behaviour with taut suspension that lends a sporty feel at the expense of comfort.
Responding crisply to steering input, the Countryman lends driver confidence in the way it tips into bends. The new eight-speed auto is another strong point, as are powerful and easily modulated brakes. Refusing to roll when cornering – at least to the same degree as other SUVs – the Countryman offers some of Mini's traditional driver appeal, just in smaller doses than the much more engaging hatchback.
A quick blat in conventional five-door Mini hatch during the car's Canberra-based launch reveals that the little one feels much more urgent when equipped with the same engine as a Countryman, also exhibiting better road manners.
Our test took in three examples of the Countryman – two top-end Cooper S petrol and SD diesel models, as well as the base petrol Cooper with its three-cylinder engine. While the latter is less than rapid, it offers adequate poke accompanied with a charming off-beat burble. Given that it has much of the same standard equipment as a Cooper S, the entry model might be the sweetest point in the Mini range (as it is in the hatch).
The dearer Cooper S and SD offer identical 7.4 second 0-100km/h times, but go about their business in different ways. As expected, the diesel uses all-paw traction to gain an early advantage before making the most of an impressive torque output, while the petrol model's sweeter engine offers a more flexible power delivery and more pleasing (artificially enhanced) engine note more likely to resonate with enthusiasts.
In any case, it's refreshing to see the big hatch has managed to keep its brand values intact while moving into new territory. Though the Countryman may have grown up, it's still a Mini at heart.
2017 Mini Countryman pricing and specifications
Mini Countryman Cooper 1.5 petrol auto - $39,900 (+$3400)
Mini Countryman Cooper D 2.0 diesel auto - $43,900 (+$2800)
Mini Countryman Cooper S 2.0 petrol auto - $46,500 (+$1600)
Mini Countryman Cooper SD 2.0 diesel auto - $51,500 (+$2160)
(plus dealer and on-road costs)
On sale: Now
Engines: 1.5-litre three-cylinder or 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel.
Power: 100kW (Cooper), 110kW (Cooper D), 141kW (Cooper S), 140kW (Cooper SD)
Torque: 220Nm (Cooper), 330Nm (Cooper D), 280Nm (Cooper S), 400Nm (Cooper SD)
Transmission: Six or eight -speed automatic, front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive.
Fuel use: 6.0L/100km (Cooper) 4.8L/100km (Cooper D) 6.5L/100km (Cooper S) 5.2L/100km (Cooper SD)