The present Mini Countryman is on the point of shuffle off into the nice carpark within the sky, however there’s some life in it but.
Mini has rolled out a cavalcade of recent trim ranges to maintain the Countryman contemporary in the previous few years, one among which is the Mini Yours on take a look at right here.
With distinctive colors, wheels, badging, and inside trim bits, it’s designed to raise what was already a comparatively luxurious small-to-mid-sized SUV into one thing extra particular once more.
Particular or in any other case, it’s competing with a tricky crowd of rivals in 2023. Together with the BMW X1 with which it shares showroom area, the Countryman goes head-to-head with robust choices from Audi, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz.
Does it nonetheless have what it takes to make an impression in 2023?
How a lot does the Mini Cooper S Countryman price?
The Mini Countryman Cooper S Mini Yours ($63,950 plus on-roads) sits between autos just like the Audi Q2 40 TFSI ($53,300) and Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce ($56,400), and the BMW X1 xDrive20i ($70,400) or top-end Mercedes-Benz GLA250 ($77,300) based mostly on worth.
It’s knocking on the door of the underside finish of the extra highly effective all-wheel drive Countryman plug-in hybrid – or Cooper SE in Mini parlance – within the vary, and is $4000 dearer than the equal Cooper with its much less highly effective engine.
2023 Mini Countryman pricing:
- Mini Cooper Countryman
- Traditional: $48,850
- Traditional Plus: $52,425
- Mini Yours: $59,025
- Mini Cooper S Countryman
- Mini Yours: $63,950
- Untamed: $64,300
- JCW Sport: $64,450
- Mini Cooper SE Countryman (Hybrid)
- Traditional: $64,000
- Mini Yours: $72,375
- Untamed: $72,725
- Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
- Important: $68,625
- Traditional: $72,375
- Mini Yours: $77,175
All costs exclude on-road prices.
What’s the Mini Cooper S Countryman like on the within?
Traditional Mini design cues are nonetheless alive and effectively right here.
The touchscreen infotainment system remains to be surrounded by a vibrant LED ring, the driving force show remains to be a pod on the steering column, and there’s nonetheless loads of chrome toggles rather than common buttons. It’s aged surprisingly effectively at a look, though diving deeper reveals some flaws.
For starters, the infotainment and driver show know-how has been effectively and actually usurped within the BMW world. The central display screen is working on iDrive bones which are two or three generations outdated, and the ‘digital instrument cluster’ is definitely only a small display screen displaying your digital velocity above a daily journey laptop.
On the plus facet, the display screen remains to be fast to reply, and the usual wi-fi Apple CarPlay permits you the power to bypass the native interface. It’s a disgrace the wi-fi cellphone charger within the central armrest is barely large enough to take a daily iPhone 14, not to mention a Professional Max.
We all know new Mini fashions are imminent, and so they’ll little question convey closely up to date know-how.
Past our know-how complaints, the basics within the Countryman Cooper S are strong. The driving place is superb for tall drivers, the chubby steering wheel is trimmed in what appears like high quality leather-based, and the view out the upright windscreen is basic Mini.
There are cupholders on the base of the dashboard, together with an open cupboard space for wallets and keys, whereas the area under the central armrest will home a chunky Frank Inexperienced water bottle.
It’s not probably the most sensible small-ish SUV on the market, however there’s nonetheless sufficient area to deal with all of the crap that comes with day by day life.
The supplies are all fairly fascinating within the Mini Yours, too. The seats are trimmed in leather-based, the doorways function Alcantara inserts, and the dashboard is completed with carbon-effect plastic.
Rear seat area is a bit shocking, given the Mini title. The upright home windows and flat roof make for strong headroom, even in our sunroof-equipped tester, and legroom behind tall drivers is healthier than what was on supply within the previous-generation BMW X1 with which the Countryman shares its underpinnings.
The are air vents again there, together with USB-C ports, and the 2 ISOFIX factors and three prime tether factors enable for baby seats.
Behind the second row, the Countryman presents 450L of cargo quantity with all 5 seats in place. Fold them down, and that expands to 1390L.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Energy within the Mini Countryman Cooper S comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine making 141kW and 280Nm, mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
It’s front-wheel drive, though you may get all-wheel drive within the Countryman in case you go for the dearer John Cooper Works and plug-in hybrid choices.
Claimed gasoline economic system is 6.7 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle, and the Countryman drinks 95 RON premium unleaded. It has a 51L gasoline tank.
How does the Mini Cooper S Countryman drive?
Mini has up to date numerous the little particulars all through the Countryman’s life, but it surely hasn’t meddled an excessive amount of with the way it drives.
It’s nonetheless a barely keener, sportier tackle the common small SUV system with loads to supply eager drivers.
The turbocharged petrol engine packs a good punch low within the rev vary, and has sufficient mid-range torque to squeeze you again in your seat whenever you actually put your foot down. There’s a little bit of exhaust bark within the cabin to again it up, though the JCW presents extra of every thing for drivers who commute like their pants are on fireplace.
BMW has principally moved away from dual-clutch transmissions, however the Countryman nonetheless encompasses a seven-speed DCT. It’s fairly clean off the mark when you’re dialled into what’s required, though it’s not as clean as a traditional torque converter – but it surely’s good and snappy on the transfer.
In Eco or Regular mode it’s very eager to vary right into a taller gear, which is nice for gasoline economic system however does undermine the sporty feeling Mini is chasing. Put your foot down and it must kick down one, two, generally three gears to ship the four-pot engine again into the meat of its torque band.
You’re in a position to take cost with the plastic paddles behind the steering wheel, or utilizing the stubby gear selector.
There’s a definite distinction between the steering in Mini and BMW automobiles, though they’re constructed on the identical bones. The steering within the Mini Countryman feels fairly direct, sending the nostril darting into corners with smaller actions off centre.
It makes the Countryman enjoyable to punt across the metropolis in, though it additionally means you’re busier on the freeway. You’re much less insulated from what the wheels are doing on cambered roads than in some rivals; the steering wheel pulls a bit from side-to-side because the nostril follows the angle of the street.
Though it comes with adaptive cruise management able to sustaining a spot to the automotive in entrance, the Countryman doesn’t have energetic lane-centring to go along with it.
It’s in a position to right the steering in case you drift in the direction of the white traces, but it surely gained’t extra actively steer to maintain you centred in its lane like the brand new BMW X1, or any variety of cheaper options. That gained’t fear drivers preferring being in cost anyway, but it surely does make the Countryman much less enjoyable than its rivals on lengthy drives.
It’s additionally price noting the noise within the cabin on Australian highways from the tyres is extra noticeable than it actually ought to be in a premium SUV. You’ll have to crank the stereo up just a few notches to drown out the drone.
The noise is a disgrace, as a result of the experience within the Countryman is respectable at freeway speeds. Ignore the Mini title, it feels tied down such as you’d count on of an even bigger automobile on the authorized restrict.
What do you get?
Cooper Countryman highlights:
- 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
- Wi-fi cellphone charging
- Adaptive cruise management with Cease and Go
- 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster
- 6-speaker sound system
- LED headlights, fog lights and tail lights
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Energy tailgate
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Leatherette entrance sports activities seats
- Reversing digicam
- Entrance, rear parking sensors
- Semi-autonomous parking help
- Automated headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Twin-zone local weather management
Cooper S Countryman provides:
- Piano Black exterior trim
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Leather-based sports activities seats
- Selectable drive modes
- Heated entrance seats
Is the Mini Cooper S Countryman protected?
The Countryman has a five-star ANCAP security score based mostly on 2017 Euro NCAP assessments.
That score was based mostly on an grownup occupant safety rating of 90 per cent, a baby occupant safety rating of 80 per cent, a susceptible street person safety rating of 64 per cent and a security help rating of 51 per cent.
All 2023 Mini Countryman fashions come customary with city-speed autonomous emergency braking with forward-collision warning, in addition to site visitors signal recognition, anti-lock brakes and 6 airbags.
How a lot does the Mini Cooper S Countryman price to run?
The Mini vary is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
Upkeep within the Countryman is required each 12 months or 20,000 kilometres, and Mini presents two servicing plans.
The primary prices $1495 and covers oil, fluid, filter and spark plug modifications, the Plus package deal is priced at $4031 and covers brake pad, brake disc, wiper blade, and clutch disc and plate replacements.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mini Cooper S Countryman
The Countryman nonetheless has one thing to supply in 2023, supplied you’re keen to look previous just a few of its age-based flaws.
It’s nonetheless enjoyable to drive in case you’re keen to overlook out on a number of the newest driver assists, and it has a surprisingly spacious cabin supplied you’re not anticipating the most recent know-how.
It additionally nonetheless appears like nothing else on the market, and options extra potential for personalisation than its rivals. Our Mini Yours tester wasn’t low cost, but it surely did stand out.
That’s all the time been the story with the Mini Countryman. It’s not a category chief in any specific space, but it surely does nonetheless have a sure attraction.
Should you do desire a Countryman, the Cooper S represents the best stability of worth and efficiency.
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