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The present Mini Countryman is on the brink 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 latest trim ranges to maintain the Countryman contemporary in the previous couple of years, one in all 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 troublesome crowd of rivals in 2023. Together with the BMW X1 with which it shares showroom house, 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 automobiles 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) primarily based on value.
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
- Basic: $48,850
- Basic 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)
- Basic: $64,000
- Mini Yours: $72,375
- Untamed: $72,725
- Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
- Important: $68,625
- Basic: $72,375
- Mini Yours: $77,175
All costs exclude on-road prices.
What’s the Mini Cooper S Countryman like on the within?
Basic Mini design cues are nonetheless alive and properly 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 properly at a look, though diving deeper reveals some flaws.
For starters, the infotainment and driver show know-how has been properly and really usurped within the BMW world. The central display is working on iDrive bones which are two or three generations outdated, and the ‘digital instrument cluster’ is definitely only a small display displaying your digital pace above a daily journey pc.
On the plus aspect, the display remains to be fast to reply, and the usual wi-fi Apple CarPlay permits you the flexibility to bypass the native interface. It’s a disgrace the wi-fi telephone charger within the central armrest is barely sufficiently big 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 carry closely up to date know-how.
Past our know-how complaints, the basics within the Countryman Cooper S are strong. The driving place is great for tall drivers, the chubby steering wheel is trimmed in what seems like high quality leather-based, and the view out the upright windscreen is traditional Mini.
There are cupholders on the base of the dashboard, together with an open space for storing for wallets and keys, whereas the house under the central armrest will home a chunky Frank Inexperienced water bottle.
It’s not essentially the most sensible small-ish SUV on the market, however there’s nonetheless sufficient house 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 characteristic Alcantara inserts, and the dashboard is completed with carbon-effect plastic.
Rear seat house is a bit stunning, given the Mini identify. 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 provide 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 provides 450L of cargo quantity with all 5 seats in place. Fold them down, and that expands to 1390L.
What’s below 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 for those who go for the dearer John Cooper Works and plug-in hybrid choices.
Claimed gasoline financial 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, however it hasn’t meddled an excessive amount of with the way it drives.
It’s nonetheless a barely keener, sportier tackle the typical small SUV system with loads to supply eager drivers.
The turbocharged petrol engine packs an honest punch low within the rev vary, and has sufficient mid-range torque to squeeze you again in your seat if you actually put your foot down. There’s a little bit of exhaust bark within the cabin to again it up, though the JCW provides extra of all the things for drivers who commute like their pants are on fireplace.
BMW has principally moved away from dual-clutch transmissions, however the Countryman nonetheless incorporates 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 – however it’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 financial 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, regardless that 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 highway.
Though it comes with adaptive cruise management able to sustaining a spot to the automobile in entrance, the Countryman doesn’t have energetic lane-centring to go together with it.
It’s in a position to right the steering for those who drift in direction of the white traces, however it 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, however it does make the Countryman much less stress-free than its rivals on lengthy drives.
It’s additionally value noting the noise within the cabin on Australian highways from the tyres is extra noticeable than it actually needs to be in a premium SUV. You’ll must crank the stereo up a number of notches to drown out the drone.
The noise is a disgrace, as a result of the experience within the Countryman is first rate at freeway speeds. Ignore the Mini identify, it feels tied down such as you’d anticipate of an even bigger car 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 telephone 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 digital camera
- Entrance, rear parking sensors
- Semi-autonomous parking help
- Computerized 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 ranking primarily based on 2017 Euro NCAP exams.
That ranking was primarily based on an grownup occupant safety rating of 90 per cent, a baby occupant safety rating of 80 per cent, a weak highway consumer safety rating of 64 per cent and a security help rating of 51 per cent.
All 2023 Mini Countryman fashions come normal with city-speed autonomous emergency braking with forward-collision warning, in addition to 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 provides two servicing plans.
The primary prices $1495 and covers oil, fluid, filter and spark plug adjustments, 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 a number of of its age-based flaws.
It’s nonetheless enjoyable to drive for those who’re keen to overlook out on among the newest driver assists, and it has a surprisingly spacious cabin supplied you’re not anticipating the newest know-how.
It additionally nonetheless appears to be like like nothing else on the market, and options extra potential for personalisation than its rivals. Our Mini Yours tester wasn’t low cost, however it did stand out.
That’s at all times been the story with the Mini Countryman. It’s not a category chief in any specific space, however it does nonetheless have a sure attraction.
In case you do need a Countryman, the Cooper S represents the appropriate stability of worth and efficiency.
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
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