Rural Ride

The MINI Cooper Countryman is for young-at-heart fans of the marque who must grudgingly accede to grown-up responsibilities, reports Vidusvasti Amranand

The Mini Cooper Countryman is a new family member for the second-generation MINI brand, as opposed to the classic Mini that was produced between 1959 and 2000. Its immediate antecedents are the hatchback from 2007, followed by the estate Clubman in 2008 and the convertible in 2009. The Countryman was launched in 2010 and is a crossover SUV with four doors, available with two- or four-wheel drive. Externally the car is recognisably a Mini but one that looks as if it has been stung by a thousand jellyfish. The shape and key characteristics of the car have been distorted and exaggerated, giving a bloated, incoherent feel. Beautiful, it is not; but it might be regarded as cute in a gawky way, like a teenager going on a first date.

This car is 40 cm longer than the hatchback, 10 cm wider and 15 cm taller, with more ground clearance. In addition, 7.5 cm was added to the wheelbase and 12.5 to the rear overhang. The car offers more room for those who find the basic model too small. Newlyweds who bought the hatchback may opt for the SUV when an expanding family demands more room. Approach the car for the first time and the initial impression is of a high-quality machine with jewel-like details. There is an over-sized MINI badge that doubles as an opener on the rear door. The details are well deployed and beautifully designed.

Opening the door, one is greeted by the clothleather aroma of the interior. Circular designs dominate the dashboard with a dinner platesized speedometer in the centre. The starting ritual is a bit strange. The remote control key needs to be slotted into the ignition lock and a separate engine starter/engine stop button has to be pressed with the brake pedal depressed for the engine to fire. Then to switch off the engine, press the start/stop button and push the remote key in to remove it. How’s that for simplicity?

The car starts with a nice enough hum but when you want acceleration for overtaking, the engine makes a feeble whine on the way to the red line. The Countryman is not a powerful car, with 122 horsepower and no turbocharger. For in-town driving, this is fine, but thank goodness for the sport button. Press this and the car is transformed into something with more of a racing pedigree. The engine revs harder with a throatier roar – not exactly the sound of a sports car but a lot better than its default setting. On the open road the Countryman handles itself well for a tall car. The suspension is supple and solidly damped. The multi-function steering wheel is direct and a joy to use, although it is a shame not to be able to find nice flowing roads to drive on around Bangkok. The seats are well sculpted and have snug side bolsters on both the upper and lower body and there is good lumbar support but I found the armrest on the door far less useful as it is positioned too far away to offer comfort when driving. The two rear doors open up access to the rear cabin for those tired of twisting their torsos to reach into the back.

MINI ownership is all about a lifestyle that speaks to the young and young at heart, but the Countryman is for people who love Minis (or indeed MINIs) but need more room and no longer get their kicks from that youthful go-kart handling. Ever since the launch of the first generation new MINI in 2001, the joy of ownership is in specifying the options and the look of the car. Gone are the days of just choosing the exterior colour, leather seats and wheels. The range of interior and exterior equipment available is as large as your pockets can bear. MINI claims that each one is unique and that no two are the same. Our test car comes equipped with black racing strips down the bonnet and boot, Union Jack patterned side mirrors, a pair of centre rail storage system between the front seats for detachable accessories such as cup holders, iPad dock, spectacles case and elbow pads. The accessory rails can be configured to run right through the cabin if you also specify individual rear seats.

Two models of Countryman are available for the local market, namely the Cooper and the top-of-the-line Cooper S ALL4 with four wheel-drive. The car is capable of carrying four adults with luggage but I suspect that on long journeys it would feel underpowered due to the small 1.6 litre engine. Being close to the ground, the standard MINI is at a disadvantage when it encounters excess water, so the Countryman will come in useful the next time floods threaten; it’s capable of wading in standing water up to a depth of 30 cm.

Now is a good time to acquire your new MINI, as all cars imported by the authorised dealer are compatible with E20 gasohol, which reduces excise tax. For diehard MINI fans who need more space when travelling, the Countryman is solidly built with a reputation as a premium small car and is still fun to own.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY : MINI Cooper Countryman

ENGINE: 1,598 cc in-line 4 cylinders with valvetronic
INSTALLATION/DRIVE: Front transverse / front wheel drive
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with steptronic and paddle shifts
SUSPENSION: MacPherson struts front / multi-link rear
POWER/TORQUE: 122 horse power @ 6,000rpm / 160 Newton metre @ 4,250 rpm
PERFORMANCE: 0-100 km/h in 11.6 seconds
TOP SPEED: 182 km/h
SAFETY FEATURES: Front, side and curtain air bags, anti-lock braking, dynamic stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution, cornering brake control, run-flat tyres
AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION: 13.15 km/litre
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION: 168 g/km
WEIGHT: 1,370 kg
TYRES: 205/55 R17 run-flats
PRICE: 2,590,000 baht; (Cooper S ALL4 Countryman: 3,040,000 baht)
OFFICIAL IMPORTER: MINI Thailand, Tel: 0-2305-8820