my mini countryman review

[KenL]

A couple of weeks ago my S was in for service and I got a countryman on loan.

It was a petrol Cooper with I assume pepper pack.

First the looks. For me, these look OK from a distance but close up, I really don't like it. The proportions just don't look right to me.

Inside, I thought it looked nowhere nearly as good as a MINI. It was very boring with big expanses of plastic. Did not seem well put together with a rattle in the dash. Plenty room inside and the boot is big, but could you fit golf clubs, not sure.

Driving. I was perfectly happy with the performance of the petrol Cooper, quite nippy. The drive was dull though, definitely not like a MINI!

To summarize, not really impressed. If I wanted a bigger car I would much prefer a Golf. A better looking, better to drive car.

[silver spirit]

I agree it seams to be out of proportion ? But it seams to be very popular poss with families. Maybe the 2 door version will be better certainly looked good in the mini mag

[Alex from NM]

I sat in one for the first time at Callerton Inverness the other day. I quite liked the driving position, was very similar to the MINI hatch. I still can't get over its weird roof line and the fact that anything other than an all 4 seems a bit pointless.

[N16SHP]

I agree with most of what you said Ken. I sat in two yesterday, an ALL4 Cooper S and a basic Cooper, and although the Cooper S felt much more what I am used to, they both struck me as being very plasticy. The dash is huge, and the driving position is a little up-right, but what we've got to remember is this maybe wears the Mini badge, it's not a nippy little hatch, it's an attempt at an Urban MPV, and with that you get an up-right driving position, and a massive dash in most MPV's lol. The boot I was pleasantly surprised with, although I'll only pass judgement once/if I ever get one and stick my Mrs' and I's hockey bags in the boot.