Countryman loses to both Skoda Yeti & Audi A3 in Autoexpress test!

[N16SHP]

I don't really feel the Countryman IS a MINI. For me MINI is a small British car with endearing features and a cheeky character, I see none of this in the Countryman.

Roll on the Coupe and Roadster, they WILL be MINI for sure.

I agree with you there. Although in today's world, Mini would probably struggle to stay in business with just one car after a while. I think it realises and see's an opportunity to expand and put the loveable features into a bigger car.

Also agree, cannot wait to see the roadster and coupe!!

[Bazthemod]

Exactly right Neil, look what happened to Rover. They never developed the Mini any further than to give it MPI and an airbag! When eventually they got the hint it was too late and BMW swooped in for the kill.

Now we have a full range of models that suit many different demographics. There will always be the original MINI but now it has brothers and sisters with the same MINI DNA and they fully deserve to be regarded as MINI.

Don't get size confused with brand.

[AndyP & Lenore]

I don't really feel the Countryman IS a MINI. For me MINI is a small British car with endearing features and a cheeky character, I see none of this in the Countryman.

Roll on the Coupe and Roadster, they WILL be MINI for sure.

Exactly right Neil, look what happened to Rover. They never developed the Mini any further than to give it MPI and an airbag! When eventually they got the hint it was too late and BMW swooped in for the kill.

Now we have a full range of models that suit many different demographics. There will always be the original MINI but now it has brothers and sisters with the same MINI DNA and they fully deserve to be regarded as MINI.

Don't get size confused with brand.

Baz just saved me the trouble of typing my own answer. Cheers.

We also can't wait for the Roadster. Have our names down for one already with JC's.

A.

[Scottie]

I went for my test drive today never really thought OMG this is not a mini, thought the Countryman was rather good actually.

[Flash_Amber]

I went for my test drive today never really thought OMG this is not a mini, thought the Countryman was rather good actually.

We too went for a test drive today and were very impressed. Having just seen it in photographs I wasn't too sure about it, but seeing it and driving it today confirmed that it is still a MINI. We test drove the ONE but even it was pretty good. On show also were a Cooper D and a Cooper S. Have to say the S was really rather nice but then it did have all the toys and cost £30,000!

[Scottie]

I would agree and when they bring out the SD in the coutryman all boxes will be ticked me thinks.

[euan]

It's funny, I'd not really looked at these as I'd written them off as being too far "off message". However, what they are is how to keep people in Minis.

When I had my first Mini, I was a mere youngster (well, it was a 51 plate!). It fitted in perfectly for what I needed - a fun, great looking, exciting car that offered some practicalities. I lived in the city so parking was easy, and everyone loved it. Including the Japanese tourist who jumped out in front of me on Princes Street to take it's photo. But as I got a bit older and needed more space and practicality, the mini, grudgingly and regrettably (should have kept it longer!), had to go.

Now, families come along. What I want is a Golf sized car, but everything there is dull. The Clubman isn't big enough (our friends have one with their wee one and it's a nightmare). So people get rid of them, may buy a 1 series so the money stays in BMW, but wouldn't it be better to keep it in Mini too? That's where the Countryman comes in.

The above is all hypothetical - though a mate of mine is having that exact debate as we speak.

As for Audi's being dull - as the owner of a very dull A4 Avant, if you buy the right one they're not dull ;-)

[KenL]

I agree Euan. Audis are excellent cars apart from those daft lights they've all got now.

[Mon the fish]

Audi's are good, I used to be in charge of a company car fleet which was solely Audi's, from A4 to A8. Lovely cars, but they just don't involve you - you feel totally detached from the driving, which you would never be in a 5 series.

And I always turned off the chintzy driving lights before handing over a new one to a company car driver - they were always too dumb to work out how to put them back on :-)

[Bazthemod]

Well just been for a test drive in the Diesel Cooper, it's very nippy and the car def still feels like a MINI. The only thing I noticed was there is increased body roll which feels a bit weird coming from the JCW. But you can still chuck it about comfortably and there is plenty poke in it. The cabin still feels MINI once you get behind the wheel and the steering feels familiar, the new colour scheme inside with the darkened controls looks superb and much better than the current r56.

Mum and Dad have priced a Cooper S Countryman sadly we couldn't test it as it was the showroom model and was inside a tent! We then went into Nissan to see the facelift version of our Qashqai and they have jumped up the prices to countryman levels! So Maw's having a dilemma over what to choose lol but countryman is edging it at moment.


Now looking at Feb/March for delivery