We test drive the new Mini Countryman

Have you ever considered a Mini but was turned away because they were too small for you taste? Well cheer up, the Countryman is the newest and biggest Mini ever produced. It's nearly as large a Volkswagen Golf and is designed to appeal to a broader audience. With that said, does Mini have what it takes to draw those buyers in? Let's find out.

Performance: There are three turbo engines available. All three share their roots with the rest of the Mini line-up. Price conscious buyers will most likely choose the Countryman with the standard 1.5 turbo with 134hp. There's plenty of pace around town, while on the highway you'll have to rev it harder to get up to pace. Mid-range Cooper S uses a 2-liter turbo pumping out 189hp. Top of the range is the JCW trim which offers a more potent 228hp. Pick of the range depends on what you desire most from your Countryman. We suggest sticking with either the Cooper or Cooper S trims.  All three trims can be had with optional all-wheel-drive. 

Ride & Handling: Handling is agile with plenty of grip in corners, but it isn't as fun to drive as the standard hardtop or a Volkswagen Golf. The ride never really feels settled on rough surfaces and the steering weights up way too quickly when entering corners. 

Refinement: The engines rev smoothly and sound sporty, but too much engine noise can be heard at cruising speeds. Wind noise isn't the problem here, road noise intrudes into the cabin at high levels and makes long journeys feel tiresome. Both transmissions work well with the Countryman. The manual gearbox reverse gear is placed in front of first gear. This makes it very easy to accidentally select reverse instead of first gear. 

Behind the wheel: The Countryman follows design before user-friendliness, and you'll see it in the dashboard layout. The switches and controls feel like they are jammed in where ever there's space and the controls that you do need to operate the most feel fiddly to operate. It will take some time to get used to everything. The view out of the Countryman is spot on, with plenty of adjustments for the driver's seat and steering wheel. 

Space & practicality: There is plenty of room for four adults in the four seat configuration. The standard five seat configuration is just as roomy too but the limited shoulder room and foot room makes it feel like an over glorified four-seater. The boot is a decent size and offers plenty of room, but the seats don't fold completely flat which ruins the potential for versatility. 

Buying & Owning: The Countryman starting price is attractive, but keep in mind that the base trim is rather stingy on equipment. You'll have to pay the extra if you want the luxury features no matter what trim you choose. We highly suggest keeping the options list light if you want to keep the cost of your Countryman down. Fuel costs shouldn't be too bad if you stick with the front wheel-drive versions. Resale value should be strong as demand for the Countryman has been strong. 

Quality & Reliability: The Countryman has a premium image, but it is let down due to some very iffy looking plastics used inside the cabin. Some of the switchgear quality is so-so and the overall impression is mixed. Reliability record for Mini has been rather patchy. Mechanical reliability has been average. 

Safety & Security: Across the range you'll find traction control, electronic stability program and anti-lock-brakes. Some trims add all-wheel-drive which adds an extra leg in safety for winter driving and slippery surfaces. All trims come with front and side curtain airbags as standard. An engine immobilizer with deadlocks are standard, but an alarm system is only offered as optional. 

The Countryman is roomy for four and makes the most sense if you want something larger than the Clubman. However, compared to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. The Countryman seems a tad bit overpriced. The interior quality is iffy and the equipment level is just down right stingy. If you like the Mini Brand but wanted something a bit more practical. The Countryman is for you, otherwise we strongly suggest looking at some of its more sensible rivals. 

Devon's Pick: Mini Countryman Cooper S adds everyone's favorite turbo engine at a decent price that's hard to pass up. You can add Mini's all-wheel-drive system for a slightly hefty premium. The Mini with just front-wheel-drive combo more than enough for most drivers. 

Likes: Spacious interior for four passengers. All engines offer a very rewarding driving experience. Available all-wheel-drive system. 

Dislikes: Mini is stingy with equipment. The options you'll most likely want will push the price sky high. Ride comfort is rather disappointing. Dashboard layout is confusing with too many fiddly controls. Not as fun to drive as the Hardtop Mini.

Devon's Pick: There are several versions of the Countryman to choose from. Those who seek the Countryman but want it at a reasonable price, we strongly suggest sticking with the standard Cooper trim which seems to be the most reasonably priced. It may not be as engaging to drive as the Cooper S or JCW, but it does its job well. Running costs should be respectable too. The Cooper S is the more fun to drive trim thanks to the turbo engine, but you'll have to remember that Mini is rather stingy when it comes to equipment. So you'll have to pay a pretty penny to get one up to your desired specs. This is why we strongly suggest looking at the Countryman rivals first before settling with it. 

Awful pun inserted: This Mini is no 'club-head'

The Mini Brand offers tons of quirky niche vehicles that are fun to drive. But what if you want the quirkiest of the bunch? The Clubman is the Mini that will appeal to you the most.

Performance: The Clubman comes with a three engine options. The Standard Cooper trim comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder which is our favorite engine choice. The Cooper S comes with a familiar 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 189hp while the JCW uses the same 2-liter turbo pumping out an additional 228hp. You can choose the Cooper and Cooper S with optional all-wheel-drive while the JCW trim comes standard with all-wheel-drive. Pick of the range is the Cooper S trim which offers the best blend between performance, low running costs and price.

Ride & handling: The Clubman is just as fun to drive as the hardtop Mini. Even though the Clubman has a longer wheelbase, the overall feel in the corners and bends is still spot on. Ride comfort however isn’t as disappointing as the Countryman. Although the fun to drive character is still there, it still leaves a lot to be desired when compared to the hardtop Mini.

Refinement: The engines sound sporty and are fun to rev. The Cooper S and JCW versions offer the most engaging driving experience. Wind noise can be heard in the cabin at higher speeds but it’s far from intrusive. Some road noise will sneak into the cabin also. The manual gearbox gear pattern shoves the reverse gear in front of first gear, which makes it very easy for you to select reverse instead of first gear.

Behind the wheel: Even though the Clubman is bigger than your standard Mini hardtop, the seating position and overall view out of the car is still spot on. Only problem we have is the barn doors styled tailgate. It creates an awkward blind spot when parking and looking through the rearview mirror. The dashboard like other Minis is just fussy and fiddly to operate. Many of the controls are jammed in where ever there’s space, which makes it awkward and overly complicated to navigate through.

Space & practicality: This is where the Clubman shines. Thanks to the added length and wheelbase, there is plenty of space for actual passengers in the rear. Two adults can sit comfortably thanks to added headroom, legroom and even hip room. The newest Clubman has conventional rear doors. The boot is also well sized and shaped. The barn doors styled tailgate adds a touch of quirk to the overall appeal of the car.

Equipment: All three trim levels are equally equipped with the same level of kit. You’ll have to pay extra for desired features that should be standard. The Cooper S trim and JCW trim adds special body-kit trim and few other touches to separate them from the Cooper trim. If price is a concern for you, we’d suggest sticking with the Cooper trim and stay clear of the options list.

Buying & owning: The Clubman is slightly more expensive than the hardtop Mini, but in return you do get more space for rear passengers and a distinct image all round. Running costs shouldn’t be too bad thanks to decent fuel economy, while resale value won’t be a problem at all thanks to strong demand for the Mini Badge.

Quality & reliability: The Clubman and all other Minis have a premium small car image. It’s a shame that the interior quality is a big let down. Some switchgear and controls are iffy in terms of quality. Mini Customers are a happy bunch and rate Mini high in customer satisfaction, even though the company’s reliability record is patchy.

Safety & Security: Front and side curtain airbags are standard across the range. As well as traction control, electronic stability program, anti-lock brakes and a tire pressure monitor. An engine immobilizer is standard as well as deadlocks; you’ll have to pay extra for an alarm.

If you want the most distinct and quirky Mini of them all, the Clubman is clearly the choice hands down. It's just as roomy as the Countryman and the boot space is even more generous than it was before. The Clubman may not be as good as the Golf Sportwagen but it does have a strong case for itself.

Devon's Pick: Mini Clubman S is the most fun to drive of the range without being overly expensive like the JCW trim. You still have to pay extra for bits that you may want, but it's still entertaining to drive and the most popular form of the Clubman.

Likes: Fun to drive with roomy interior for four passengers. Decent running costs with quirky club doors and tailgate.

Dislikes: Some controls are fiddly to operate. Desired options push price sky high, while standard kit is considered stingy. Reverse gear too easily selected instead of first gear.

Devon’s Pick: The Cooper S is the best trim to pick. You may have to pay the premium price for it, but it offers the most engaging driving experience. All while offering decent running costs.