There are so many different categories and subcategories of crossover SUVS, that it’s nearly become impossible tell one from the other these days. And it’s not like car companies are making things any easier for us lot -- introducing new models almost every year, sometimes creating an entirely new subcategory for one model - it’s a little bonkers, if I’m honest. However, not so long ago, there was this one British automaker that didn’t really bother with producing any crossover, even if it meant making more money. As you might’ve guessed by now, the automaker I’m talking about here is Mini. While it has been made really famous by a certain British comedy series, Mini earned its sterling reputation over years of motorsport championships and with the sale of the fantastic Mini Cooper.
However, times have changed and when BMW took hold of Mini in the year 2000, one of their first ambitions was to jump onto the crossover bandwagon, now tagging Mini along with them. Fast-forward a decade, and in 2010, the Mini Countryman was unveiled. The Countryman became Mini’s first-ever venture into the world of crossover SUVs - it was the marque’s first subcompact premium crossover SUV, too! In the UAE, the all-new second-generation Mini Countryman rivals the Audi Q2, BMW X2 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.
Exterior
Unlike its discontinued Paceman sibling that never looked like a crossover SUV of any sort, the larger Mini Countryman at least has the visual impact of a crossover going for it. The second-gen measures in at 4.299 meters in length, 1.822 meters in width and 1.557 meters in overall height. It also boasts a wheelbase of 2.670 meters and a minimum boot capacity of 450 liters. As for its exterior styling, in some sense and certain angles, the Countryman looks just like a regular Mini hatchback - it’s intentionally done to ensure you don’t mistake it for anything but a Mini.
The front end is dominated by the trademark Mini circular headlamps with distinctive LED surrounds, heavily contoured hood, hexagonal grille, a sporty bumper with large fog lamps and a central air dam. The Countryman’s very distinctive “helmet roof” draws attention, so does the posh roof rails, contrasting two-tone paint, enlarged wheel arches, bold-looking 18-inch alloys, slim door handles, black body cladding and short overhangs. The back gets large vertically placed LED tail lights, bold “Countryman” lettering, chrome strip all around the window line, twin exhausts and a chiseled bumper.
Interior
The interior design and styling of modern-day Mini cars have been nothing short of eye-catching and trendy -- that holds true for the Countryman as well. Up front, the chunky & sporty steering wheel, motorcycle-inspired instrument binnacle, large circular housing for the infotainment unit and associated controls, funky door handles and airplane-styled toggle switches are all really cool and look contemporary, too. Owing to its size, one is likely to find ample of room shying away just from the bigger clubman and the seats are expected to be comfortable and supportive. The quality of build, materials and fit-and-finish is all expected to be well-kempt.
The feature-packed Countryman offers keyless-entry with toggle-switch engine start, adaptive LED headlights, hands-free tailgate, head-up display, leather seats, ambient LED lighting, cruise control, wireless charging, 8.8-inch touch-infotainment display with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth, electronic handbrake and parking assist among others. The Countryman’s safety catalogue includes seven airbags, traction & stability control, run-flat tires, collision detection etc.
Engine and performance
The John Cooper Works version of the Mini Countryman uses a 1.6-liter turbo-four motor that chucks out 218hp and 300Nm of torque. Mated to a 6-speed torque converter automatic and an AWD system, it can get to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and top out at 228 km/h.
Verdict
The Mini Countryman range is priced at between AED 147,000 to AED 204,645, for the base and top-spec variants, respectively. While such a price for what at the end of the day, is a crossover, it might cost one a small fortune but it packs in such bells and whistles that a few contenders in its segment possess. The JCW variant of the Countryman offers a colossal power, all at your disposal from low revs and an expected comfy back seat experience along with a voluminous boot. This just enhances the versatility of the car.
