Riding on the back of the diminuitive Cooper’s success, MINI recently expanded its model lineup beyond the extended-wheelbase Cooper Clubman to a full five-door cute ute. Though the Mini Cooper Countryman is substantially larger than its stablemates, it shares the same available drivetrains, adding only an optional all-wheel-drive system to the mix. True to its heritage, the name hearkens back to the Austin Mini Countryman, an extended-wheelbase version of the original.
This model is presumably aimed at those who want the cute cachet of the MINI Cooper, but need more cargo- and kid-hauling space. Despite being considerably larger than the original, though, this mega-MINI is still smaller than a Mazda 3.
Our tester had the base 121-horsepower, 1.6-liter engine and a six-speed transmission, sans AWD. The turbocharged S model packs the punch of an additional 60 horses. We also had about $5000 worth of options on top of the $21,650 base price, including a panoramic sunroof; heated seats, mirrors, and washer jets; and a sport package. That last one installs 18-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, racy hood stripes and sport seats.
