MINI Countryman 2017 Long-term test - 3

What did the better half think of the MINI Countryman Cooper S which has been in our long-term garage over the last couple of months?

She, whom I'll refer to by the letters 'SO' ('Significant Other'), is not a 'car person', but has been exposed to plenty of press vehicles over the last couple of decades. Usually SO has to be dragged kicking and screaming to drive a press vehicle, but she found the MINI was not as intimidating as some.

In one sense SO is in the sector of target buyers who would actively consider buying a MINI. The Countryman doesn't go off-road, and nor does she – not without protesting the entire time, at least. SO, in fact, confessed she didn't know whether the MINI Countryman is actually an SUV. She's probably not alone in that. SO liked that the Countryman sat higher and provided a good view of the road ahead – and also 'You don’t get monstered in it' – but she remained unconvinced it was an SUV.

Overall, the MINI is quite compact and fairly space-efficient. SO prefers not to drive anything much wider than 1.8 metres, but acknowledges our two kids (and their friends) are now of an age and height where rear-seat accommodation has to be basically fit for adults. In this respect the Countryman was an ideal size.

Where SO parts company with MINI's designers and marketing team is the Countryman's sporty driving character. She's not likely to take the Countryman out on a lonely country road at night for a high-speed fling. From that perspective, the MINI is not for her. However – and here's where decades of riding around in press vehicles has had some impact – she observed the Countryman actually wasn't sporty enough... in one very distinct trait.

"I miss the lovely MINI sound," she said, thinking back to an R50 three-door hatch predating my employment with motoring.com.au. The Countryman, driven at a leisurely pace around town, is a much more refined animal. Despite that, she did admit feeling more "at one" with the Countryman, reflecting its communicative chassis. And further to that, the MINI's firm ride was not a major concern on the freeways and well-sealed surfaces; she felt, if anything, the ride quality was in keeping with the MINI’s raw, driving focus.

It's also an easy car to drive, SO says. She was particularly pleased with the Countryman's field of vision and praised its compact dimensions and diminutive turning circle in car parks. The heavier steering didn't faze her at all.

Spending more time in manual cars than autos, SO is in the habit of shifting with the palm of her hand away from her when moving the lever backwards – even in autos. Due to that habit, she did, on at least one occasion, find the lever slotted in the sequential shift détente rather than the normal ‘Drive’ mode.

That's not a fault of the MINI or its design, of course; it's simply a matter of a driver unaccustomed to the car learning to operate it correctly. Other than that, SO quickly grew comfortable behind the wheel of the MINI, which, for a person who is ‘hesitant’ to drive cars she doesn't know, speaks to the MINI’s general user-friendliness.

As far as comfort was concerned, she liked the seats once she realised the extendable base could be retracted. As a package, the powered tailgate opened up too high, she argued, for younger schoolkids or shorter adults to be able to reach the button at the tailgate's zenith. Which is an issue for anyone loading goods at the rear of the car, but the button in the door (near the driver's right knee) will lower as well as raise the tailgate.

Despite all the promise the Countryman offered, SO said straight out it wasn't a car she would consider buying. She wasn't convinced it was prestigious enough for the money being asked – $51,750. She's a tough audience...

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your vehicle selections easier. Our editorial team does so via a mix of news stories, international and local new model launch reviews and comprehensive seven-day tests.

From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend extra time with a vehicle. Previously these longer-term tests could have been as short as a couple of weeks, but recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.
Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors the opportunity to get to know a car like an owner. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel and servicing, wash it frequently, have different passengers on-board, and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give prospective new car buyers a deeper insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period in our garage also allows motoring.com.au to touch base with various dealer networks.

Not surprisingly, manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months can be sufficient time to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nit-pick — just like real owners do.

2017 MINI Countryman Cooper S pricing and specifications:
Price: $51,750 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 141kW/280Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 149g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP, 2017

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