MINI Countryman D 2011 Review

There's a school of thought that says a MINI should be a Mini. That is, a compact, stylish hatch that's just as useful cruising around town as chewing through corners at breakneck speeds.

So when MINI released the cabrio, it was a clever idea. The Clubman? An interesting twist on a classic design. But now we have the Countryman, which is an SUV. And in my mind it's just not cricket; it would be like Lamborghini making a minivan!

Nevertheless, what's done is done and, despite my reservations, the fact of the matter is the soul of the MINI has been retained in this five-door offering. As far as MINIs go, it's a relatively sensible vehicle, with decent room for all your belongings, seating for four adults, safety features including six airbags and stability control, and convenience items like electric windows and mirrors.

But in my opinion, driving this latest iteration has made it apparent that many of the MINI's quirks that made it cool back in 2001 are not quite as cute and adorable today. In many cases, they're annoying and confusing.

The car is comfortable enough with cushy seats and nice trim levels, but the controls and instruments are another thing. For instance, the electric window switches remain inconveniently located on the centre console and you have to stretch to operate them. Frustrating from the word go.

The giant speedometer might have been a styling highlight 10 years ago but now it's starting to look overblown and dated. And with it located smack bang in the centre of the dashboard, it means you have to take your eyes completely from the road when checking your speed (although there's a digital speedo closer to the steering wheel).

The buttons for heating/cooling are very small and at night I found it hard to decipher the tiny symbols. I fumbled around for quite some time before finding the demister.

While the park brake looks pretty good with its stylised horizontal handle - kind of like an aircraft throttle - the sunglasses holder that sits next to it is un-openable when the park brake is engaged. The interior design team must have been on holiday when they signed off on that particular tweak!

The obtuse interior design continues through to the rear seats, and I was given an unpleasant surprise when attempting to fold the back seats flat for the first time. While leaning through the open rear door to pull on the handy rip cords located behind the squab, the spring loaded seat backs snapped down with force. So much so that when the headrest hit me in the head it dazed me.

There's little to complain about the driving experience though. The MINI Countryman D's 1.6-litre turbodiesel, four-cylinder engine remains arguably the best 1600cc diesel engine in its class, giving the vehicle true spirit. Drop the hammer when the traffic lights go green and the Countryman D surges away, and the manner in which the turbo boost is delivered is very gratifying - more sports car than rattly old diesel.

Indeed, the 82kW/270Nm BMW-developed engine is a real fire cracker, and almost makes the uncomfortably stiff suspension forgivable.

Sure, the Countryman can navigate corners better than most other compact SUVs and will entertain the keen driver on zig-zagging mountain passes, but where this vehicle will be used most - in the city and suburbs – it's just too firm in my view.

The ride quality is average at best and after a few days I found myself trying to avoid potholes in the road. The rigid, run-flat tyres with their stiff sidewalls don't seem to help the situation either.

The lack of ride comfort probably won't be a deal breaker for rusted-on MINI fans who will appreciate the extra room and higher riding position, not to mention the ridiculously low fuel consumption (4.4L/100km) but I doubt the sporty chassis will convince buyers looking for a trendy cruiser.

Starting at $40,950, the 2WD MINI Countryman D represents decent value for money for what is a European-built (Austria) vehicle, and the quirky interior design is a point of difference, if not to every person's tastes.

As a MINI, the Countryman remains true to the brand ethos - sporty, confident, and stylish. It's fun to drive and is more practical than its siblings, but I can't help but think original Mini inventor, Sir Alec Issigonis, would be perplexed with this vehicle.

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