The 2017 Mini Countryman is like a rowdy, rambunctious teenager who’s grown up to become a pleasant young adult. The new Countryman is bigger and better mannered than the model it replaces and better groomed inside and out. The cheeky edge that’s core to the Mini brand is still there, but it’s less forced. The biggest, most versatile Mini in history, the 2017 Countryman feels more comfortable in its own skin.
The new Countryman launches in the U.S. in March with the 134-hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder Cooper and 189-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder Cooper S models, each available with front-drive or Mini’s ALL4 all-wheel drive and the choice of a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Prices start at $26,950 for the base Cooper Countryman, and stretch to $31,950 for the Cooper S ALL4 Countryman. The 228-hp John Cooper Works Countryman arrives in April, and the range will be rounded out in June by Mini’s first ever plug-in hybrid, the Cooper S E Countryman. Both will be 2018 models.
The 2017 Countryman shares its front-drive architecture, codenamed UKL2, with, among other things, the BMW X1. The new Countryman’s 105.1-inch wheelbase is the same as the X1’s, but it’s 6.2 inches shorter overall than BMW’s baby SUV, which tells you everything you need to know about how Munich sees the relationship between the two brands. It might be the biggest Mini of them all, almost an inch longer overall than the UKL2-based Clubman that launched last year, but the Countryman is still a small SUV.
And it drives like one, too. The Cooper S ALL4 Countryman automatic we sampled on the launch program in the U.K. zipped along narrow British country lanes like a tall hot hatch, especially with the transmission in Sport or Manual modes to make the most of the 2.0-liter engine’s 207 lb-ft of torque from 1,250 rpm. The ALL4 system delivered welcome grip in icy corners, and the meaty steering allowed the big Mini to be accurately placed between the hedgerows.
So far, so Mini. Where the new 2017 Countryman surprises is its palpably improved ride refinement, even on the 18-inch wheels and 225/50 tires that are standard on U.S. spec Cooper S models. Where the old Countryman crashed and bounced over sharp lumps and bumps like a Conestoga wagon racing across the prairie, the new one is quieter and more composed, though its body motions are still tightly controlled. The longer wheelbase helps, reducing fore-aft pitching, but there’s also been a marked improvement in the initial compliance of the suspension.
Compared with the previous model, the 2017 Countryman is 7.4 inches longer, 1.3 inches wider, and rolls on a wheelbase 2.9 inches longer. Although it doesn’t look that much larger on the outside, you’re immediately aware of the more spacious interior the moment you slide behind the wheel. There’s now genuine room in the rear seat for two adults and more space for their luggage, too. Also noticeable is the improvement in material quality throughout the cabin. Though the interior design is still playfully Mini, it looks and feels more upscale.
Standard equipment levels are strong. Every Countryman comes standard with a panorama sunroof, keyless entry, an infotainment system with a 6.5-inch high-resolution display, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth, automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers, and fore-aft sliding rear seats with reclining backrests. Coopers come standard with 17-inch alloy wheels while Cooper S models get 18s. In true Mini fashion, the 2017 Countryman can be personalized with a wide range of paint colors, contrasting white or black roof, cloth or leather seats, and up to seven different styles of wheel.
Despite its cramped cabin and punishing ride, the previous Countryman proved remarkably popular with more than 550,000 sold worldwide since its launch in 2010. With more room, more refinement, and more all-round appeal, the new Countryman convincingly addresses the old model’s key weaknesses without losing the cheeky charm inherent in the brand, unlike some other recent Minis, most notably the regular Hardtop, the styling of which sits uncomfortably on the bigger UKL2 hardware. “We are more mature,” says Countryman program chief Julius Schluppkotten. “The car is more mature.”
2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4: Mini’s first ever plug-in hybrid
Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4: The name’s a mouthful, but there’s a lot going on under the skin of Mini’s first ever plug-in hybrid. The E Countryman combines the 134-hp 1.5-liter inline-three internal combustion engine driving the front wheels with an 87-hp electric motor that drives the rears. Total system output is 221 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque.
Mini claims the E Countryman will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, making it 0.2 of a second quicker than the 2.0-liter turbo Cooper S ALL4. Claimed top speed of both is identical—137 mph. Mini claims the E Countryman will have a range of about 24 miles on pure electric power and will hit 77 mph without firing up its internal combustion engine.
2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman: Mini’s Hottest SUV
John Cooper was the visionary creator of small, light, mid-engine open wheel racing cars that humbled the might of Ferrari and Maserati on grand prix racetracks around the world. In the 1960s he also had a lucrative side business hot-rodding Minis, and when BMW brought the Mini back to life in 2001, it also brought back the Cooper name.
The John Cooper Works tag is given to the hottest member of each of the Mini model lines, and the tradition continues with the new Countryman. Under the hood is a 228-hp version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual, with the eight-speed automatic available as an option. The Mini ALL4 all-wheel-drive system is also standard, along with unique styled 18-inch wheels, sports suspension, and a sports Brembo brake system.
Mini claims the John Cooper Works Countryman will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 6.5 seconds. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but expect a sticker of $37,000.
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