2017 MINI Countryman Review

There's no doubt the standard Countryman Cooper is a good deal; smaller Mini models such as the four-door Hatchback and Clubman have a similar price when equipped to the Countryman's starting configuration. Though the base three-cylinder Cooper engine is perfectly acceptable in the smaller Minis, it...

The clutch is easy to operate, with a catch point just off the floor, so you barely have to ease up before forward movement ensues. The clutch pedal isn't heavy, either. Shifter throws are a little long and rubbery, but it's easy to find the right gate. Cruise control reduces set speed when turning.

Even though this is the sporty Cooper S model, the Countryman feels sluggish at partial throttle in Green and Mid driving modes. It's not until you select Sport that it feels like it's got some pep. It doesn't rocket off the line, but we were achieved a decent 0-60-mph time of 7.2 seconds.

Brake pedal has a light to moderate amount of resistance, with good initial bite when you tap into the pedal. It's not grabby, however, and stopping force feels linear with effort. It came to a halt from 60 mph in 117 feet, average against standard crossovers and a bit long versus luxury rivals.

True to Mini's sporting intentions, steering effort is a little heavier than in competitors. Effort doesn't change while cycling through driving modes, but the car feels quicker to react in Sport. Feels good at highway speeds; you don't need to make corrections to keep the car tracking straight.

The Countryman is more fun to zip around turns in than most other cars in this class, but it's best to think of it as a sporty alternative to small crossovers and wagons rather than a large Mini. It doesn't quite live up to those expectations. Feels like there's more body roll than in a Mazda CX-5.

The clutch is easy to operate, with a catch point just off the floor, so you barely have to ease up before forward movement ensues. The clutch pedal isn't heavy, either. Shifter throws are a little long and rubbery, but it's easy to find the right gate. Cruise control reduces set speed when turning.

The Countryman exhibits a degree of comfort that is surprising given Mini's sporting reputation. The ride is rarely choppy, and the cabin is typically fairly quiet. The rear vents help keep rear passengers happy. Aggressively bolstered front seats and heat-trapping upholstery are major drawbacks.

The side bolsters on these seats are thick and don't move much during hard cornering. However, the seatback and bottom are narrow, making it nearly impossible to not rest your legs on the thigh bolsters. Many people will find them too confining. Milder seats are not available.

The ride is surprisingly comfortable, even with large 18-inch wheels and run-flat tires. It feels a bit livelier than you might expect from some competitors, but it's supple by Mini standards. Adaptive dampers are available if you want to choose your own adventure.

There's not much wind noise, and even tire noise is reasonably quelled. The sunroof covers rattle if they're closed and you hit a bump, but move them slightly out of place and that'll disappear. The engine stop-start system sends a shudder through the cabin when it kicks on.

Auto climate control has to work hard to cool the cabin and counteract heat radiating from the panoramic sunroof on a hot day. Temperature adjustments are in 2-degree increments. Seats don't breathe well, but the cloth/faux leather coverings may still be better than non-cloth seats in warm climes.

The Countryman boasts a sense of roominess that you won't find in other Minis. There are thoughtful touches such as an instrument panel that moves with the steering wheel and folding rear headrests. There are some ergonomic issues, including an awkwardly located seatback tilt lever and lumbar knob.

Most things up front are easy to reach, from the toggle switches to infotainment system controller. The awkward lumbar knob, located on the inboard side of the seatback, is an exception. The door-mounted armrests are at a perfect length, but there's no rear center armrest.

The Countryman has a step-in height that's slightly taller than that of high-riding hatchbacks such as the Mercedes GLA-Class and BMW X1, so you don't fall down into the seat when you enter. That said, ingress and egress aren't quite effortless; large seat bolsters can make hard to exit the front.

The front seats allow plenty of fore, aft and height travel, ensuring drivers of any size will be able to find a good position. Eventually, that is, as the headrests are angled too far forward and the clutch pedal travel is long, making it difficult to find a comfortable setup initially.

Tall people will find there's an abundance of headroom up front, even with the panoramic sunroof. Shoulder room is lacking due to the aforementioned seat bolsters. There's decent legroom and headroom in the back, and the front seatback is sculpted for extra kneeroom.

All windows are tall and wide, and there's even a large window in the rear three-quarters portion to eliminate blind spots. A standard rearview camera is nice but unnecessary given the ample window openings. A power bump on the hood makes it tough to figure out where the right side of the car is.

Inspired interior design and high build quality elevate the Countryman above the usual selection of compact crossovers and even give the luxury brands a run for the money. Molded plastic on the upper door panels, a soft-touch surface on the dash, and cloth on the door make it feel premium.

While the cargo area is a bit small for the class, the floor sits well below the top of the back seat, so you can load tall items without encroaching on rear visibility. There are limited storage solutions for those in the back because there's no armrest or flip-out tray behind the center console.

There are large cutouts in all the doors, each split in two sections. Both sections will hold a bottle of water. There's a small tray in front of the shifter and a bin under the armrest for front occupants. There's no fold-down center armrest in the back, which would normally house a tray.

The cargo area is wide and boxy, with a liftover height that's a couple inches lower than a typical crossover. It measures 17.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 47.6 cubes with them folded; both figures are small for the class. A nifty LED light in the back helps you find stuff in the dark.

There are four LATCH anchors, two on each of the outboard seats. There are easily accessed, located under clearly marked flip-up covers. There's one tether on the back of each portion of the 40/20/40-split rear seats. You'll have to pop the cargo door or remove the cargo cover to access them.

The newest version of Mini's user interface is attractive but seems to be a bit more cumbersome to use than in previous iterations. The maps, however, are less cluttered than before. Voice controls work well, with natural voice commands. Many advanced safety features are available.

The Countryman's central display screen gains touchscreen functionality this year. Because there's so much iconography (at least from the main screen), you're better off using the controller. The menus' horizontal buttons further make the case for the controller. Satellite radio frequently drops.

There are two USB ports in the front: one in a bin in front of the shifter and one under the central armrest. There are no USB ports in the back. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay aren't offered, but some apps, such as Spotify and Pandora, are accessible through audio menus.

A rearview camera and rear parking sensors are standard on all models. Our tester was also equipped with the Technology package, adding front sensors and a larger central screen. Park too closely to an object in front and the sensor issues a loud alert even if you're not in gear.

The voice controls are excellent. The system recognizes natural speech rather than forcing the user to travel down a path of predetermined phrases. The navigation function can redirect to a similar house number if it can't find yours in the system. Siri Eyes Free is available for iPhone users.