Road Test: MINI Cooper SD All4 Countryman Chilli

Review by Tristan Tancredi - 2/November/2011

Pulling up at the lights in between a BMW MINI Cooper S on one side and a Volkgwagen Golf on the other we noticed the massive changes BMW has made to the MINI.

Since the production of the classic Mini ceased at the beginning of the new millenium, the new MINI by BMW has gradually grown in size leaving the name MINI as only a brand and no longer a description of the car itself.

Much taller then its predecessors and taller than most hatches and sedans on the market. MINI is now MINI in name only.

This compact diesel-fuelled SUV delivers a strong, rich driving experience. With a headturning design and a sexy front grill the MINI Countryman packs alot in its compact form.

So lets take a look at how the new MINI COOPER SD ALL4 Countryman Chilli stacks up.

Drive: 4/5

A strong chassis allows the MINI Cooper Countryman to control the road with ease. Taking corners at speed, the Countryman grips the road and is a stable, solid ride.

Its 6-Speed Automatic transmission rolls through the gears seamlessly. The early gears take a bit to get rolling but once moving, the ratios are well spread out and the gear changes are barely noticable.

The manual transmission with steering wheel paddles is a great alternative and can be switched on at any time to give that extra bit of acceleration. A Sports Option can also give the car a bit more oomph and distance between gear changes.

If you're new to manual cars dont worry, the gears will still correct themselves if you try to gear up or down at the wrong time.

Hitting 0-100kph in 9.5 seconds, the straight line speed doesn't blow you away. The people at MINI would take more pride in the way it masters corners rather than its straight line speed.

Engine: 3.5/5

This Compact SUV is hiding a 4 Cylinder/16 Valve Turbocharged Common Rail Diesel Engine under its hood.

The Engine does create alot of buzzing and rattling as you potter along in the lower gears. It's not until you are cruising along at faster speeds that the engine noise subsides (although there is still a little bit of rattling now and then).

The Countryman can drink a bit of fuel depending on driving habits. We drove this baby from Melbourne to Portsea (Approx 4 Hours up and back) and were quite impressed with the fuel efficiency. 

Exterior: 4/5

Not quite a MINI per se, the MINI Countryman still holds the basic schematics and design of the traditional MINI Coopers despite the growth in size.

Rocking 18" Turbo Fan Light Alloy Wheels, the Countryman is a step ahead of rivals in terms of head-turning style. The two tiered sports paint job and the Rear Spoiler gave this All Weel Drive Countryman a sleek, sporty look that has regenerated the MINI brand.

Xenon headlights and Front & Rear Foglights hold up well and are standard in most cars these days.

Also included are Roof Rails and Remote Control Central Locking. 

This MINI turned a countless amount of heads when we took it for a spin.

Safety: 4/5

The ALL4 Countryman is fitted with a heap of safety features.

Six airbags occupy the Countryman with Driver and Front Passenger, side and curtain airbags.

As with all MINIs, ABS with Cornering Brake Control and Electronic Brake Force Distribution is standard in the Countryman giving that added level of protection.

Coming with Crash Sensor Technology, Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control the car has all the neccessary safety features. The Park Distance Control works well and gives off appropriately timed warning beeps.

A stock standard tool kit can be found in the luggage compartment.

Interior: 3/5

The interior can only be described in one way. Different.

The massive speedometer in the centre of the front console is not only too large, it's a distraction to the driver. Too often we found ourselves taking our eyes off the road to check the speed. There is a digital speed shown on the tacho but at times we found this wouldn't appear. (When fuel was low for example the empty petrol signal would take its place).

The airvents are bulky and take up too much of the dash. But hey, the kids would love the "cartoonish" feel to the interior of this car.

The indicators became annoying with seperate indications for lane changing and turning.

The upholsery, front sport seats and ambient lighting package added a sporty feel to the car and was very comfortable.

Rain sensor technology is a treat and comes standard with the All4 Countryman. The wipers will automatically change speed according to the density of rainfall. The only problem arising from the technology was that the sensor wouldn't detect water on the screen that wasn't falling from the sky.

The MINI Countryman has good interior space for a Compact car. There is plenty of leg room in the back seats yet bootspace is limited. The back seats do fold down to create a reasonable amount of space.

Turn the vintage 60's music up and give the MINI driving experience a nostalgic feel. The standard speakers are the bomb in this bad boy. Great bass, great noise and no crackling. No need to upgrade the speakers here.

Aux-in control and Bluetooth handsfree are available, however, there is no holder or place to rest the ipod or phone.

Overall: 3.5/5

The MINI Cooper SD ALL4 Countryman Chilli is a head turning new age MINI. Built as a Compact SUV the real advantage is it's handling and control while cornering. 

Despite being quite expensive for it's market it's still built with plenty of gusto. There is heaps of fun to be had with this one. 

* Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised MINI dealer.