Post by PG on Aug 19, 2021 15:29:55 GMT
The JCW went in for its first MOT last week and to have a couple of small jobs done. My loan car for the day was a practically new Countryman (decorated as a mobile advert for Motability which was a bit off putting but there we are). A reg check showed it to be a Cooper Sport, so that’s the 1.5 3 cylinder, 136hp, manual FWD version in a sporty trim.
My impression of getting in is that the “it’s just a big MINI” cliché does feel correct as it all looks very familiar, with a similar feel and look, all just a noticeably bigger, more spacious and taller. When I got back into the JCW later, I felt I was almost sitting on the road surface for the first 100 yards.
The Sport trim does add some nice touches – cloth sports seats, black headlining, bigger wheels, black roof and mirror caps, so overall it sells itself well. But I’m not sure that red is a good colour for the shape and size. It somehow makes the car look a bit bloated. From seeing them on the road, Countrymans look best to me in the metallic colours offered (and still with the black roof).
Size wise, it is basically a BMW X1 in a different frock. The wheelbases are identical (at 2670mm), but it is 147mm shorter than the X1 (4299 v 4447 mm).
The rear legroom is OK and the boot is good at 450L with the seats up. And there is also a large underfloor tray (where a space saver spare wheel might one day have gone of course) that gives some useful hidden storage.
I only did about 30miles in the day, so this is no in-depth review. But I can see why people buy them (with one caveat later on). I’d driven a Cooper 3 door before and didn’t find it to slouchy, but I did expect the engine to struggle in the bigger Countryman. However, I was pleasantly surprised. But that was one up with no luggage and using the gearbox. Filled with a family and luggage, I still wonder if these small turbo engines are really the answer. Well, longer term the answer is an electric motor of course.
What didn’t I like?
The wheels were 19’s (an optional upgrade from a look at the configurator) and road noise was quite noticeable. The usual looks v living with the car decision then. Personally, I'd stick with the standard 18's.
It had the new digital dashboard. Frankly, it looks a bit “stuck on” (but then so many of the screens do now that I’m going to have to get used to that) and would look better with some sort of cowl to avoid reflections. But the weirdest aspect was that it was almost as if they could not really think what to do with the space available. Central digital speedo. Left had arc, tacho (much better to look at that the one in our JCW that is tacked on the round speedo as an afterthought), but then what to do with the right hand side? I know, let’s make it an enormous fuel gauge. It looks really daft. I’m doing 60 mph at half a tank. Like the huge clocks that you used to get in the dash on Mercs and Fords when you didn’t get a tacho or a full instrument pack.
And my worst gripe was the clutch and gearbox. There is a foot rest for your left foot. But then you have to lift your foot about 3 inches towards you off the rest to put it on the clutch as it sits so much higher then the rest. The clutch travel is then gargantuan before the bite point. Thus, I had to have the seat stupidly close to the steering wheel and I’m 5 foot 11. How on earth would that work for a short person? The gearbox action was not very slick either – a bit wobbly and imprecise. Very unlike 3 door Minis I’ve driven. It may have just been that car, but if I was to buy a Countryman I think I would avoid the manual and get the 7 speed DSG instead. It would make for a much better driving experience.
My impression of getting in is that the “it’s just a big MINI” cliché does feel correct as it all looks very familiar, with a similar feel and look, all just a noticeably bigger, more spacious and taller. When I got back into the JCW later, I felt I was almost sitting on the road surface for the first 100 yards.
The Sport trim does add some nice touches – cloth sports seats, black headlining, bigger wheels, black roof and mirror caps, so overall it sells itself well. But I’m not sure that red is a good colour for the shape and size. It somehow makes the car look a bit bloated. From seeing them on the road, Countrymans look best to me in the metallic colours offered (and still with the black roof).
Size wise, it is basically a BMW X1 in a different frock. The wheelbases are identical (at 2670mm), but it is 147mm shorter than the X1 (4299 v 4447 mm).
The rear legroom is OK and the boot is good at 450L with the seats up. And there is also a large underfloor tray (where a space saver spare wheel might one day have gone of course) that gives some useful hidden storage.
I only did about 30miles in the day, so this is no in-depth review. But I can see why people buy them (with one caveat later on). I’d driven a Cooper 3 door before and didn’t find it to slouchy, but I did expect the engine to struggle in the bigger Countryman. However, I was pleasantly surprised. But that was one up with no luggage and using the gearbox. Filled with a family and luggage, I still wonder if these small turbo engines are really the answer. Well, longer term the answer is an electric motor of course.
What didn’t I like?
The wheels were 19’s (an optional upgrade from a look at the configurator) and road noise was quite noticeable. The usual looks v living with the car decision then. Personally, I'd stick with the standard 18's.
It had the new digital dashboard. Frankly, it looks a bit “stuck on” (but then so many of the screens do now that I’m going to have to get used to that) and would look better with some sort of cowl to avoid reflections. But the weirdest aspect was that it was almost as if they could not really think what to do with the space available. Central digital speedo. Left had arc, tacho (much better to look at that the one in our JCW that is tacked on the round speedo as an afterthought), but then what to do with the right hand side? I know, let’s make it an enormous fuel gauge. It looks really daft. I’m doing 60 mph at half a tank. Like the huge clocks that you used to get in the dash on Mercs and Fords when you didn’t get a tacho or a full instrument pack.
And my worst gripe was the clutch and gearbox. There is a foot rest for your left foot. But then you have to lift your foot about 3 inches towards you off the rest to put it on the clutch as it sits so much higher then the rest. The clutch travel is then gargantuan before the bite point. Thus, I had to have the seat stupidly close to the steering wheel and I’m 5 foot 11. How on earth would that work for a short person? The gearbox action was not very slick either – a bit wobbly and imprecise. Very unlike 3 door Minis I’ve driven. It may have just been that car, but if I was to buy a Countryman I think I would avoid the manual and get the 7 speed DSG instead. It would make for a much better driving experience.
