So just what is a Mini Cooper S Countryman? In literal terms, it is a four-door Mini that is 11.8 inches longer, 3.7 inches wider, and 5.2 inches taller than a Mini Hardtop four-door. Or, in other words, it’s a stretched out Mini Hardtop with a footprint closer to a Volkswagen GTI. Or to put it yet another way, it’s the biggest Mini you can buy, edging the Clubman by about an inch and a half in length and standing comfortably taller than anything else the brand sells. And it’s still small, cute even.
Yet the Countryman drives more grown-up than a standard Hardtop. Those cars, especially the two-door, tend to oscillate down the road a bit, with a bouncy, slightly twitchy quality. All that disappears in the Countryman. The longer wheelbase helps, certainly, (105.1 inches verses 101.1) but the damping and spring choices must as well, because the Countryman provides an excellent balance between ride and handling.
Being the biggest Mini is kind of like being the biggest horse jockey: You're still pretty small. And that means the Countryman remains athletic enough to throw into a corner with some zest and enjoy the outcome. The steering is engaging, to boot. The only real demerit in the driving experience are the brakes, which feel overboosted and grabby. Perhaps a different brake pad material would help. But, generally speaking, I find the Countryman a very pleasant driving experience.
Thing is, I’m still not sure where the Countryman fits. It’s slower and heavier than a Hardtop S, which is logical enough given they use the same powertrain. It's not quite the hot hatch jack-of-all-trades all-rounder, like a GTI. And even if you like the Countryman more, the price simply puts it in a different category.
If you want it even more SUV like, the Countryman All4 exists, which adds all-wheel drive, but base price also goes up $2,500 to $35,250. And a $35K budget gives you a lot of AWD options. Ultimately, this is a tweener car, an interesting mix of all the vehicle types mentioned above, but not class leading in any one category. To me, it feels like a hot hatch that reached middle age; still young at heart, but these days it prefers to watch HGTV and get to bed by 9:30 p.m.
Mini
On Sale: Now
Base Price: $32,750 As-Tested Price: $42,250
Options: Iconic Trim, $8,000; Driver Assistance Package, $850; Convenience Package, $650
Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.0-liter I4, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, FWD
Output: 189 hp at 5,000 rpm, 207 lb-ft at 1,350 rpm
Wheelbase: 105.1 inches
Length/Width/Height: 169.8/71.7/61.3 inches
Curb Weight: 3,000 lb (est)
Fuel Economy: 24/33/28 mpg (city/highway/combined)
Pros: Drives well and I love hatchbacks
Cons: The equipment doesn’t match the price
"mini" - Google News
January 10, 2020 at 07:00PM
https://ift.tt/2R30MwT
The 2020 Mini Cooper S Countryman Is a Middle-Aged Hatchback - Autoweek
"mini" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2LycOfz
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment