Mini Countryman One 5dr Car Review - January 2012

Dashboard design differs from other Minis, and effort has been made to make it easy to use. Style comes first though – sometimes at the expense of function. A higher driving position than other Minis gives better visibility, and enough adjustments are incorporated so you can get comfortable.

The basic engine is a 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder 16V petrol unit, producing 98 bhp at 6,000rpm, capable of taking you from 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 130mph. Maximum torque of 113lbs/ft is kicked out at 3,000rpm and its low down pulling power makes you feel like you’re flying along. The 112mph, 90bhp, 1.6 litre diesel will take you a bit longer, managing 0-62mph in 11.6 seconds. The Cooper versions offer an even more exhilarating ride.

Inside the cabin, the retro styled front seats are reasonably comfortable for shorter distances, but longer journeys can become uncomfortable offering little support and feeling hard. In the back, passengers have ample space, but taking into account the firmness of the ride and intrusive road noise, buyers interested in covering miles in a more relaxed manner could do better, such as the VW Golf.

With its eye-catching styling and a retro-feel interior, it really does offer a unique experience for the driver.

The Countryman comes loaded with plenty of good stuff as standard. Whichever version you end up with, you’ll get 16 inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, electric windows front and back, rear parking sensors, roof rails, Bluetooth and DAB radio with USB input. There’s an impressive range of different trim options to suit most people wanting to personalise their car more. There’s also an optional MINI infotainment system available, offering loads of functions for iPhone users.

Reliability should be up to MINI standards and safety is good. The MINI One Countryman borrows its well tried engineering from others in the MINI range, so it’s unlikely that buyers find anything going wrong.

The MINI One Countryman achieved a full five-star safety rating in the Euro NCAP testing. Equipped with six airbags, traction and stability control, EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), CBC (Cornering Brake Control)and Isofix child seat mountings, as well as a nifty system to warn you about tyre pressure, puts the MINI One Countryman among the safest in its class.

By far the most practical MINI yet, head and leg room provided by the sliding back is good. You can get 1,170 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded down; more than the Nissan Qashqai in the same class, which only provides 860 litres of total load space.

Listed at £16,445 you get good value with the entry level versions, kitted out as standard with air-conditioning and CD audio system, but if you want extras the cost suddenly spirals. As demand is high it’s unlikely you’ll find many discounts on offer.

Efficient engines mean low running costs with an average 47.1 mpg which is nothing shoddy. The diesel version and Cooper Diesel equipped versions return an even more impressive 64.2mpg, using special stop/start technology that literally disconnects the engine while the car is stopped or in neutral.

With C02 emissions of 139 g/km the MINI One Countryman petrol version falls in the UK Road Tax band E, at £115.00, while the equivalent diesel version gets free Road Tax for the first year followed £30.00 per year.