The Mini Countryman has a bit of an identity crisis and isn't sure whether it wants to be an SUV or a sporty hatchback.
Even though it's the largest Mini ever, the first with four doors, and has a raised ground clearance for mild offroad work, this crossover car still retains the trademark Mini driving responses: sharp handling, quick steering and perky engine.
But compared to regular SUVs it has a rather hard ride and a small boot, which leads to the Countryman having opinion in our office quite divided. At four metres long some feel it's just too big to be a Mini while at the same time being too compromised as an SUV.
It also isn't the handsomest Mini to emerge from the stable since BMW took custodianship of the celebrated brand. In beefing-up the design into a more macho “offroad” look the Countryman's lost a lot of the Cooper's simplicity and cuteness, though it retains enough of the brand's signature styling traits to never be mistaken for anything but a member of the Mini family.
To try and settle where the vehicle really fits in, we undertook a real “family” test of our long-term Countryman S Steptronic (selling for R365 803) by taking it away on a weekend holiday trip, stuffing five passengers into the cabin and all their gear into the boot. And we strapped a caravan to the back just for good measure.
A caravan-towing Mini might have Sir Alex Issigonis (designer of the original “mini” Mini) twitching in his grave, given how far removed such a thing is from his original compact-car philosophy. And indeed, we received quite a few puzzled expressions from fellow motorists and caravan-towers as they witnessed our circus act come past.
But “come past” is the key phrase here, as not only did this Mini manage to schlep the whole lot, but it did so quite comfortably most of the time. The star of the show was the 1.6-litre turbo engine, a little powerhouse that punches well above its weight with outputs of 135kW and 260Nm. On the open road the car had enough grunt to easily cruise at the speed limit and sufficient overtaking acceleration to punch past slower traffic.
Our front-wheel drive Countryman (all-wheel drive is optionally available) also had enough mass and traction to make for a stable towing experience, ie. the caravan didn't sway the car from side to side like a tail wagging its dog.
The area where the Countryman struggled in towing was on bumpy roads, where the firm suspension and low-profile tyres weren't happy with the added weight of the caravan and fully-loaded car; speed humps and rippled dirt roads needed to be tackled very slowly to prevent overtaxing the loaded suspension. But this was a harsh test of something the car wasn't really designed for, and we just wanted to prove it could be done. Stay away from potholes and dirt roads and towing a small caravan should be fine. Incidentally, the fuel consumption when towing increased from 10 litres per 100km to 15 litres.
Without the caravan, the Countryman delivered a nimble ride far removed from what you expect of an SUV. As mentioned above, it retains much of the regular Mini Cooper's characteristic agility, quick steering and sharp feel, just with a dash of extra body roll. The ride's fairly firm on the optional 225/45 R18 runflat rubber fitted to our test car, but if you prefer a comfier experience - especially if you plan some dirt driving - stay with the 205/55 R17s that come standard.
Five passengers is a bit of a squeeze, but four fit very comfortably into the Countryman's enlarged cabin, with plenty of leg- and headroom for all, while this is the only Mini with the user-friendliness of rear passenger doors.
The modular interior features rear seats with adjustable backrests and also the ability to slide fore and aft, allowing for different-sized passengers. The rear seats can also be folded to expand luggage capacity from 350 litres to a maximum 1170 litres.
One of the car's unique features is a sliding rail between the front seats to which can be attached any number of storage accessories and music-playing gadgets.
VERDICT
So, is the Countryman too small for an SUV but too large for a Mini?
Possibly, but the less cynical view is that this crossover has the Mini's key traits - sharp handling and driver appeal - bundled into a roomier and more family-friendly package.
THE CARAVAN:
When we undertook a towing test with a crossover Mini we thought it appropriate to use a crossover caravan, and Sprite's new Tourer SP fitted the bill perfectly.
Launched here in August by Jurgens CI, the three-sleeper Tourer SP selling for R143 400 and its four-sleeper cousin, the Tourer SC selling for R139 300, fill a segment between traditional and offroad caravans.
Offroad versions are ideal for getting off the beaten track and into 4x4 territory: however, many holidaymakers don't require a caravan as hardcore or as expensive as that (offroad caravans sell for over R210 000), and are merely looking for something that can tackle the occasional gravel road to out-of-the-way places.
That's where Sprite's new Tourers come in. They lack the heavy-duty suspension and heavy construction of true offroad caravans, but have a stronger axle and better dust insulation than regular on-road caravans, and also come with body-protecting front skid bars.
The airy interior's tastefully finished and there's loads of cupboard and packing space. The three-berth Tourer SP features a fixed double bed plus a single bed that folds out into a two-seater dinette.
It's designed for indoor sleeping and outdoor living, with a slide-out kitchen that comprises a two-burner gas stove and a sink, along with a slide-out 60-litre fridge/freezer that can be opened from either inside or outside the caravan. There's also a built-in awning that takes just two minutes to set up; and a lockable front stowage compartment for the gas bottle, water bottle and spare wheel.
An exterior patio light provides very effective lighting (we can attest to this), and the interior and exterior 220V plug points come in very handy for charging cell phones and powering ladies' hairdryers. -Star Motoring