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MINI Cooper SD Countryman

Range-topping diesel version of chunky Brit promises pace and efficiency. We see if it delivers

MINI Cooper SD Countryman front tracking

Text: Paul Bond / Photos: Otis Clay

August 2011

Despite some mixed reviews, MINI’s not-so-mini Countryman has been a huge sales smash. It’s currently the second most popular bodystyle, and this new range-topping Cooper SD diesel version should only cement that success.

Using the same 2.0-litre turbodiesel as the rest of the range, the SD gets 143bhp. That’s 31bhp more than the Cooper D – but it’s the hike in torque which is most noticeable on the road. With 305Nm on tap, the new model has more grunt than the top-of-the-range John Cooper Works hatchback, which comes in handy when you’re carting the extra weight of a four-wheel-drive system around beneath the inflated bodywork.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the MINI Countryman

 

Although the powerplant isn’t the last word in mechanical refinement, it’s well suited to the Countryman’s more rugged nature, and the extra grunt means you don’t have to work hard to make brisk progress.

Another benefit is added responsiveness at lower speeds compared to the Cooper D, which allows you to dart quickly through town traffic with ease.

Despite the increased performance, the Cooper SD is just as economical as the less powerful diesel, with the firm’s Minimalism technology keeping combined economy at a wallet-friendly 57.6mpg and pegging CO2 emissions at 130g/km.

As you’d expect from the diesel flagship, this Countryman comes with all the visual trimmings. That includes chrome twin exhausts, 17-inch alloys and an aggressive bodykit, all as standard. The optional £60 black side stripes might not be to everyone’s taste, but they do add a sense of purpose to the crossover’s enlarged proportions.

Don’t be fooled, though – this is still far from being a sports car. While the extra torque on offer improves its overtaking abilities on the motorway, there’s still an uneasy compromise to the dynamic set-up.

To give it some of the hatch’s handling prowess, engineers have fitted a responsive steering rack that squirms around as the big wheels hunt out cambers in the road surface. The ride is also firm, which can cause the whole car to jolt around uncomfortably on particularly bumpy roads.

MINI’s ALL4 four-wheel-drive system means the SD grips well in corners, but it’s a shame that the engineers didn’t see fit to make the Countryman more relaxing and comfortable to drive. As the firm’s most family-oriented model, a more forgiving set-up would have been preferable.

There’s room in the MINI’s well appointed cabin to easily fit four six-foot occupants, and while the 350-litre boot is behind the class best, this is still the most practical model in the range.

The familiar retro layout is as attractive as ever, and the stylish individual rear seats provide lots of room, despite limiting you to four occupants.

Unfortunately, some of the plastics lag behind the quality found in equivalent Audis, while the central feature rail that runs the length of the interior is particularly flimsy. However, you can opt for a shorter version to make room for a third rear seat.

Forget its shortcomings for a minute, and the Countryman has an ace up its sleeve: desirability. As with the Range Rover Evoque in the class above, this is a lifestyle car offering instant brand appeal. And that should ensure its continued sales success, especially in the US.

Yet in Cooper SD trim, with the £6,990 worth of options fitted to our model, the price tag is over £30,000 – which is a bitter pill to swallow. For the authentic MINI xperience, we’d stick to the hatch.

For an alternative review of the latest MINI Countryman visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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4 Comments

Why buy this ugly bug

This monstrosity is not as efficient or good looking as the Hyundai i40, which is bigger and more economical .
Oh yes and has a better warranty. Not to mention lower price.
As Basil Fawlty would say "What is the bloody point?"

By Carmad3 on 16 August, 2011, 6:53am

POWER vs TORQUE

When will the journalist(s) take the time to study the concept of torque and power - it doesn't matter if the diesel has more torque than the pertol, because it revs to 4.5/5k rpm vs petrols 6.5/7k rpm, and has a comparatively longer gearing, so if the gearboxes are constructed with the same priorities (eg. fuel economy OR performance), the two should have roughly the same wheel torque!

Power is a function of torque and rpm.
power(kW) = torque(Nm)*rpm / 9549

You can have a 1.000Nm motor that revs to 1.000rpm and it will have the same "performance" as the 100Nm motor thet revs to 10.000rpm, IF the toque curves are equal.

It's not the value, but the torque curve that's important - a typical modern diesel has a curve peak im low-to-mid rpm range, giving a strong midrange acceleration and a feeling of decline in performance towards the redline. N/a petrol had a mid-to-high rpm peak, feeling underpowered (compared to a turbo-diesel) at low rpm BUT giving ever stronger acceleration, all the way or just before the redline.

By mko_20vt on 16 August, 2011, 12:31pm

Great Car

I've got the petrol Cooper S All4 it's a terrific car that atracts as much attention as a supercar.
with regards to the centre rail been flimsy this suprises me as it is made of aluminium and is rock solid.
Also you state that the plastics are not up to Audi standards that may be true of Audi's 10 years ago but not now .

By chapman25 on 17 August, 2011, 5:21pm

Why on earth would you want to jamb 3 people in the back of this tiny car???? I'm sick to death of the downright stupid blurb and garbage people spew about seating needs in a car, and the insane way car makers think they can con dumb buys into paying for seats that will never [or cannot] be used. BMW are absolute masters at that sham. I'm yet to see any 3 series you could comfortably put even just 2 reasonably sized adults in the rear of, unless of course they were below the knee amputees. More galling though is the SAD-SACK face they have given this car. If a grille was ever a mouth, this is one unhappy car!!! All we are seeing now is BMW screwing every last ounce out of a once famous little car, and slowly but surely diluting and depreciating the brand and any heritage that went with it. BMW for heavens sake put the Mini to rest, and concentrate on making dumb and dumber BMW's, as you are expert at.

By barina47 on 4 May, 2012, 1:13am

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Pictures

MINI Cooper SD Countryman front tracking
MINI Cooper SD Countryman dash
MINI Cooper SD Countryman rear cornering
MINI Cooper SD Countryman handbrake

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FIRST OPINION

    The MINI Cooper SD combines the pace of the quicker petrol versions with low running costs, but it doesn’t come cheap. The styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, either, but it certainly stands out. Extra space and practicality will be a bonus for those looking to move up a class from the hatch, yet it’s a mixed bag in driving terms. For most, the stiff ride will mean it’s difficult to justify as family transport.

 

AT A GLANCE

    Price: £23,190
    Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl diesel
    Power/torque: 141bhp/305Nm
    Transmission: Six-speed manual, four-wheel drive 
    0-62/top speed: 9.4 secs/121mph
    Economy/CO2: 57.6mpg/130g/km
    Equipment: 17-inch alloys, air-con, sport button, ESP, stop-start, multifunction steering wheel, MP3
    On sale: Now 
     
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