2011 MINI Cooper Countryman

Sporty and Spacious

By AllMyCarsIsForeign (OR) on Sunday, May 19, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 5,000

Pros: "a blast to drive, great handling, plenty of room,"

Cons: "ergonomically challenged center console and "rail""

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I've owned this car for almost a year and it still puts a smile on my face every day. You get all the driving fun and around-town convenience of a small hatchback: easy to park, great mileage, and fun in the curves. What is amazing is how spacious it is. Four full-grown adults can actually sit comfortably in this car and not feel crammed in. The trunk is more than enough for your average grocery run or shopping trip. What I still love is the turbo-4 engine and how this thing begs to be taken through some winding roads. If you want the mini experience, but want a bit more room, this is a great choice. I also think it's a great comparison to a GTI if you want a more distinctive exterior design."

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Not an enjoyable car to drive

By Casty (TX) on Friday, May 17, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 10,000

Pros: "Unique design but sacrifices functionality"

Cons: "Uncontrollable steering, uncomfortable interior"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Handles too rough. For the cost of this car - and as it is by BMW - you would expect a much smoother ride, Which it definitely is not. The steering is too hard to control. The interior design is all wrong - no cup or storage space. Mirror sizes are insufficient. A/C vents are improperly placed - they are directly behind the wheel so that your hands freeze before the inside of the car gets remotely cooled down. The sun visors are all too short to perform their function and are too small to attach extenders to. The center armrest is useless - it's too low and hides what little space you have. The center over-sized speedometer is also useless - the speed is also depicted above the steering wheel. The run flat wheels are too sensitive thus rendering them useless. Thoroughly regret the purchase of this vehicle."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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2013 JCW Countryman

By CRU1 (NV) on Sunday, April 14, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,200

Pros: "QUALITY, Performance, Style and it is so much FUN!"

Cons: "No Back Up Camera, No Power Seats, No A/C Seats"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Two weeks ago I was able to purchase my ultimate dream MINI. A Absolute Black with the Chili Red accents here in Las Vegas. It was love at 1st site and I just new I had to have it. I had a 2012 Chili Red S Countryman and had no issues with it and it was a dream to drive and was very reliable. The JCW is all that and everything more, with the sport suspension and many standard upgrades it really rocks. It is much quicker even in the automatic which is what I have and the All4 gives the added confidence when cornering,etc. The JCW doesn't feel as top heavy as the 2012 I traded. I believe it is due to the lower ride height and the the suspension and upgraded 19's. My gas mileage at this point has been between 25-29 depending on city/highway and I expect it will get better with more time. My 2012 was closer to 30 city and 35 highway but was no way as fun as the jCW. The interior of my JCW is the carbon black with the Chili Red interior accents and the NAV/tech package and it is very easy to use. 2013 window switches and door rest are a very nice improvement and really makes the interior more comfortable. Love MINI and the JCW is awesome, it can be spendy but will provide style and performance like no other."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Buyer's remorse

By Hot Flash (NH) on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 3,800

Pros: "Nimble, fun to drive short distances,"

Cons: "Poor ergonomics for seats and controls"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2

"The owner's manual praises the ergonomic driving position. Maybe if you're a 6'2" man. The standard seats are hard, the sport seats not much better. The headrest has an awkward tilt and can only be raised or lowered. So if it is in the correct position to protect your head in the event of a rear-end collision, the headrest pushes your neck forward out of alignment. MINI needs to read up on the definition of "ergonomic." The seats don't have an adjustable lumbar support which is hard to believe in a car that costs as much as this did. I drove Swedish cars for 25 years, even the base models had great seats. The run-flat tires react to the slightest irregularity in the road surface so you constantly have to correct the steering.The tires have a life expectancy of 10,000 miles per Pirelli's website. When I test drove the car the sales staff told me they were good for 20 - 30,000 miles. I drive 20,000 a year so I'm not looking forward to replacing all 4 tires twice a year. The gas mileage is far below expectations based on MINI's estimates. My last car which was larger, heavier, more comfortable, and had a full-turbo with twice the horsepower got better MPG combined and on the highway. Yes, it's cute. It's nimble. It probably gets better MPG than what most people are used to. I don't consider it to be a car for "motoring" longer than a couple of hours. If you want this MINI I would recommend building your own on the MINI USA website. Upgrade to the cloth/leatherette seats with the adjustable lumbar support, the headrests are also better designed, order a center armrest even though the charge for it is ridiculous, get the automatic dual-zone climate control to avoid having to constantly adjust the heat and fan settings. If I had been able to test drive the car for longer than 15 minutes I wouldn't have bought it. And last but not least find a dealer who doesn't act as though you should be honored that they took your money."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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Fun car, marginal mileage

By Jerseyguy (NJ) on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

Pros: "Fun to drive. Comfortable and practical."

Cons: "Marginal gas mileage, compromised performance"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"The ability to carry four people and still have the dynamics (for the most part) of a MINI is terrific. The ride quality is dramatically better than the R56 Cooper because of the longer wheelbase and additional heft. However, the additional heft, due to the AWD, diminishes the fun quotient somewhat. Performance suffers because the 1.6 turbo is pulling an additional 600 pounds around. A larger motor is definitely called for this vehicle. A 1.8 or the 2.0 turbo four from BMW would do wonders. Also, the fuel mileage is marginal for a car of this type. Around town I'm getting under 22 mpg. Highway, about 27. Obviously, the EPA numbers are a bit fanciful. Maybe with more break-in those numbers will improve. But I've heard from other owners not to expect much more. Otherwise, I fully enjoy this car. And the AWD has been great in the bad weather."

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