The family Mini

Does bigger mean better for the new Mini Countryman? found out

The 2017 Mini Countryman is dramatically larger than its predecessor, packing in an extra 20cm of length – 7.5cm of it between the wheels – and 3cm of width. It moves the car into the C-segment, the most competitive sector in the UK.

There are very few badges with as long a history and as broad an appeal as Mini and if there’s one brand that attracts people from all walks of life, this is it. The Countryman is the largest Mini ever and it translates pretty well to the big crossover. The chunky steering wheel offers a precise and wellcontrolled action.

The Countryman is now no less practical than any other C-segment vehicle, whether hatchback or crossover, making it an ideal family car. Wherever you look, there’s more space, with significantly more legroom in the rear and more than 100 litres of additional space in the boot too, which can be improved by sliding the rear seats forwards.

The Countryman proves a good steer on country roads, whatever the drive mode selected. It doesn’t feel like a particularly big vehicle when you get it on enjoyable roads. The steering is well weighted and reasonably communicative, and without the fidgeting of the smaller models, it’s not as tiring to drive either. It’s also pretty solid on the motorway, although there is a fair amount of road noise at higher speeds. With park distance control as standard on all models, it’s easy to manoeuvre.

The starting price for the Countryman is a reasonable £22,465. However, the automatic gearbox and the All4 four-wheel-drive systems will both set you back around £1,600 and soon start to make the Countryman look a little pricey – to say nothing of the other optional extras. All cars come with Mini Connected infotainment, sat nav as well as Mini visual boost radio with a 6.5-inch colour display and Bluetooth connectivity.

It’s enough fun to drive to deserve being part of the Mini range, but adds some more genuine family-friendly abilities than its predecessor thanks to the new, larger platform.