Mini Countryman C Exclusive - long-term review

First things first, something needs to be clarified. Ready? Deep breath. Here goes... Mini is now just a brand name. That’s it. No correlation to the size of the vehicles. Crazy as it seems, the simple fact is very few drivers today think of Mini in the same neural pathway as Issigonis – that piece of history has been lost in the mists of time... sad, but true.

Which is why I am taking this opportunity to request not another single person greets the Countryman with the words “Ah! That’s not very mini, is it?” or “Mini? Ha! More like Maxi” or similar. We have to get over this hurdle now, or I (and many others) may go mad.

Yes, it is an unassailable fact that the Countryman is the biggest Mini ever, even Mini itself describes it as such on its website. But these cars have been expanding and contracting in size since BMW launched its version of the British classic back in 2001, so a larger Mini really shouldn’t cause such consternation. 

What did cause me a small amount of consternation was the worry that the Countryman would be as hard-riding as the several Minis I have run previously – everything from Clubman to Coupe and others in between. But on this matter, I have good news: it’s not soft and wallowy, but it’s not hard as a plank either. In fact, it's fair to say it’s probably the exact right halfway between the two.

Likely this is in no small part due to the fact the Countryman is in C Exclusive specification, rather than the JCW spec I was given before. As it’s an ideal small family car, going for a gentler spec is very much a sensible choice. With the level 3 pack included, this car tips the scales at £39,700 – quite the bump over the OTR price of £29,100, but there’s a huge bump in what you get for your cash as well. That deserves a piece all to its own, so we’ll deal with the spec next time. 

First impressions though are favourable. It’s solid to drive and very easy to place on the road, a few long journeys have proved it’s not bad in the comfort stakes and fuel economy is also pretty impressive. My favourite thing so far? Strange as it may sound, it’s the goose-honk speed warning – utterly adorable and makes me smile every time it honks me. Not that it happens much, ahem, obviously.