The 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman has grown and buffed up. The newest Mini is just over 8 inches longer and a little bit over an inch wider than the previous model. It’s about the same size as a VW Golf and it loosely shares a platform with the BMW X1.
Like the BMW X1, the 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman is turbocharged with either a 3 or a 4 cylinder twin scroll turbo engine.
Recently I had the chance to drive both the All4 (that’s Mini speak for all-wheel-drive) 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman and Mini Cooper S Countryman in the snow just outside of Portland, Oregon. Mini is one of the few automotive manufacturers that still offers a manual transmission in all of their cars so I naturally chose the 6-speed manual over the 8-speed automatic.
Mini puts the 8 inches of extra length to good use making the new 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman much more comfortable for taller drivers like myself. There’s even plenty of shoulder room and sufficient leg room for rear seat passengers. Of course many may argue that a much bigger Mini is no longer a Mini at all, but more of a mainstream compact crossover. Mini says the car is still much smaller than the British competition like the Range Rover Evoque.
I had the chance to drive the Cooper and Cooper back to back. In the video review below and you can get to know both cars up close and personal. Which would I buy if it were my money? You’ll have to watch this classic TFLcar Mashup review below to find out.
