Automobile Magazine, after driving the 2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman, is slightly disappointed. It says:
While the driving position is perfect for the mission, the initial steering response off the straight and narrow is encouraging, and the S edition's turbo engine is steeped in spirit, there are lapses in the Countryman's driving dynamics.
It concludes:
Ultimately, the satisfaction to be reaped from the Mini Countryman depends on your frame of reference. Moving down from a larger crossover or over from a Subaru Forester or Toyota RAV4, it's sure to feel fresh and lively, particularly in turbocharged CooperS trim. But graduating to the Countryman after a stint in any Mini Cooper hardtop or convertible, the joy of four doors and increased cabin space will soon be diminished by life's harshest reality: growing up is hard to do.
