SPEED spent a day with the MCS Countryman ALL4 on a 13-mile dirt road in Sedona, Arizona known for its rough and rocky patches, steep drop-offs and narrow passes. How did it do? The review says, in part:
The Mini SUV performed its duties well on Schnebly Hill Road, with good traction and decent clearance. The ride was pretty buffeting, though; Countryman has a fairly stiff suspension mainly for street performance, which translates into a bumpy ride off the pavement.
Overall the Countryman received a positive review and SPEED advises:
Along the way, we were greeted with continuous smiles and thumbs up from the occupants of Jeeps and pickup trucks that passed by. Countryman is still new enough to be a novelty, although I’ve spotted a few on the road. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
Speaking of Jeeps, there’s no way you’d want to tackle the kind of rugged, boulder-strewn backwoods trails that appeal to dedicated off-road drivers while in your little Countryman. With a decent set of tires, it could do plenty more than what we subjected it to, but get too intense and you’ll do it some damage.
