WHAT'S COMING UP?

Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Edmonton Journal Road Tests The 2011 Countryman S All4


The Edmonton Journal gives the 2011 MINI Cooper Countryman S All4 after a road test:
When it comes to handling, the Cooper S Countryman ALL4 is all Mini. Yes, it rides on a longer wheelbase, it is wider and it stands taller, but that does not detract from its road manners in the least, especially when equipped with the sport suspension and larger P225/45R18 tires. The feel and feedback afforded by the electrically assisted steering is precise and the suspension is compliantly comfortable even as it dials out unwanted body roll. The resulting response to driver input is both sharp and predictable. It is a real smile-fest to drive normally and an absolute hoot when the tone of the drive is cranked up a notch or three.

So, there you have it, a Mini that will hold four adults in complete comfort without ceding anything in terms of its fun-to-drive quotient. So, you ask, what’s the hitch? Ultimately, it could be price. While the Cooper Countryman starts at an entirely reasonable $34,400, it can get expensive if you enjoy some of life’s little extras — notably the list of up-level creature comforts needed to go along with the Cooper S’s pep and ALL4 advantage.