Macarthur Chronicle writer Peter Barnwell writes on what it is like having the Countryman in the carport. He says, in part,
. . . it has a disconcerting case of bump steer that causes the front wheels to deflect noticeably when cornering on a bumpy road. It makes the wheel jump in your hands.
The all wheel drive model possibly isn’t afflicted.
Our six-speed manual’s change action could be cleaner on the 5-6 throw as it sometimes misses the gate.
We like the interior and particularly the dash which owes nothing in style and design to any other vehicle.
Being a Cooper S means “sporty” and that’s how the test car’s suspension is set - sporty firm. It needs two modes with soft and hard for normal and sports driving.
There’s an annoying rattle in the rear parcel shelf area that we can’t isolate. Rear seat leg room is generous in the four seater Countryman and access to the rear pews is easy.
With mixed driving we have been recording 8.5 litres/100km which gets better on a freeway run.
It’s fully electronically connected and the centre screen offers an easy-to-use icon system for the satnav, audio, aircon and other controls.
At $49,850, the front drive Cooper S Countryman is expensive especially when you think that sort of dosh gets you a BMW X1 18i front drive, a new Ford Territory all wheel drive diesel V6 with some change or a new Jeep Grand Cherokee petrol V6 with a lot of change.
What price cool?
