PHOTO: sgCarMartThis is the new generation Mini Countryman, and let's get the obvious out of the way: It is not mini at all.
The point of all this additional size is that Mini wants this to be a proper, uncompromised family car. And in this particular sense, it works. The interior delivers good amounts of space, the 505-litre boot is highly usable, and it feels every bit the compact SUV it wants to be. The whole idea is that it can serve as the only car in the family garage.
Take for example Spike, Mini's Intelligent Personal Assistant . In every functional way, it works just like the IPA you find in any BMW. However, because this is a Mini, it gets its own quirky twist — there are occasional excited barks that accompany command executions. Cute. Of course, no Mini is complete without some splashes of colour. This JCW model gets a black/red interior trim that combines leather and recycled polyester textile, which together make for a premium yet characterful space.How does the JCW Countryman drive? Exactly how you imagine a BMW-engineered 2.0-litre all-wheel drive crossover would: Lots of grip, plenty of pace.
Beyond that, the car settles down well enough for normal driving situations. The steering is also a little on the slow side, so you need to be slightly more generous with you inputs.