Last week we found a mostly positive review of the Countryman All4 from the NYT. Here we have a very different perspective from Dan Neil across town at The Wall Street Journal.
The purity squads have their tiny knives out for the BMW Mini Countryman, and who can blame them? A 3,200-pound, four-door, all-wheel-drive Mini as big as a Nissan Juke and as potentially as spendy as a BMW 3-series, pushing $40,000? Why, it’s ridiculous, it’s absurd. You might as well suggest a Ferrari four-wheel-drive station wagon.
Oh dear Lord. When did that happen?
Mr. Neil goes on to both praise MINI for making this bigger vehicle capable, stylish and remarkable in its segment — and then aim some very valid philosophical criticism at the very existence of the R60 in the MINI brand. Regardless of where you come down on the Countryman fanboy/hater spectrum, it’s a thoughtful review that’s worth reading. Read the full article (and view its video content) here.
<p>I thought it was a well written and reasoned out article. The author stated many of the philosophical arguments that have been aired in the reply sections of many Motoringfile articles.</p>
<p>@rhawth99 ditto</p>
<p>I also like how the author’s personality/humor resonates in the article. It was a fun read.</p>
<blockquote>Eine größere Mini! Wunderbar!</blockquote>
<p>I think Dan Neil has got it spot on. Loved the bit where he says “… Then Klaus from Marketing pipes in: But we could sell a few thousand more cars if we just made them bigger. Silence. Was? And then: Ein grosser Mini! Wunderbar!”</p>
<p>interesting. if you watch his video review, while he touches on the MINI philosophy again, the review sounds much more favorable. perhaps his pen got away from him as he was trying to make the written article more entertaining?</p>
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<p>perhaps his pen got away from him as he was trying to make the written article more entertaining?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As he’s prone to do. Good review but you get the feeling that the actual review took a backseat to the philosophical issues he has with a larger MINI. Still it reads pretty positive if you just focus on his comments regarding the Countryman.</p>
<p>Apparently the esteemed Mr. Neil has never heard of a shooting brake.</p>
<p>He makes some good points, and I agree that the Countryman is a definite “jumping of the shark”, but one that is at least done well. I do enjoy the Countryman, and to be quite honest, that vehicle makes complete sense to me, as my family grows out of my ’04 MCS…</p>
<p>Give us in the US a SD and you have the perfect vehicle in its segment IMO. Do not confuse and interpret that as I’m saying it’s the perfect vehicle ; no, just in its segment.</p>
<p>The purist in me agrees and wishes Minis stayed small and exclusive for enthusiests. But even back in the 60s Mini was always coming up with something to entice more customers so you can’t blame them for expanding. They are lucky Fiat didn’t get here when it was supposed to prior to Mini. They may have set the pace here in the Euro classic small car segment and Mini would have been chasing them like Burger King chases McDonalds. Regardless, Mini will face some stiff competition in the 500 and in the Abarth. I read the Abarth will have 170hp at 2300 lbs! And they are kooky fun and sharp. Like Mini was in 2002.</p>
<p>Never underestimate the enemy… Fiat is the new terrorist.</p>
<p>I agree that the Countryman is a bit more prone to roll in the corners and not as fun to drive as the R56, but if it were anything but what it is, we would likely be hearing the complaints of how it’s too harsh and it doesn’t get good enought mileage… They found a nice middle ground. Fiat is a competitor but I wouldnt be caught dead in one, far too feminine and it’s a Fiat… nuf said</p>
<p>It must be said all things withstanding,if it cannot be like a mini,why compare it and why label it Countryman Cooper S?….Countryman S is surely enough to create its own identity.Introduction of Countryman John Cooper Works S Edition only highlights this point?…Rally road edition would be more appropriate?JCW is Mini!</p>
<p>Mr. Neil does it again. Amen, brother! Whatever the Countryman may be, however good it may be for what it is, a Countryman isn’t a MINI.</p>
<p>Funny. As small and “cute” as the Fiat is I nver saw it as “femine” due to the fact that when I was 14 I snuck into my first “R” rated movie called “The Midnight Caller”. It was Italian thriller dubbed in english and junk but full of action. The chase scenes all involved Fiats driving down the Spanish steps in Rome and doing zany stuff (an Italian Job rip off). I thought they were so cool. I saw one today and can’t help but get a sense of “deja vu” to the first time I saw a Mini in person.</p>
<p>Yeah the 500s are wimpy but I’m looking forward to seeing the Abarth. My guess is it will mop up the current “S” in performance and price.</p>
<p>Ciao baby!</p>