2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Bigger Doesn't Mean Better - Automobile Magazine
The idea of the Mini Countryman -- a larger, taller, all-wheel-drive Mini SUV -- caused much hand-wringing among the enthusiast community. But brand expansion is seemingly an immutable force, and Mini was not immune. When the Countryman finally appeared, it seemed at first to be a best-case scenario: the Mini of SUVs. Could a bigger, four-door, all-wheel-drive vehicle still be Mini. "You won't catch me lamenting a higher-riding, four-door, all-wheel-drive Mini," stated senior editor Eric Tingwall, arguing that it was "a breath of fresh air in the compact-crossover segment. "The purist in me is mildly offended," said New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman, "but I can understand why it's so popular -- four doors, four-wheel drive, and the sort of usability that buyers of ordinary Minis and even the Clubman forego. " Associate web editor Evan McCausland expounded on the theme: "If some Mini shoppers are willing to trade a degree of agility and sharpness for more interior space and all-weather traction, then so be it. " It helps that the Countryman is... Those of us who drove the Mini in New York City, such as associate web editor Donny Nordlicht, particularly appreciated its ease of. Source: www.automobilemag.com
