2017 Mini Countryman Review: First Impressions
CARS.COM — The redesigned 2017 Mini Countryman embodies what Mini does best: fun and personality. And there’s a whole lot of both in the new compact SUV. This time around, the Countryman feels like a more usable SUV thanks to a roomier backseat and cargo area, key improvements that kept the outgoing SUV from serious family duty.
Increasing total cargo space from 41.3 cubic feet to 47.6 cubic feet doesn’t instantly transform the Countryman into a primary family hauler, but it certainly helps, as does its more squared-off shape behind the backseat. Access to the space is easier with the optional power liftgate on the Cooper S Countryman model that we previewed at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.
This particular Countryman also had the optional picnic bench, a padded cushion that unfolds from the trunk and sits on the rear bumper to provide a comfortable area for drivers to put on hiking boots, inline skates or whatever active urban outdoorsy people do in their Countryman. I’m not sure what sitting on a rolled-up yoga mat feels like, but I imagine it’s similar to sitting on the Mini’s picnic bench.
Considerably more comfortable than the picnic bench is the Countryman’s new backseat that’s roomy enough for an adult and is now easier to access with wider rear-door openings. Legroom is plentiful, and the backseat is high enough off the ground for good leg and thigh comfort, but not too high off the ground to make access difficult. There’s plenty of headroom for my 6-foot frame and, like the outgoing Countryman, the backseat slides and reclines, adjustments not many small SUVs offer. The Countryman’s backseat is more impressive than a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class or Audi A3 and more similar to a Fiat 500X.
The entertainment factor inside the redesigned Countryman is off the charts. There’s colorful ambient lighting on the doors, cool toggle switches and an illuminated start toggle switch. The massive circular center console is a dominating focal point that’s illuminated in different colors. Without even driving the new Countryman, it’s massive fun, and the more usable backseat and cargo area should open up the Countryman to those who thought it was too small before.
