I always hated those crappy little pieces of crap. They just look stupid and worthless. So we I saw a link to a news about a new one and I prepared to laugh and and laugh.
So I came upon This
I actually like it. :eek:
It is still totally reminiscent of the other ugly ones, but somehow the extra door, and more aggressive nose look makes all the difference in the world. Hard to explain, but it’sa cool looking mini.
I like mine better, thanks. One concern I’d have with the one you’ve linked: the best part of my car is the way it handles through corners. It has a wide base and is short/low to the ground, which means a very low center of gravity. The “countryman” version seems like it will take away the best aspect.
And I don’t like the color.
I like the Countryman’s look but appreciate the point Shibb makes. With Coopers the obscenely responsive handling is half the fun so it’d be a shame to see any of that compromised.
I was given a Coop as a loaner a couple of months back. It was with great difficulty that I obeyed any traffic laws. That little supercharged bitch could scoot. The shop owner did say though that they require a lot of repairs and it ain’t cheap.
CUV.
Cute Utility Vehicle.
It’s a ‘Cute’.
FWIW, I owned one for five years and it didn’t give me any trouble at all.
The Countryman looks like it’ll be an absolute blast to drive on fire roads.
Mini Cooper’s been working out at the gym.
Then I suspect the ‘loaner’ aspect of it was coming into play. It was a performance car shop so that’s the mindset of their clientele. Good deal, Discipline, I’m glad to hear that.
Ugh. Why are SUVs still being made? Worst off is this one that is completely redundant twice over.
Regarding your thread title: If it helps any, the vehicle you’re afraid to love isn’t a MINI Cooper, it’s a MINI Countryman. Different model altogether. It’s like saying, “Eek! I like a Ford Mustang!” but linking to a Ford Escape. Nitpicky, I know, but an important point. For Shibb, too… I’ve test-driven a Cooper S before, and I loved the go-kart handling. But while that handling may be the one of the Cooper’s calling cards, the Countryman’s will be offering MINI style in a modestly capable soft-roader.
I like that the folks at MINI differentiated the Countryman from the rest of the lineup but still made it unmistakably a MINI.
You really need this answered? 
Well according to the article it’s a Cooper Countryman. If they got that wrong, its not my fault.
Still too small to be a real family ride, IMO. Maybe as a second car. Looks like it might go up against the Subaru Impreza and Audi A3, and maybe a Mazda 3 5 door as far as sporty little hatchbacks go. Pretty stiff competition.
I’d be surprised if MINI sells many of these compared to the Cooper and Cooper S. The Clubman hasn’t exactly taken off (at least I don’t see many of them around). Edmund’s estimates the MSRP of the base FWD model at $30,000. That sounds way too high. With AWD it will probably come in at around the same price as an Audi A3 TDI Quattro, if not even more. Not good. It’ll probably find a niche, however.
Aside from the fact that people like shiny status symbols? Yes. Even for that, I don’t fully get the mentality of it. Especially not for SUVs, anyway. A Mercedes or a Porche, I can marginally understand even if I don’t agree with it. But an SUV? Especially a Cooper SUV? Is it mini or is it not?
But I digress. Sorry if I’m hijacking.
It says 16 inches longer than a mini cooper. Whats wrong with a really small SUVish looking car?
I wonder what that will get shortened to? Mini doesn’t work anymore. It could be the Cooper 'Man, but I’ll probably go with the “Mini C(o)unt”.
Ah, so it is. That’s the first time I’ve seen it called that, but I get most of my auto news from Autoblog. (link goes to Autoblog’s article about the Countryman with LOTS of pictures)