2022 Mini Cooper S Countryman

It used to be that a Mini Cooper wasn’t practical. This diminutive, low-riding hatchback was a tough fit even for a small Filipino family. Today, with the popularity of crossovers, the Countryman doesn’t seem like such an unreasonable alternative.

Originally a 2020 facelift of the second-generation Countryman, this model eschews the flat nose but retains most of its iconic features like the mustache grille, the (almost) round headlamps, and most importantly, its hatchback retro form.

As an S variant, it has a diamond-shaped grille mesh (the same one found on John Cooper Works models) that distinguishes it from the base trims with plain horizontal slats. If it isn’t clear that this is a special or sport model (no one really knows what the S stands for, not even John Cooper himself), there are strategically-placed red S badges on the body, one on the grille, another on the fin, and lastly on the tail.

It gets racing stripes on the hood, a pair of roof rails, and a rear spoiler with an integrated stop lamp on the top surface. Bottom features include silver trims on both bumpers and a rear underbody garnish.

Updated for the 2022 model year are LED headlamps and LED taillights with the Union Jack design (Those are pretty cool) and eye-catching new 19-inch alloy wheels.

Visually, it isn’t all that big compared to other compact hatchbacks, but while it shares the marque’s lengthiest wheelbase with the Clubman, it easily stands out as the longest and tallest Mini yet.

On this body is an almost-six-decade-old design that isn’t showing any signs of aging. It’s as amazingly refreshing and pretty now (under BMW’s watch) as it was when British Motor Corporation introduced it in the late 60s.

Like its exterior, Mini keys are uniquely shaped and best of all, have the same smart feature found on modern units. The driver only needs to press a button on the handle to unlock the doors.

As the door swung open, the compactness of this vehicle became more apparent. I’ve got to give it to Mini Cooper though. They used all 2,670 mm of space, wheel-to-wheel, wisely.

The cabin is totally leather upholstered. The electronically-adjustable front seats are slimmer than what you’ll find in other makes, but these are better designed, fully bolstered, and even come with manual seat extenders. The driver’s seat comes with a memory function too. The second-row seats split-fold 40/20/40 to increase truck space measly 450 to 1,390 liters.

What makes a Mini cabin distinctive are its appointments. It has the only infotainment system I know with a round 8.8-inch display. It’s controlled by touch or via the command controller on the center console à-la a BMW. Audio goes to twelve 360-watt Harman Kardon speakers.

Gone is the moto-inspired instrument panel. It gets a new five-inch screen with a non-customizable digital screen. It also has a heads-up display showing the speed and media controls. The ‘sports’ leather multifunction steering wheel comes standard on all Countryman.

Mini says it seats five, but it’ll be a snug fit even for a petite family. I like its many smart features like multiple USB-C ports, wireless Apple CarPlay, rear aircon vents, and how it uses toggles (instead of buttons) to start the engine, turn off traction control, etc.

Its BMW B48 inline-four gasoline turbo engine sends 192 PS and 280 Nm of torque to the front wheels via a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mini calls it ‘double clutch’, and while it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, this is arguably the smoothest shifting gearbox I’ve used that’s not in a sports car.

Of all the drive modes, Sport is the most exhilarating. Throttle response is almost instantaneous, the revs are higher, and the engine notes louder. There’s Mid and Green (most fuel-efficient), but despite the retarded response, you can stay in either mode and still get a kick out of a short errand or a grocery run.

It's a little top-heavy because of the height, but it still exhibited high rollover resistance. That, combined with pin-point steering, made cornering (and overtaking) my favorite move in the Countryman.

Comfort was very high, and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) levels were very low. If not for the large wheels, there may not have even been a peep from the road at all.

The wireless Apple CarPlay glitched out a couple of times, but other than that, this crossover was amazing. It’s fast, cozy and plush, intuitive and highly maneuverable, and won’t make you sweat if you squeeze into bumper-to-bumper traffic. Did I mention it even comes with a power tailgate?

Everyone knows Mini Coopers are expensive, and this five-seater, at P3.75 million, is no different. But the good thing about this marque is it has never hidden behind the guise of a mass-market compact vehicle. It relishes the idea that its unconventional body style represents the youthful spirit of an affluent age-less market.

The biggest challenge now is not getting your household of five to fit in the 2022 Mini Cooper S Countryman. That would be how to convince your wife that this is the new family car. Good luck because this car is totally worth it.