MINI Countryman I - five-door and fully functional

MINI cars are first of all a style, and then a means of transportation. But there is a model that also tries to combine practicality - the first-generation five-door Countryman.


A car costs from 800 rubles, and it can become a means of transportation for the whole family. Sometimes on this model they even manage to move to new apartments without calling a cargo van.

Is the purchase of the first generation MINI Countryman a deliberate and balanced matter, or is it a stylish car that is not distinguished by reliability? Or will a compact car become a "vacuum cleaner for money"? To understand this, you need to analyze all the advantages and disadvantages of the model.

History

The compact five-door MINI debuted in 2010. The car was released in the hope of increasing sales at the expense of people who do not dare to buy three-door models.



Having changed the body, the manufacturer left the technical characteristics almost the same. The most important thing is the appearance of the ALL4 all-wheel drive, which provides a 50/50 distribution of torque between the axles. If necessary, all 100% of the power will go to the rear axle.



But the line of gasoline engines of the Prince family, despite the same working volume of 1,6 liters, is distinguished by a wide range of capacities - from 98 to 218 hp. With. Gearboxes give you a choice - brutal mechanics or a modern automatic. All units are six-speed.

The model was produced until 2016, then the second generation MINI Countryman debuted. By the way, the new car got rid of some of the problems of the first series, but there the price category is different - from 1,8 million rubles.

Appearance

Body design is exactly what MINI is respected for. Indeed, among the same cars, they stand out as unusual. At the same time, it is difficult to call any MINI handsome, especially the versatile five-door Countryman. Yes, the car makes you smile and turn around, but this is just a reaction to non-standard.



The car combines in a strange way the "cuteness" of a kitten and the audacity of a street hooligan. It is for this reason that many bought them for their spouses, and then gradually switched to MINI themselves.

Inside, the Countryman continues to amaze with its unusualness - this combination of archaic design interspersed with backlighting in different colors to choose from has an effect on any person who first got into the cabin. But, creating all these specific round elements, I had to sacrifice functionality. Therefore, it will take a long time to get used to ergonomics.

It would seem that such a stylish car should be distinguished by luxurious finishing materials, but in this regard, the MINI Countryman surprises. It is distinguished by archaic modesty, because before the auto industry itself was a miracle, and only executive limousines adorned it.

But inside, the externally compact car has enough space both in front and behind, of course, for its class. Tall passengers are freely accommodated in the back row, especially since the sofa can be pushed back. Thanks to this feature, the volume of the luggage compartment increases in the range from 220 to 340 liters.



Noise isolation in the cabin of the MINI Countryman is bad - any owner of such a car, except for those who sell it, will tell you about it. Of course, if compared with compact models of this class, then everything is within the normal range, but this is a MINI - it costs many times more, and could have been splurge on high-quality sound insulation.

Features of gasoline engines

Suffice it to say that cars of the MINI brand are BMW in fact, because the brand was sold to the Bavarian concern in 1994, as it is automatically considered that their engines are problem-free. Here are just a series of Prince engines developed by BMW together with Peugeot. It turned out something cheerful and economical, but far from the most reliable.



If this is not done, then first a whistle will appear under the hood, then a ringing and in the end everything will break, sending the engine for overhaul at the same time. The cost of replacing the chain, together with everything you need, such as tensioners and an asterisk, will cost about 60 rubles in the service.

The second problem with Prince engines is oil consumption. Here, the joint development of the Germans and the French managed to overtake even BMW engines famous for their appetite. Moreover, the oil consumption of these power units is a variable value.



At first, the engine pleases with its dynamics, but when the runs exceed the mark of 100 km, problems begin. And it's all about the ventilation of crankcase gases, more precisely, in the valve, which is gradually clogged with oil deposits.
When this happens, the assembly ceases to perform its functions in full and high pressure is created in the motor. Oil begins to squeeze out through the crankshaft seals and valve cover gasket. In theory, this should be repaired by simply replacing the crankcase ventilation valve, but in practice you have to buy a complete cover.

There are complaints about the Valvetronic system - it emits a characteristic hum during engine operation. Some newly-minted owners, having listened, believe that some kind of bearing has collapsed and rush to the service. But everything is in order - this is normal for engines of the Prince family.

Unexpected versatility

Despite its pomp and style, the MINI Countryman is a versatile car. Compact dimensions help to park in the city, and a ground clearance of 149 mm allows you not to be afraid of curbs.



Above the controllability of the model, it seems that the specialists of the BMW racing division have worked. For comparison, we can say that the car enters the turns like the Subaru Impreza WRX.



But you have to pay for everything - the car's suspension is stiff and trips on roads with poor coverage immediately make you remember this. It will not be possible to completely get rid of this, but if you change the tires from low-profile to average, the ride will be more comfortable.

Unexpectedly, but the MINI Countryman is suitable for the Russian winter - this applies not only to all-wheel drive vehicles.

Costs in the process of operation

When buying even a "fresh" MINI Countryman of the first generation, you need to be aware that this car is more of a toy. It cannot be called economical with all the desire - it constantly requires attention and qualified service.



Owner reviews boil down to the fact that MINI Countryman problems begin after 100 km of run. It is difficult to single out something specific, except for periodic electrical breakdowns. She does not shine with reliability here. But the car body is corrosion resistant and does not want to rust even in places of chips.

You can avoid high costs at the initial stage of ownership if you conduct a thorough diagnosis of the vehicle components before buying a MINI Countryman. Ideally, take a car as a second in the family and drive it periodically, so as not to be idle, but not far.

The first-generation MINI Countryman is far more practical than the three-door minivan, but it's far from the epitome of reliability and economy. For someone who needs a trouble-free car, this model will not work.