Two compact crossovers are vying for your attention: the updated Renault Captur – basically a Clio with hiking boots – and the confusing new Mini Countryman.
MINI COUNTRYMAN
Is the Countryman the most conceptually jarring Mini ever produced? Maybe. But try the Mini bakkie, built between 1967 and 1983. Safety belts and a heater were optional and its 850 cc engine developed 27 kW. It crawled from 0 – 100 km/h in 34 seconds with a top speed of 111 km/h. Clearly no Fortuner.
So how close does the new Countryman come to being one?
Mini is the master of the pocket rocket, but right now it seems that its heritage is up for sale. The Countryman is the lardiest Mini ever, competing with other premium compact crossovers like the Audi Q2, Mercedes GLA and BMW X1 – or the Mazda CX3 and VW Tiguan if money is a bit tight. At 4,3 m in length, it’s 20 cm longer and 3 cm wider than its predecessor. Bigger than a Golf. This Mini has turned into a maxi!
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