Mini Countryman S: Rugged Edition Review

I am going to say it out loud; yes, Mini nailed this special feature of the Countryman. When it comes to Mini’s offerings, there is a wide range depending on who you are and what your lifestyle deems “necessary”, as it should – it’s a Mini after all. The brand has built a

The Countryman Rugged Edition is a special variant that is being exclusively offered to the South African market in more than 100 units to those who intend on taking the road less travelled – purely as it’s built for the adventurer at heart. The model features a few special trims over the standard Countryman that extends the capabilities of the car beyond being a “city slicker” like it’s known for.

The Drive

The exterior design has seen some change, like the outer arches on the wheels swapped out with rubber trimming in a bid to prepare one for that moment they decide to take on gravel roads. The standard tyres have been swapped out with functional all-terrain AT3 tyres wrapped around 18” alloy wheels and finished in a frozen midnight look that surprisingly take on the tar a lot better. One would consider these tyres to be a bit “loud”, especially since all-terrain tyres are naturally louder on tar, but not these ones. The quality of the ride was not compromised as well as a result; one might consider that the drive was just as comfortable as it would have been on normal tyres.

Extras

The Rugged Edition comes with 2 exclusive gear options that one can spec with their model: either the Mini roof box for additional storage or the roof mounted roof rack. Either way, you will get the retractable towbar as a standard feature on your car for those moments where you might think that the extras might give you less versatile options.

This model is also only available in 4 paint trims: Nanuq White, Smokey Green, Melting Silver & Legend Grey – we had the Smokey Green pictured here. The interior has not changed much, with front occupants having the benefit of 2 type-c charging ports and a wireless charging pad while the rear has 2 type-c charging ports for convenience.

Power & Performance

We had the Countryman S on test, which has a four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 150kW & 300Nm of torque through an All4 all-wheel drivetrain, where as the Countryman C has a three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 115kW & 230Nm of torque to the front-wheels.

The genuine note is that the Countryman S should be the preferred model of choice, it drives very smooth and was considerate on fuel as we averaged 10.0L/100KM over a 1100KM drive between Johannesburg & Durban.

Final Notes

I was pleasantly surprised that the roof rails have minimal drag noise when driving on the open road, considering that roof racks tend to add some drag noise that can be heard through the sunroof. The only time I heard the wind coming from the roof was when on the road with a bike mounted and the sunroof shade opened, purely on the basis that I wanted to see that my bike was still on the roof; I am anxious like that about mounting anything on the roof.

I generally like the Countryman will appeal to the Mini lover who needs a bit more space over the Cooper and this one guarantee that you will pack everything including the kitchen sink without worrying about space.

Mini setout to make the Countryman an adventure’s choice of wheels, and this will fair very well with anyone looking for a car that can handle most of the elements that your adventurer’s heart sets on – whether you are set to go camping, taking on the Karoo for your next gravel race or visit family where the extra space is highly needed.

Launch Prices (incl. VAT):

• MINI Countryman C (Classic) Rugged Edition: R833,903.10
• MINI Countryman S (Classic) Rugged Edition: R953,928.30
• MINI Countryman S (Favoured) Rugged Edition: R989,938.30