Hi Everyone,

New here to the Mini community as I am currently deciding whether or not to make the MCS Countryman All4 my next vehicle. I have yet to actually test drive one but have done several different configurations online so far. I plan to visit one of the local dealerships in the next few weeks.

The few people I have talked with at work that have driven a Mini, they've described the ride quality of the Mini to be stiff and not the smoothest out there. However, they have all said it is definitely a fun car. I'm curious to know how all of you Countryman owners would describe the ride quality and how you would compare it to your previous vehicles.

TIA!

 

While I wouldn't go so far as to call it stiff, it certainly isn't cushy. Of course, I'm coming from an Acura TL...

I would say it's firm enough to give you a feeling of connection to the road and makes the car feel more nimble.

If you'd rather float on pavement like a boat...probably not what you're looking for, but I think it's comfortable while sporty.

I, personally, love it!

 

There has been a fair number of posts concerning ride quality. The general opinion (but not all) is to ditch the run flats, which are of necessity stiffer & do not opt for 18" rims. This should provide a firm but comfortable ride.
Obviously ride quality is a very personal judgement & much depends on what you are used to. I have run flats on 17" rims & I am quite happy.
Previous car Merc SLK 350, the countryman is softer than that.

You really need to test drive one.

 

My first MINI was an '06 MCS with sports suspension, plus I added the 22mm sway bar. It was a VERY stiff ride and drove my husband crazy when he was the passenger, not such an issue if he was the driver. Personally, I liked it . Compared to that MINI, our new CM feels like a Lazy Boy recliner, but some friends who have ridden in it have commented that it feels like a MINI, but in a good way. We test drove multiple models when we were looking and the obvious choice for us was the S with sports suspension as we both liked the connectivity to road. The non S without the sports suspension with 17" wheels felt most like a "car" to us, and while it was a nice ride, it wasn't for us. But we did comment that the average buyer might find that the most desirable set up. The All4 is not really necessary in Georgia, but we thought it was a great set up and rode very nicely as well.
Annette

 

We came from an 06 MCS with sport suspension also. It was my wifes car and she loved it but there were times when driving it that I would hit a bump and my head would literally hit the top of the car. Between the run flats and the sport suspension it was a very stiff ride but boy could I take the corners at insane speeds!

Our new countryman is a much cushier ride but still has a mini feel to it. It's a nice compromise.

You definitely need to test drive one as your impression could depend a lot on what car you are coming from.

 

My All4 is much more compliant on 17in Bridgestone Dueller run-flats than my Clubman was on 16in normals so don't ditch run-flats just because of the bad reputation the first ones got. Try both!

 

Thank you everyone for the feedback. So far it sounds like the ride is really just as I would expect, especially with the RFTs.

I am currently driving an BMW 335 Coupe with 19" wheels, RFTs, and the sport package so I have a feeling the ride quality would be fairly similar in the Mini. While the 335 ride quality is nice, you definitely know when you've hit more than just a minor bump in the road and it sounds/feels like a bomb went off in the car if you hit a major pothole.

It will definitely have to be something that I will have to experience for myself before fully making a decision but it certainly seems like the MCS Countryman is a good "driver's" car.

 

Given what you're currently driving, you should feel right at home in the Countryman.

I opted for the Sport Suspension, just to tighten things up that much more, although I didn't have the option to testdrive it before buying. No regrets. And that's with 18 inch wheels and the performance runflats. (I was coming from a 2008 R32, which is pretty firm.)

Curious as to your thoughts once you've had a chance to spend some time behind the wheel!

 

I've been going back and forth as to whether or not I would actually get the sport suspension or not. Hopefully they have one at one of the local dealerships so that I can give both versions a try.

I probably won't have time to get to a dealership and do some test drives until the later part of April but I'll be sure to update the thread with my thoughts once I do.

 

Even if you have to drive an hour or two to another dealer to test drive one with sport suspension I think it's worth it. You don't want to order your new CM and get it and then not like the suspension.

 

I definitely agree. There are only two dealerships here in the Phoenix area and they are about 45 min to an hour away from each other depending on traffic but it will be worth the trip in order to get a feel for both.

 

I went with the sport suspension with 17s. If your coming from a BMW with the specs above you have to test drive both!! I have owned two Minis and have other sporty cars and the CM with standard susp. Was too soft. My 5 cents!

 

and thats what happened to me and i am begging for mercy, can anyone help me unstiff my sport suspension countryman S?

 

Step one: go with 17" wheel option if you don't already have it.

Step two: Non-run flat tires on 17" wheels, with a tire inflation/sealer kit or a temporary spare.

 

please help me, i am stuck now, https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...uspension.html

please help

 

If you want a comfy ride by a cadillac, is you want sporty ride and want to feel connected to the road get a Mine. I've got a E300 Mercedes and it floats down the road nicely, but my Mini is sporty and I love the way it handles. I would have got the sport suspension but I didn't want to loose ground clearance(wife drives it mostly). Handles great and I have no compliants.

 

I've noticed comments about the stiffness of the suspension. Anyone have any comments on the handling? At lower speeds, the CM is almost as fun as my R53 with the sport suspension plus. At higher speeds (55+ mph) I have had some weird steering response over road imperfections or around corners where the car will feel a weird torsion or twisting, the steering will will want to pull left or right. The car quickly recovers. It reminds me of driving a Chevy Suburban or Ford Excursion.

oldvintageiron, what kind/size tires do you have on your CM?


Has anyone experienced what I am talking about in the CM?

 

Yeah, they say the all 4 will do it even more. And run flats have lots to do with it

 

I went w/ the sport suspension and 17" run flats and I think the ride is perfect. Not uncomfortable at all for either me or my girlfriend, but you feel connected to the road and it's a hoot to drive. I have no complaints about the run flats, unlike a lot of people on these forums.

 

I wonder how many of the dissers have actually driven a car on the current evolution of run-flats, Bridgestone Duellers for example, rather than repeating old comments parrot-fashion?

(Experiences on early ones such as the appalling Goodyear Excellence aren't much help!)

 

I wonder. I don't know off hand what brand/model of RF tires are on my All4, but I've driven with a few passengers already and they all loved the ride. I'm in central NJ where the roads aren't particularly the pinnacles of smoothness either.

 

I pretty much agree with everything tatacountry said

 

I'M not sure what is causing my handling dislike, but I can assure you, I'm not in the camp that you have described above. Infact, I actually "liked" the R/F on both my R50 and my R53. These Pirelli's might be my problem, or maybe I should just keep the car under 55 mph

 

I already made a deal to go for 17 inch. And non flats, but anyone knows about what is different from my sport suspension and non sport suspension?

 

From my reading, the differences between base and sport suspension are:
1 cm lower ride height (maybe spring rates)
2 mm larger front anti-roll bar
1 mm larger rear anti-roll bar
damping rates (of struts, shocks).

The last, damping, along with tire sidewall height and stiffness, probably have the most to do with ride quality, in my experience. Anti-roll bar diameters have the least affect on ride quality for small differences like these.