I've got a Pure Red Countryman on order....non-turbo. Reading through the forums, it seems nearly everyone gets the S model. Are there any non-turbo Countryman owners out there that are happy with their cheaper, better gas mileage, but less peppy base models? I keep 2nd guessing my decision to go with the base.

 

I am looking to purchase a new CM toward the end of the year. At first I thought I would “need” the S-model; but after renting a non-S for the day I realized it would do everything I needed it to do. It is slower than an S-model, but not, IMO, under powered. It had no problem keeping up with traffic on the freeway, including going up the Sepulveda pass from Santa Monica blvd to the 101, and had plenty of reserve power if I wanted to pass other cars. In 2002 I leased a BMW X5 3.0; when the lease was up I thought I needed something with more power and leased a Mercedes ML500. I soon realized the only reason for owning the ML500 over the BMW 3.0 was ego; the fact I could outrun most cars on the road if I really wanted to. With the ML it was like having a stable of horses that I had to feed but rarely used. I think the non-S is a good compromise between initial cost and performance. With a price difference of $3,600 you could get a very well equipped non-S for the same money as a striped S-model. Now, if you need the ALL-4 model, then you have no choice but to get the S. And again, you have to evaluate your need for all-wheel-drive; living in sunny So Cal I do not see the need for it. In the case of the BMW and Mercedes I had no choice, they do not make 2-wheel drive versions; but I never felt my drive would have been compromised if I did not have all-wheel-drive. There was never a day were I made a choice between our ML and E-class due to weather conditions or destination.

 

We too ordered just the Cooper Countryman, really like how it drives and since we have a Cooper S R53, figured we didnt need the CM as an S too. It's replacing our family car.

Even as a base CM, it still drives much like a MINI, and has that great quickness. So needless to say, I wouldn't worry about getting the base over the S, if that is what you wanted. Plus, there are a ton of hartop Cooper drivers that will tell you they have just as much fun as the S folks do.

 

Mine is a Cooper with a turbo, a turbo diesel, collected it today, loving it so far, kids don't want to get out. I prefer the look of the non S models, especially with the black grill like mine has.

Only downside is not having a boot floor, not impressed, even the cheapest piece of crap from Korea has a boot floor. Anyone know if this can be retrofitted?

 

Went back to the dealer today and took an extended test drive in the non-S Countryman again. Have to agree that it drove fine. Had no issue keeping up with traffic or getting on the freeway. Sure....more power would be nice, but given the way we drive of just needing to get from point A to point B (while looking good), I can't justify the extra cost for us. With the base model, we were able to add the cold weather and premium packages along with a few other things and still come out cheaper than a basic S model. However, am getting some bonnet stripes as they definitely make any MINI faster....so I hear.

 

I just picked up my Countryman, it has pleny of get up and go. I don't regret not getting the S. I used the extra cash to put other options on it. I had a turbo in my Jetta, my Countryman I has as much pick up as it did. I love my new countryman.

 

Just ordered our Cooper Countryman this weekend. As much fun as it would be to have a loaded All4, We figured a Cooper with a few extra bits was going to be quite a bit lighter on the wallet!

(Manual Transmission, sport seats, sport suspension, HK radio, iPod / Bluetooth) Can't wait for it to get here!

 

You must have had a really sick Jetta, the standard Cooper is no way near as fast as the Golf GTI (shares the same motor as the Jetta), even the Cooper S isn't as quick.

 

The Jetta was a 2003,automatic, I had it 3 years. Maybe my memory is getting bad but I honestly have more fun driving the Countryman and don't remember the Jetta being faster. Did love the purr though with excelleration on the Jetta.

 

Got the base to get more stuff vs. an S with less. The price difference in Canada is insane to go to the S. It doesn't like hills, but a quick tap on the paddle shifter as you start up the hill helps. The transmission seems to want to get into 6th as quickly as possible, so I find that I need to use the paddle shifters quite a bit to keep it in the gear that I want. It is fine on the highway and in traffic, but it seems anemic with hills and unfortunately we have a lot of hills around us. Still, we made a good choice and really like our base Countryman.

 

Do you find that sport mode helps or hurts any?

 

Sport mode isn't even an option in Canada.

 

Glad to see these responses. I've been waiting for some real world impressions. Most professional critics drive the S and say the non S is underpowered, without probably driving it. Glad to hear it moves along fine.

I have a justa R56 Cooper. I hope in a year or so to trade that up to a Countryman Cooper with 6 spd manual. Looking forward to it!!

 

I'm an S, but I'm throwing my 2 Euros in here.

In DC, you get most everywhere by the major roads. And most everybody drives like they are still in their home country where, apparently, there are no rules, restrictions, or common curtesies. Therefore, the S is not for keeping up with traffic, it is for getting out of the way of and avoiding traffic. In these situations you need all the quick move and run you can get. I would not leave home without the S. If things are more civilized where you are, you may not need it. Here, it's a necessity.

We also make a lot of runs to the west (WV, PA, western MD & VA) - lots of hills and mountains. S =

 

We ordered the Base as well...it's an SUV anyways . And we wanted something less expensive with good gas mileage. That way we can acquire a GP when the time is right.

 

So, are you saying that your PO has shown itself to be more of a target than, like a colorful form of life, something dangerous that should be avoided? It's not like they can't see it.

 

I have had a base 06 coupe, currently drive a base 09 clubman and am planning on ordering a base 11 countryman this week.
all equipped in manual transmission.

The countryman handling is plenty taut, the drivetrain is exactly what we have in the clubman but with more interior room.... and operable windows in back...and and. With the recent loss of my van, this will be our primary car. (family size now down to 3- and 2 are tall.) I think it will fill the bill.

Remember the rule: it is more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow. (providing car has fun handling characteristics- MINIs have that in spades)

in hilly upstate NY, I am already used to 2 place downshifts to maintain momentum on steep hills. 6 to 4 and 5 to 3. I am sure the countryman will treat me fine. the worst thing that could happen is you spend a few more minutes driving your entertaining car.
My reaction speed is not good enough to be tearing up every road at supercar speed.
But give me a tight windy road, and the MINI is in its element. This kind of driving is not about top end speed or max acceleration.

if I had to get it with a juice tranny, i would spring for the S model, though.

And based on my previous and current ride - with dedicated snows- I am fully confident this will be a great 4 season car and up to the task of getting me to the ski slopes when it is plenty white outside, too.

Lars

 

Follow up…I’ve had our PR Base Automatic Countryman for almost 2 weeks now. Got 500 miles under our belt. Love it. No regrets going with the base model given features and price of the overall car – wanted to stay well under $30K and get a few luxuries like heated seats and sunroof. I’m not going to lie and say it is the most peppy car, but it has no problem keeping up and even beating the average driver from a stop if I want to. Never felt it was unsafe or I didn’t have some extra power available if I needed to accelerate suddenly. I’m still on my first tank of gas that I put in (not including the original dealer fill), but the onboard computer is showing us slightly above 30 MPG. Hard to complain. That said there are times it does feel a bit sluggish…..if you are traveling at a slow speed such as in traffic and then can accelerate, the car tends to try and muscle through in the current gear when it really should shift to a lower gear. Probably more to blame on the automatic transmission than the engine. But give it a little more gas, it responds appropriately. It does take a bit of practice to get the most out of the engine and automatic transmission. Switching to sports mode does make the gas pedal much more responsive. (anyone know how to make it always default to sport mode?)

Overall, I would recommend that if you are interested in getting a unique car that can get you from point A to point B and need to save some money, skip the turbo. I know to others that the extra power and responsiveness is important, and if it is, get the turbo. For the rest, a MINI Countryman traveling at 60 MPH is still a MINI Countryman with or without turbo –just takes a little longer to get to 60MPH.

 

I used to drive Scion XB which had 108 hp engine. It did fine driving around town. But on the long trips with 4 persons and luggage and hills forget it. So I went with the S

 

I had a leased 2008 MC with lots of extras, including automatic. When the lease was up, I ordered the Countryman S and found the difference in performance dramatic. There were times when I felt the MC was a dog in traffic. Not any more with the C-Man S. Besides, the S model just looks cool with its front air intake, dual pipes, etc.

Just my humble opinion. If you are happy with your choice, that's all that counts.

 

This is where we differ, I would like the performance of the S (but way to expensive in Norway, 90K USD for a small car is too much) but much prefer the cleaner smoother look of the base model, especially the contrived looking rear end on the S.

 

Ordered a MT Pure Red / Black Countryman Cooper - sport suspension of course Been driving an '06 MT Cooper as my DD for a year, and it's fine! We had an '02 Cooper S. Sure, it's down on power, but it's still a blast to drive. I miss the whine of the supercharger, but that hasn't been am option for a few years now. ...and $25K was easier to stomach than $35K!

(I had a 998cc Mini too, so it's not all about power - Minis and MINIs are just fun!)

 

I went from a Clubman S to a base Countryman and have no regrets. The S did have a lot more power but for daily driving in heavy traffic it's mostly the same. I like sitting up higher and am able to comfortably carry co-workers to lunch without them complaining about lack of space and rough ride. I find for everyday driving it has plenty enough power.

 

I test drove both the non S and S and I went with the non. Like others said and you replied, I got a ton of add on options and came out cheaper than a base S. I would've loved to had a turbo, but I'm also quite surprised how much pick up the non S has.

 

I have still not ordered mine (ours) never took an S for a spin only the base. It has ample power for my type of driving. Seats are my only concern. I know I have mentioned it before but the only thing that I am contemplating are the seats. standard vs sport. I have sat in both but only test drove with the standard. The other thing that I like about the Base is that it only requires 87 octane unless the temperature is extremely hot then you need to put in at minimum 89 octane (per Owners manual)