http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/v...ini-countryman

at around 2:10 there's the hill climb the mini does the climb.

Why can't the ALL4 S pass the 45degree hill climb in this vdo?
Just pure curiosity , the engine power and torque is more than enough isn't it?

It was hard to tell in the video what actually happened when the driver approached the steep hill. Also, we don't know if it's manual or automatic, for instance. I was thinking a hill-climb failure would be likely due to the installed tires, but that didn't seem to be the issue shown.

Reading the earlier review, they'are pretty far from the facts on the released vehicle in the U.S.

I haven't tried the 45 degree (100 percent grade) in my ALL4, but I think there's one on a test track around here somewhere...
[edit]the two test hills I knew about are gone to local development, but there's something over at the Tesla plant test track...Hmmm

They forgot to push the Sport button

Sounded like She bogged it down. AKA doesn't know how to drive.

Needs a differential locker and/or low transfer box to get up that hill at such a slow speed. I bet you could get up there if you push the skinny pedal!

Vicki Butler-Henderson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicki_Butler-Henderson) certainly does know how to drive. They probably test all the cars the same way. The point is to compare different cars and the test should be hard enough that some cars will pass and others won't.

Thanks for the lesson, Rkw.

Possibly because there's no approach to the hill, which may have caused grounding as the All4 isn't designed for serious off-roading wth appropriate approach angles. But JBH is intensely irritating anyway and is only there to boost viewer numbers, although she's neither use nor ornament to my mind. I just ignore everything she says.

Must be that extra passenger weight she's carrying! (she forgot to put the "Baby on Board" waggle in the rear window)

Seriously, something didn't sound right. What's that clicking/chatter noise? I'd have thought she'd start up the base and get wheel spin, not a bunch of mechanical chatter...

I'm mostly confused about a pregnant woman packing a snowboard that still has all the sales labels on it.

The CM ALL4 was never designed to be an off-roader, in my opinion. It has no low range or enough ground clearance. Most AWD/4WD vehicles would need a low range and off-road tires to get up that hill with a low approach speed. Also it appears the test CM has 18" tires with summer road tires - the worst configuration for dirt.

Another group from 5th Gear took the CMs to Chile last February and loved it.

http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/b...ini-countryman

Too bad connected's nav doesn't have a routing option called "avoid 45 deg inclines". I'll need to keep in mind that I'll have to find an alternate route next time I come upon such an incline.

(I've yet to encounter a need to climb 45 deg in a car in my 20+ years of driving. If I needed that, I'd get a Wrangler!)

Is that test relevant for the CM All4 customer base? The CM does a lot for its size but it is not meant for heavy duty off roading. There are a lot of off road capable vehicles to choose from if succeeding at this sort of stunt is a requirement.
Someone else said they would like to see a CM All4 go through the same sort of roller test where the Subaru's seem to destroy the competition. I'd love to see that test as well. Couldn't find the link to the video, but the software guy in me says that test provides a controlled, objective, and measurable method of replicating a real world situation.

Googled and found this:

yea from what ive seen the car may have been a manual and at the slow speed she was aproaching sounded as she was bogging out and dropping RPM,

what im wondering is if it where an automatic how different would that test have been as you can aproach steep inclines differntly than that of a manual.

oh well, after driving in the snow the other day VS. my standard MINI with front wheel drive, im completely sold as it held its own and felt very good on the slippy surface. i was very pleased. also when driving hard the mini 4 wheel drive also has almost no understeer where my standard front wheel drive mini had a great deal of.

all in all its a great addition for what youll need it for 99% of the time on the road.

They should do this test with the CM All4. I'd be interested in the results.

I posted a video on the thread
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mw-xdrive.html



Also, I wonder if Vicki turned off DSC and Traction control before she tackled that hill?

On a different note, Subaru needs a new slogan once the BRZ comes out, since AWD will NOT be standard on all Subaru vehicles anymore.

Really curious, if anybody have the chance to try it out, please tell us all!! thanks!!

It's hardly surprising it failed, the MINI is not an offroad SUV, it a road car which BMW stupidly decided to raise the ride height on and pretend that it is something which it isn't. IMO the only Countryman which would have a chance would be the Cooper SD All4, it's got a lot more low end torque than the S.

That's a great demonstration. I'd love to see it with Mini, BMW, and Audi too.

Anybody care to guess how Mini All4 would perform?

Seems like she just didn't try.

To me, it sounded like as if the engine wasn't powerful enough? I was expecting the tyres to lose or have no traction at all, thus leading into spinning all the wheels? Not engine failing like this.... so, the question lays here, what's the problem, is it really the engine?

If the tyres spin without traction, I'd be happy since there's enough power. Just swapping in new tyres with more grip would do that climb easily?

Anybody notice the tires did not even attempt to spin. Any car would make it up part of that hill then maybe slide from traction. But to not even make it up the beginning IMO something is wrong with her foot.

+1