Hi. I am in the SE WI area. I've had some Cooper hatchbacks before. I like the unique style, but have been driving an Accord (4 door dog) for awhile. I have an offer in on a 2016 Countryman S All4 Automatic......I've read mixed reviews. Small gas tank, lots of squeaks and rattles esp in winter....slow to warm when cold hits....? May someone or many someone's enlighten me please? I have to decide by tomorrow. I'll only be leasing and I only put on like 5,000 mi a year. Zero down, 449 a month, 36 mos, 10k a yr lease. Thanks in advance. Patrick

I have 11k on my 2016 and love it. I drive it more than my GP2 or BMW M4

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

Small tank, yes.
One occasionaly squeak for mine.
No cold start issues, but we rarely get super cold winters.
Handles ice and snow well with appropriate tires.
Ours noisy on highways, although I hear it was improved in later years.

My co-pilot bought a '15 CM justa, auto gear box last year and loves it. She's made one long distance cross country trip so far and reported it's the most comfortable she's ever been. I've driven it a couple of times and have to agree. Mine's a slightly modded '06 R52 S manual so I see a huge difference. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

Ok, thanks for the info!

Ok, sounds good! Her mpg cross country? Thanks. Patrick

Look at it like this; every car has some character. Some squeaks, some issues blah blah. The Countryman does have a smallish gas tank for sure. Louder on the highway, yup. In my opinion tho its an awesome hybrid of performance, utility, go kart fun and value. Do it, you wont be disappointed. There really is no other car like it on the road today in my opinion.

I have no clue. I'll tell you what I always say when folks ask about the mileage on my R52. First, I drive it in a much more 'fun' manner than she drives hers. When people ask me I always tell them; 'I don't care, I'm having too much fun to pay attention'.

I got a 2012 CM (all4 s 6speed w/sport suspension) as a replacement for a souped up miata because kids.

It is the perfect replacement. It doesn't haul a lot, but for a daily driver, I love it. There's plenty of room for four people with minimal luggage (we got a roof box in case) and it's a blast for bombing around town and taking corners too fast to impress 4 year olds.

Does it have quirks and annoyances? Yes. Are they deal breakers? Nope. Are they outweighed by the overall feel of the car? Yes. Did some improve with model year upgrades? Yes.

I think if I had one with the 2017 driver-centric speedo and door-mounted window controls, I'd probably love it even more.

incidentally, the sport suspension is HIGHLY underrated. With 17" wheels, it's comfortable and capable.

Wholeheartedly agree with all this! Great blend of sportiness and every day utility.

Upgraded from an R57 because of a growing child. Only significant squeak was from the WMW rear anti-sway bar that was in need of a bit of grease. Done and done. Have owned for 18+ months, 23k miles.. no problems. Running 18" winter tires in the cold months (northern VA, DC area).

Agreed... the optional sport suspension is great! I'm running it with 19" instead of 17" wheels, though, for the summer months.

As an F56 owner, if possible, you REALLY want to wait for the F60 Countryman. Everything is vastly improved! It's more reliable, rock-solid, awesome BMW engines, true iDrive, amazing UKL chassis, etc.

It's a whole other car!

What part of Northern VA?

Oh one drawback is potentially high maintenance costs for some things that may fail outside the warranty period. I had a transfer case replaced under warranty. Same with the clutch. Would not be interested in paying out of pocket for either!

I am now driving a 2016 all4 auto Countryman s as a loaner car while my 2010 justa is being worked on. Before the Countryman I was driving a 2016 Clubman. The Clubman is head and shoulders a much more refined ride. The Prince engine in my justa and the Countryman is like a box of rocks compared to the BMW engine in the Clubman. Just my two cents.

The Prince engine is no longer in use in current models.

The 2016 I'm driving does have the Prince engine.

Looks like a Prince to me

You are correct. The Paceman and Countryman used the N18 motor till 2016. The R56 stoped using it in 2013

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

I'm in Chicago, and we find our 2013 S All4 automatic fine in the winter. I've never noticed it being slow to warm up compared to other cars, though the seat heaters definitely hit faster than the HVAC does.

We have no discernible squeaks and rattles. I also have an '06 R53, and that sucker has a lot of squeaks and rattles at this point.

In terms of road noise, the Countryman is much quieter than my R53, but definitely still noisier on the highway than a luxury car.

The small gas tank is mildly annoying, but honestly I'm going to need to stop and take a bathroom break every 300 miles or so anyway, so I don't find that to be a big issue.

Like others have said, I might be inclined to check out the newly redesigned model that is about to launch before pulling the trigger. The existing Countryman is a lot of fun, but not very refined (which I know some people may prefer). I assume the build quality on the new one is going to be an order of magnitude better.

I know this is a bit older of a thread, but maybe my "new to mini," opinion may help.


I have had mine since June, and have been beyond impressed with it. I was initially looking at the Acura RDX (being a Honda guy) but the MPG wasn't what I wanted for my then 70 mile commute. Driving it back from Colorado Springs to Steamboat Springs, I was getting 38mpg, and we were cruising at around 85-90 with traffic. I drove it across country to get my puppy, same thing, 35-42 mpg depending on state, altitude and temp. The seats are very comfy, and the seating area was large enough for my buddy and I to non-stop drive to PA and back with one of us driving and one of us sleeping in the passenger seat. So far, it has surpassed my expectations entirely. Given that it is getting colder up here now, I do feel like it takes a bit longer to warm itself up than my land cruiser in the cold, which is what I drove last year all winter, but it isn't much of anything to be concerned by. I plan to get a block heater for it anyhow and run 0-40 oil to help out there. The other thing to consider is actual cargo space is pretty limited, to non-existent. That can be fixed however with a MINI rooftop box or a hitch mounted box, which I plan to purchase for that reason. Noise is one of the quietest cars I have owned, and my only feedback comes from the run-flats which I plan to ditch once snow falls and sticks. The noise is accentuated by my suspension, but regardless, most run-flats are noisy. If you have any questions or anything, feel free to let me know.

Too loud on the highway for any sort of long cruise. A blast for a daily driver though. My wife just got a 2017 X1 and she said she misses her countryman on the on ramps.

I don't miss the darty steering though. You hit a bump mid corner with the suspension loaded up, and the car jumps sideways. Really freaky the first time it happens to you.

"Noise is one of the quietest cars I have owned"

It is the noisiest car I've owned.

The 'darty steering' (bump steer) issue described above was reduced to zero on my car by installing non-runflat tires. Also reduced road noise.

Update on warm-up:


It was 20 degrees in the mountains this AM, and I will say it did take a bit to warm it up. I will most likely sourcing a block heater to see how much that helps.