HOW TO BUY A MINI COUNTRYMAN
WHEN MINI GOT IT RIGHT SECOND TIME ROUND
Mk2 Countryman fixed the flaws of the original – and is now under £7k
The first modern-era Countryman set out to prove that Mini could break away from its supermini roots and make a practical five-door hatch, but in reality it was short on performance, ergonomically flawed and a little lacking in character.
Nevertheless, the BMW Group marque’s crossover became its most popular model and that warranted a successor, which landed in 2017 with a roomier cabin and a grippy, well-balanced drive that put it well among the best in its class – and now you can have one for less than £7000.
Adding 200mm to the length of the chassis meant the secondgeneration Countryman, or ‘F60’ in Mini speak, had SUV-aping credentials, making it more capacious and practical than its predecessor. Adults won’t feel aggrieved in the back (there’s more head room than in aMk7 Volkswagen Golf), although they will find more comfort if the middle seat isn’t occupied. There’s plenty of luggage space behind them too. In fact, its 450-litre boot could rival that of cars from the class above.