Overall this was an impressive vehicle and I can understand thier appeal and why they are selling as well as they are. Jokes about size aside the Countryman "feels" larger than the MINI while it's still not as long or wide as a regular mid-sized sedan. Part of this has to do with the increased height and the seating position. Not a bad feel. Very SUV-like.
Despite the height and increased weight it feels like and R56. The interior shares quite a bit with the R56 and it's basically the same engine. Steering, turn-in, throttle response (which is even more fun in Sport mode), all feel the same. So, while it's "Not a Mini" it still feels like one. MINI did a good job with this vehicle. It's a very good family vehicle that can still be fun to drive.
It's not really for me as the performance is lacking at the limit. The traction nanny is very invasive and the transmission is slow to react to throttle inputs and surges badly with fast inputs unless in sport mode. I'm very aware it's not the same as the R56 but those are aspects I like in my vehicles.
