New 2013 Mini Countryman Diesel review, test drive

But the most annoying bit about the Countryman D is its ride. It thumps and crashes over sharp edges, tosses you about on lumpy tarmac and there’s quite a bit of suspension noise for your ears to contend with as well. Part of the blame rests on the low-profile, 18-inch run-flat tyres and the suspension that doesn’t seem to have enough bump absorption built into it. It’s a ride that improves as you go faster, but bigger intrusions can knock the car off its line.

Overall, it’s a ride that simply doesn’t befit the Countryman D’s ‘practical Mini’ tag and that’s a shame, especially since the competition has got it right. And once you get to cruising speed and the engine’s gravelly note fades away, you then have to contend with a fair bit of road and tyre noise.

That apart, the Countryman D proved to be quite fuel efficient in the city. Thanks to the engine’s strong bottom end, you never have to use a lot of throttle and this undoubtedly helped the car achieve 10.5kpl in the city. On the highway too, it proved to be quite efficient, and as long as you’re not pushing it too hard, you can expect to go 700km on a full tank. Continued..