As the largest vehicle from Mini, one of the Countryman’s big draws is four side doors. So instead of rear seat passengers sliding behind a front seat pathway, it’s an easy entry/exit door admission for back seat riders. The 102.2-inch wheelbase Countryman (which debuted as a 2011 model year vehicle) is the first Mini offered with all wheel drive. Countryman trim models are Cooper, Cooper S, and Cooper S ALL4. (ALL4 is Mini’s designation for all wheel drive). Mini Countryman’s tailgate, which opens skyward via keyfob remote/pressing the top half of the Mini badge, provides a wide-mouth entryway to the cargo bay--which can be extended by folding the rear seats. Beyond the nifty toggle switches and oversized center dash speedometer, another noteworthy cabin design element is the center rail. It’s a clip-on/clip off locale for various accessories, like cupholders and eyeglass case.

The standard inline turbocharged, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine produces 181 horsepower at 5500 rpm and mates to either a 6-speed automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual Getrag transmission. With standard electric power-assisted steering and full-time intelligent all wheel drive technologies, the test driven Countryman ALL4 had no problem handling snow-covered roadways. Cooper S Countryman’s standard features list includes seven airbags, MacPherson strut front/multi-link rear suspension, Sirius satellite radio with 1-year subscription, air conditioning, cruise control, and performance runflat tires. Estimated mileage with 6-speed manual transmission is 25 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. MSRP of Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 with 6-speed manual transmission is $27,050.