| Long Term Test | MINI Clubman John Cooper Works |
Been anywhere interesting?
Oh you know, sliding around on the ice and snow, normal stuff really on the way to Tesco. Seriously though, the MINI proved a worthy adversary for the wintry weather we've had recently, plodding along while others slithered into ditches or spun their wheels away in a futile manner.
Anything stand out...?
While the pin-sharp throttle takes a little adapting to, there are masses of torque low down the rev range, which, along with what turns out to be useful feel through the direct steering, means it's quite easy to judge grip levels, even when there is virtually none.
The handbrake took on a new life this month too. That may sound strange, but all I'm saying is empty snowy car parks and a driver listening to the little devil on his shoulder. In fact, the JCW is just that, a little imp constantly encouraging you to have a bit of fun.
...and for the wrong reasons?
Our only new criticism is with the heating system. It took surprisingly long to warm up from cold the past few weeks, even taking into consideration the low ambient temperatures. On top of that, we don't like the vertical rotary controls for the interior temperature and fan speed; they're just not tactile enough. I did notice in the new images of the
Countryman that these have been redesigned, so hopefully that change filters down to the rest of the MINI line-up in time.
Where next?
Dry roads, I hope! We've got a road trip through Wales planned and given how fantastic the routes are away from the main carriageways, we're really looking forward to stretching the Clubman's legs once more. Let's just hope for some milder weather, eh?
