| First Drive | Bedford Autodrome, England | MINI Countryman |

There seems to be no stopping MINI when it comes to new models. When the revolutionary 'new' MINI arrived nine years ago, it was a humble hatchback - and remained that way for a long time. The Countryman crossover-cum-soft-roader is now the fourth model in the company's line-up and it will be joined by the Roadster and the Coupé within the next two years. We can only wonder what's next.

In the Metal

In true crossover style the Countryman bridges the gap between hatchback and 4x4. It seems a little ungainly on first sight, with its sit-up-and-beg stance and oblong headlamps, but we warmed to it after a day in its presence. The Countryman rides 15cm higher than the MINI hatchback and it's 100mm wider with a 350-litre boot (200 litres larger than that of the standard car), so it's far from small.

It's personal opinion as to whether the MINI is better looking than its main rival, the Nissan Qashqai, as the current incarnation of Nissan's original crossover is rather sharp. It's a given that existing MINI fans and fashion conscious types will prefer the Countryman, though.

What you get for your Money

MINIs aren't renowned for being the cheapest cars on the market, but the Countryman is certainly competitive with rival crossovers. The entry-level One model starts at £16,000, which is £305 more than a basic Qashqai, which is not much, really. Top-spec Cooper D ALL4 (four-wheel drive) models will set you back £22,030, which seems quite pricey, but again it's not a million miles away from the competition.

All the engine variants will be available immediately and petrol options range from the 98bhp 1.6-litre MINI One, through Cooper and Cooper S (with two-wheel drive) to the 1.6-litre 184bhp Cooper S ALL4. The diesel line-up echoes the petrol range with power outputs from 90- to 112bhp.

Driving it

The Countryman drives how it looks - like a big MINI hatchback. It handles very well for a pumped-up, pseudo 4x4 with firm, direct steering and a comfortable ride. There's a bit more body roll than you'd find in the hatchback derivative, but that's to be expected with a jacked-up derivative like this.

In the same way that the handling apes the hatch, the engines perform similarly in the Countryman. The latest diesel engine (no longer a PSA Peugeot unit, it's now sourced from MINI's parent company, BMW) is very smooth and progressive. You don't get the lack of low down acceleration that you do in a conventional turbodiesel - it's much more linear and behaves like a petrol unit. The heavy four-wheel drive system renders the Countryman more sluggish than the hatch, but there's not a huge amount in it.

The same goes for the 1.6-litre Cooper S model - 0-62mph times fluctuate between 7.6- and 7.9 seconds depending on whether the car has four-wheel drive or not, but it's still more than quick enough for most and will even give the hot John Cooper Works hatchback version a run for its money.

MINI kindly laid on a short off-road course to test the car's mettle in the slippery stuff - and it proved really rather capable. Granted, few owners will ever go near anything more than a kerb, but the Countryman coped adequately with some steep, dusty hills and successfully ploughed its way through a sludgy set of hairpins that would prove more than taxing for a two-wheel drive car. It's no Land Rover, but the MINI is impressive in its own right.

Worth Noting

The Cooper D's running costs are very low at 57.6mpg and 129g/km, which renders it the cleanest 4x4 on sale today. The front-wheel drive version is even cleaner with 64.2mpg and 115g/km.

If you value style over practicality then the Countryman can be specified as a four-seater at no extra cost. Should you choose this option, the car will come with a longer centre rail, which is essentially a slim bar that runs from the centre console to the rear seats. It allows passengers to store numerous small items and custom attachments will be available to clip on iPods and other similar items.

This is also MINI's first four-door model, which might not sound too revolutionary, but it's big news for the fleet market. Business buyers are firm fans of two extra doors at the rear, so MINI is hoping to steal some sales from established rivals.

Summary

There are more spacious, practical and more affordable crossovers available, but most of them lack the panache of the new MINI Countryman. It's a grower to look at, but the incredible range of customisation, fine engines and fashion factor will no doubt go down a storm. It's another winner for MINI.