Do you remember the exact moment when every manufacturer scrambled to add a high-riding SUV to their line-up? It was around the time the Nissan Qashqai started to become a runaway sales success. As a result, all sorts of bizarre shapes started to appear on forecourts.

Mini started to expand its line-up in 2007, first with the launch of the Clubman and then the larger Countryman in 2010. The idea was to entice families growing up from the smaller Minis, or those wanting a trendy small car but who also demanded the chunky body addenda, additional space and raised driving position afforded by rival SUVs.

Except the previous Countryman wasn’t actually that spacious, the driving position not that high and — to some eyes at least — it was hideously ugly.

That said, it has proven a success. So for 2017, along comes Countryman II. Based on the same platform as some smaller BMWs, it’s designed to answer the major flaws of its predecessor — namely space. So, busting the Mini maxim, it is 20cm longer than its predecessor, increasing interior roominess and boot space.
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https://www.pocket-lint.com/cars/reviews/mini/140076-mini-cooper-sd-countryman-2017-review-mighty-improvements-for-the-mega-mini