SPORT CARS

Buyers considering a Little Cooper have lengthy recognized that the famous hatchback goes big on style as well as potential at the price of utility. With two adult travelers, the Cooper leaves about enough space for some food or maybe a couple weekend bags. Forget about trying to put people you consider friends in the crowded returning burner.

But as confirmed by Minis lengthy revenue achievement, a vast Little fan platform is willing to make this trade. The 2013 Little Countryman, however, provides an alternative. Recently, Little has enhanced its audience with bigger, more flexible designs. The largest in the collection is the Countryman, a wagonesque four-door hatchback that provides almost three periods the freight potential of the Cooper hatchback along with a useful returning seat. The moving returning seat provides enough comfortable legroom for adults, growing or reducing freight area as it goes front and aft. The returning seat also creases almost completely flat for enhanced freight potential.

The Countryman is bigger than a conventional Cooper, but it still feels pretty nimble when going around sides. Speeding is rather pokey with the platform motor, however, so we suggest selecting the turbocharged motor in the S or JCW designs. Of course, just as with Minis other designs, the Countryman also provides the same mind-blowing array of personalization choices, everything from warmed decorative mirrors and a different shade ceiling to bonnet lines.

The 2013 Little Cooper Countryman is a compact chariot available in platform, S and David Cooper Functions trim levels.

The platform Countryman comes conventional with 17-inch metal tires, flexible guiding and accelerator configurations, ceiling rails, full power accessories, cruise management, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, leatherette (vinyl) furniture, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped leader, a trip computer, Wireless and a six-speaker sound program with a CD player, HD radio and USB/iPod and reliable sound ports.

The Countryman S adds a turbocharged motor, a returning spoiler, different exterior trim, an flexible grip management program, foglamps and sport seat. The latter three items are also available on the platform car. The David Cooper Functions is identical but has a more powerful motor, 18-inch tires, a sport-tuned revocation and unique internal design details.

The Countryman provides a incredible number of choices, both stand-alone and within packages. Some features include 18- or 19-inch tires, a sport-tuned revocation, flexible xenon headlamps, keyless ignition/entry, warmed decorative mirrors, returning vehicle parking receptors, a dual-pane sunroof, set furniture, warmed front part seat, returning pail seat and a top quality 10-speaker Harman Kardon speakers. The Countryman can be further personalized with unique body system design and a range of different internal colors.

Also available is Little Linked, which functions a large show inside the main speedometer and a corresponding console-mounted operator that operates Wireless, iPod and smart phone incorporation. A navigation program can also be added to Little Linked.

The 2013 Little Cooper Countryman uses a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder motor which makes 121 horse power and 114 pound-feet of twisting. The motor abilities the top part tires through a six-speed stick shift or an optionally available six-speed automated.

Mini reports that the platform Countryman boosts from zero to 60 mp in 9.8 a few moments (manual transmission) and 10.9 a few moments (automatic) -- both mediocre for a little chariot. EPA-estimated gas mileage is quite good though, at 27 mpg city/35 mpg road and 30 mpg combined with the guide and 25/30/27 with the automated. Premium energy is required.

The Countryman S uses a turbocharged edition of the same 1.6-liter motor, which produces 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of twisting. This motor also abilities the top part tires through either a six-speed guide or automated gearbox, but the S provides optionally available all-wheel generate ("ALL4" in Little parlance).

The David Cooper Functions functions a improved edition of the S models turbocharged engine; here it produces 211 hp and 207 lb-ft of twisting. The same signals are offered, and all-wheel generate is conventional. Little reports the 0-60-mph dash will take 7.1 a few moments with the guide or 7.5 with the automated. Fuel economic system scores are the same as for the Countryman S.

Standard protection equipment includes antilock disc braking system, balance management, front-seat part protection bags and part layer protection bags. Adjustable grip management is conventional on the S and optionally available on the platform 2013 Little Countryman. Rear vehicle parking receptors are optionally available.

The Countrymans traveler section will surprise customers expecting the Cooper hatchbacks typically crowded areas. A returning bench seat that slides and reclines is conventional, and two postioned pail seat are a no-cost option. Either way, theres enough space to provide 6-foot travelers in both series with the returning seat moved returning.

That said, the Countryman forces you to choose between rear-seat traveler area and freight potential. With the returning burner all the way returning and the brilliant flip-up trunk area partition in place, the Countrymans freight box isnt much bigger than a Cooper Clubmans. Lowering the returning seat netting 41.3 cubic legs of maximum area -- approximately midway between that of a Kia Sportage and a Car Juke.

Quirky design thrives like the large main speedometer are wonderful pointers that the Countryman is indeed a Little. But the chariot also shares the regular Coopers penchant for small, sometimes annoying manages that value form over function. The flexible middle storage space railroad program is another example, as it looks neat in theory but actually provides little useful storage space potential. The Countryman at least has up-to-date electronics: The optionally available Little Linked infotainment feature provides smart phone app incorporation using a 6.5-inch show located in the middle of the vehicles speedometer.

If youve ever piloted the Cooper hatchback, the 2013 Little Cooper Countryman will experience familiar. Though its a bit more slowly and less nimble, the Countryman maintains many of the hatchs best attributes, including the fantastic, accurate guiding, the S engines distinctive turbo soundtrack and, yes, the sometimes too-firm generate. If you get the stick shift, youll likely enjoy the technical experience of changing equipment in this car, though the clutch system take-up is not as smooth as it could be.

While the platform motor performs fine in the lighter Cooper, its not up to the task of quickly encouraging the Countrymans 500 additional pounds. The cross-over wagons nearly 11-second dash to 60 mph lags behind even slowpoke competitors like the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Unless gas mileage is a concentration, we suggest the S model, as it profits decent mpg and many periods the generating enjoyment.

Though weve yet to test the David Cooper Functions, it should be just like other Little JCW designs, which is to say it will offer even better performance and handling, though at the price of an even tougher quality of generate.