Quote:
Originally Posted by heavyD^2
Americans are foregoing compact cars for CUV's. I suppose the Countryman is a CUV but the price is so high that you have to really want a Mini to justify paying that over a larger, more substantial SUV.
|
The Countryman definitely slots into the compact SUV/crossover segment, but a single model isn’t able to support the whole brand. Furthermore, the modern MINI ethos was minimalist transportation with some style and zip. Trying to bring an SUV into the fold without alienating the core customer was always going to be a tap dance on a tightrope. The Countryman is the krypton to the original target MINI demographic (and for some of them, perhaps soiled the brand) while also being increasingly invisible behind a lineup compact hatchbacks that are no longer cool.