2011 Mini Countryman Starts at $22,350

Just the Facts:

• The base front-drive 2011 Mini Countryman is priced at $22,350.
• An all-wheel-drive Cooper S Countryman will start at less than $30,000.
• Mini's crossover SUV will go on sale in the U.S. in January.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, New Jersey — Slated to go on sale in the U.S. in January, the all-new 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman will be priced from $22,350, including a $700 destination charge.

The Countryman will be marketed in three versions: Cooper Countryman, Cooper S Countryman and Cooper S Countryman with ALL4 all-wheel drive. Mini said a well-equipped Cooper S Countryman with ALL4 will cost "less than $30,000." Other prices will be announced later.

This fourth member of the Mini family is more than 2 feet longer than the Mini Cooper hardtop. The Countryman crossover SUV is the first in the stable to offer not only all-wheel drive, but also four doors. It features a wide-opening tailgate, more ground clearance, a higher seating position and a much larger cabin with more cargo capacity.

Two 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines will be available at launch. The normally aspirated 1.6-liter engine in the base Cooper Countryman makes 121 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. With the standard six-speed manual gearbox, it lopes from zero to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds.

The turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6-liter in the Cooper S Countryman delivers 181 hp and 177 lb-ft. With a manual transmission, the car zips from zero to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds. A six-speed automatic transmission is optional on all 2011 Mini Countryman models.

The EPA rates the Cooper Countryman at 27 mpg in city driving and 35 mpg on the highway. The Cooper S Countryman has city/highway ratings of 25/33, while the ALL4 variant is rated at 25/31.

All models get 205/50R17 run-flat tires. Among the options are a panoramic sunroof; adaptive headlamps; 18-inch alloys with lowered sport suspension; and a range of John Cooper Works components and accessories. An auxiliary input is standard in the Countryman, but you'll need to visit the options list to get staples like a USB input and Bluetooth.

Inside Line says: We're not sure if Mini's public-relations tongue was still in cheek when it described the Countryman as "a genuine crossover vehicle" with "go-kart handling." This we gotta see. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent