Used MINI Countryman review and buying guide (2009 to present): which one to buy and what to check

Which used MINI Countryman should you buy?

A front-wheel-drive Cooper with the non-turbo 1.6 petrol is the first-generation Countryman to shortlist, but only one that's quiet from cold and comes with paperwork for timing chain work. Every 1.6 petrol in it carries a known fault where the chain stretches and its tensioner fails between 40,000 and 80,000 miles. The turbo Cooper S shares that chain and adds a dump valve whose diaphragm can split, so it isn't the pick.

Don't buy a first-generation diesel. The One D, Cooper D and Cooper SD use the BMW N47, fitted from the Countryman's 2010 launch, and they have their timing chain at the back of the engine, where the guides break up and the chain stretches or snaps between 50,000 and 110,000 miles, and it can go with no warning noise at all. Owners have reported these diesels failing at 48,000, 54,000 and 85,000 miles, and on a 2013 car the chain snapped and wrecked the engine.

Stick with front-wheel drive where you can. Several ALL4 owners have reported drivetrain failures well before 40,000 miles: transfer boxes at 20,850 and 28,000 miles, a centre clutch at 26,000 miles, a clutch at 11,500 miles and clutches with dual-mass flywheels at 22,500 and 37,000 miles. That's too many separate reports to treat as bad luck, and an approved used car needed a clutch and flywheel at 30,000 miles too, so check the clutch on any Countryman.

The 2017 to 2024 Countryman sidesteps both chain faults, as neither reaches these years, but a short record isn't a clean one. Owners have sent in a handful of one-off problems: injectors replaced on a Cooper S ALL4 at 12,000 miles, a panoramic sunroof that shattered when a door was slammed, and wet front footwells on a nearly new car. On a 2017 to 2018 three-cylinder petrol, ask for proof of the recall that fitted a crash plate to the high-pressure fuel pump.

Which Countryman engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

No first-generation Countryman engine is a safe choice, and the non-turbo Cooper 1.6 petrol is the lesser risk. Its known fault is the timing chain stretching and the tensioner failing between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, which shows as a metallic rattle on a cold start, the engine warning light and limp mode. A chain that rattles from cold often needs replacing before 60,000 miles, so treat any noise as a chain that's due.

The Cooper S turbo shares that chain fault and adds more to watch. In the US, turbo Cooper S models up to 2011 were recalled over the electric auxiliary water pump, and the dump valve's diaphragm can split or its thin plastic retaining ring can go brittle and fail. One owner's 2011 Cooper S had its oil solenoid seal leak into the main control unit through the wiring at 55,000 miles, and after BMW covered half the parts the owner was left with a £1,500 bill.

Avoid the first-generation One D, Cooper D and Cooper SD diesels. Their chain sits behind the flywheel, the guides break up, and between 50,000 and 110,000 miles the chain stretches or snaps, sometimes with no warning noise at all. One owner's 2.0 SD engine blew up at 48,000 miles, and the owner's bill came to £1,400 once BMW contributed. Another's chain failed at 54,000 miles on a car serviced at the intervals BMW set.

The clutch is the gearbox worry. Owners have reported the clutch and dual-mass flywheel going at 22,500, 30,000 and 37,000 miles, and a John Cooper Works ALL4's clutch at 11,500 miles; the owner at 37,000 miles faced a £2,000 bill after the warranty claim was turned down. On ALL4 cars the transfer box and centre clutch have failed too, and MINI wouldn't help with one centre clutch because its fluid and filter had never been changed.

What should you check when viewing a used Countryman?

Hear the engine start from stone cold, so ask the seller not to run it before you arrive, because a warm engine won't show you the chain noise. On a petrol, a metallic rattle as it fires up is the chain; on a diesel, listen for a rattle or rhythmic scraping from the back of the engine. An engine warning light or limp mode on the test drive points the same way, and receipts for a chain replacement matter more on this car than a stamped service book.

On an ALL4, check the tread depth on all four tyres, because two transfer box failures have been linked to tyres worn more than 3mm apart. Ask for receipts showing the centre clutch fluid and filter were changed. On the drive, turn slowly on full lock going forwards and in reverse: one 2.0d ALL4 owner felt a jolt doing exactly that. Ask for receipts for any clutch or flywheel work, since owners have had both go before 40,000 miles.

Lift the mats and feel the carpets for damp. One owner had water getting in through the windscreen and door seals, a 2017 car had wet front footwells at 2,200 miles, and a 2010 ALL4 was leaking oil badly at 44,000 miles. On a Cooper S, sniff for fuel inside and out (one 2014 owner had a strong fuel smell) and look for oil weeping from the timing chain tensioner, which a BMW bulletin covering 2010 to 2011 cars put down to a seal ring that was too soft.

Ask for proof the fuel pump crash plate recall was done on a 2017 to 2018 three-cylinder petrol. On a first-generation Cooper S, check round the water pump, as one 2014 car needed a new pump, housing and pulley at 26,000 miles after they cracked. On a turbo petrol, oil changes more often than the long-life schedule are a good sign, since one owner put emulsified oil and blocked oilways down to short trips from cold and long gaps between services.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Is a used MINI Countryman R60 (2010 to 2016) worth buying?

Buy a front-wheel-drive Cooper petrol from this generation, and only with a quiet cold start and chain receipts, because every engine it offers has a known timing chain fault. Get past that and it's a practical MINI: it's got a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and the five-seat version really does take five adults, with easier access to the back than you'd guess from outside.

The 1.6 petrol's chain stretches and its tensioner fails between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, and the diesel's rear-mounted chain goes between 50,000 and 110,000 miles, sometimes without warning. One owner's 2014 car, engine not stated, developed an engine fault at 55,000 miles, traced to the chain no longer turning the camshaft. Another's dealer-serviced 2012 car started using oil and had its engine condemned at 71,000 miles.

ALL4 cars and clutches bring the rest of the trouble. Transfer boxes, a centre clutch, clutches and dual-mass flywheels have failed on owners' cars between 11,500 and 37,000 miles. One 2013 2.0d ALL4 also developed a jolt at slow speed on full lock that the dealer couldn't cure, then lost its EGR valve at 22,500 miles.

Look for evidence of the fixes on file. A BMW bulletin for 2010 to 2011 cars replaced a seal ring on the chain tensioner that was too soft and let oil out, and cars up to 2012 could shed an O-ring from the oil filter non-return valve, cured with a new oil filter housing. On a turbo Cooper S, ask whether the auxiliary water pump has been replaced, as it was recalled in the US.

Should you buy a MINI Countryman F60 (2017 to 2024)?

The F60's the Countryman to buy if the older car's chain faults put you off, since neither of those known faults reaches these years and none is logged against it, and the Cooper's three-cylinder petrol is the engine to pick. It earned five stars from Euro NCAP and every version can be had with four-wheel drive. The trade-offs are a ride that's firm enough to jar at times and plenty of wind noise on the motorway.

What owners have reported are one-off cars rather than a pattern. A 71-plate Cooper S ALL4 at 12,000 miles threw a drivetrain fault and idled lumpily until MINI fitted a full set of new injectors, without finding the cause. A dealer wanted to replace a 2018 car's steering wheel because its connections had corroded, and a 2018 Cooper's glass panoramic roof shattered when someone slammed the driver's door.

The electronics have drawn complaints too. One 2018 owner's automatic emergency braking locked on and the car skidded to the left, with a bird crossing the radar sensor the suspected trigger, and another owner found the optional driving assistant pack unreliable. A 2017 car's remote key failed twice, the second time with a fresh battery, so try both keys before you buy.

On a plug-in Cooper S E, check the home charging cable's with the car and that it charges, as some early ones were handed over without cables and one needed a new charge control unit before delivery. If you carry a child seat in the front, make sure the passenger airbag can be switched off, because that switch was an option rather than standard.

What does a used MINI Countryman cost to run?

What do Countryman owners like about them?

The raised seating position makes it easy to climb in and out of and gives a clear view all round, yet it still steers with the eager, go-kart feel you'd expect of a MINI. The rear seats slide forwards and back and their backrests tilt, so you can trade rear legroom for boot space. On long trips there's plenty of legroom, headroom and shoulder room.

The 2017 to 2024 car has loads of cabin space and a big boot, and it's properly involving to drive for a family crossover. It's got a quirky character that's hard to find among cars of this type, too, so it doesn't feel like every other crossover.

• The Countryman offers four doors, a wide-opening rear hatch, and an elevated seating position for improved comfort, while retaining the characteristic 'go-kart' feel.
• The front end is positioned almost upright to optimise pedestrian safety, with large windows and four doors emphasising the car's extra interior space.
• An elevated seating position provides comfortable access and an optimised all-round view for the driver, with a versatile centre rail for storage.
• The Countryman offers generous legroom, headroom, and shoulder room for superior comfort on long journeys, with flexible rear seating increasing luggage capacity to 1,170 litres.
• The optional ALL4 all-wheel drive system offers high-traction agile handling, distributing up to 100 per cent of engine power to the rear wheels in extreme conditions.