Entering its second year of production, the 4-door, 4-passenger 2012 MINI Countryman, which has a lengthy options list, made no major changes to its configuration for this year, with only a couple of minor option additions, such as changes to the steering wheel cover and tweaks to the wheels and upholstery.
The three trim levels for the 2012 MINI Countryman are the Base, S and S ALL4, all of which come with a standard 1.6 liter 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder aluminum-alloy premium gasoline engine, which is turbocharged in the S trim levels. The standard engine achieves 121 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, while the turbocharged powertrain reaches 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. All trims come equipped with a 6-speed manual Getrag transmission with overdrive (which is upgradeable to an Aisin 6-speed automatic transmission). The Base and S trims are front-wheel drive (FWD), and the S ALL4 is all-wheel drive (AWD).
Fuel economy varies depending on trim and transmission. The Base trim with a manual transmission is estimated to get 27 mpg city/35 highway, while the Base with an automatic transmission is estimated to get 25/30. The S gets 26/32 with a standard transmission and 25/32 with an automatic transmission. Mileage drops slightly with the S ALL4, achieving 25/31 with a manual transmission and 23/30 with an automatic.
The Base Countryman has a number of standard features, including air conditioning, cruise control, tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel (with audio and cruise controls), leatherette upholstery, height-adjustable driver’s seat, rear bucket seats or bench seat, roof rails, trip computer, 6-speaker sound system with an AM/FM/HD radio with a CD player and MP3 capability, Sirius XM satellite radio (with a 1-year subscription to the Sirius Select package), auxiliary audio jack and 17-inch 5-spoke or tunnel-spoke alloy wheels (with performance run-flat or all-season tires), which can also be had with a black finish. The Countryman S trims add sport seats and fog lamps as standard equipment.
Numerous upgrades and packages can personalize the 2012 MINI Countryman. For example, the Cold Weather Package adds power-folding heated side mirrors and heated front seats, while the Premium Package adds a keyless entry system, chrome interior finishes, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rain-sensing windshield wiper, automatic headlights and automatic air conditioning. The Technology Package adds a 480-watt Harman Kardon sound system (with 10 speakers), rear park distance control, Bluetooth HandsFree technology and iPhone integration system. A navigation system, part of the MINI Connected configuration, can be added for an additional fee to the Technology Package. The Sport Package can be configured with either 18-inch Turbo Fan spoke wheels (in either aluminum or white with premium run-flat or all-season tires) and/or Bonnet Stripes. Many of the package options are also available individually, depending on the trim level. Other available individual options include chrome mirror caps, a rear spoiler, Anthracite headliner, sport suspension, Xenon headlights, alarm system and dual-pane panoramic sunroof.
Standard safety features for all 2012 MINI Countryman trims include 7 airbags (driver and front passenger frontal air bags, driver and passenger side-impact airbags, 2 ceiling-mounted side-curtain airbags and a front passenger knee airbag), 4-wheel disc brakes with an antilock braking system and adjustable traction control system.
Body color options for the 2012 MINI Countryman are Light White, Bright Yellow, Light Coffee, Absolute Black, Cosmic Blue, Oxford Green, Pure Red, Surf Blue, Royal Gray, Crystal Silver and True Blue. Roof and mirror color options are body color, Black or White, and the available interior colors are Carbon Black and Pure Red in cloth; Carbon black in leatherette; and Carbon Black, Pure Red, Polar Beige, Light Coffee, Light Tobacco, and Lounge Black in leather. Not all interior options are available for all trim levels.
Given that the 2012 MINI Countryman is equipped in a similar fashion as the lighter MINI Cooper 2-door hatchback, it should not be that surprising to find that owners, while reveling in the extra space that the Countryman provides as well as its customizable options, are not as enamored with its handling, which is described as sluggish, plodding and just plain slow. The AWD Countryman gets slightly better reviews for shifting and handling, but still places it behind similar compact crossovers such as the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Soul.
2012 Countryman, 70k original miles, pitting on the cam lobes, engine light will not clear out, can't SMOG the car for sale. Please share your suggestions. Also, can you recommend the correct OBD2 Scan tool?
I have a glove trapped in my rear hatch of my Countryman...can't get the glove out and cannot get the hatch opened because of that...any ideas?!!
I was ripped off by a dealer. bought a car that will not run. it was shipped to me in another country and the dealer will not respond.
Key Fob stuck in ignition starts fine and no other issue but cant take fob out
My wife’s 2012 Mini has been showing the check engine light. I changed the two cam shaft sensors and it did it again then went off. Then it came on again. I disconnected the battery and it reset and did fine for over a week. Then today it came on and went back off again on it’s own. During all this, it has not lost power. Thoughts? Thanks.
Air Conditioning
Active charcoal air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front passenger knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · USB auxiliary audio input · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Harman-Kardon · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.6 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.0 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: front center · Dash trim: alloy · Foot pedal trim: stainless steel · Headliner trim: leather · Shift knob trim: alloy · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ambient lighting: color-adjustable · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: hard · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Footwell lights: color-adjustable · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: phone · Storage: in-floor · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Manual adjustments: 6
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 4.72
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps
Exterior Features
Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome surround · Headlamp bezel color: black · Mirror color: chrome · Paint: metallic · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Stripes: hood
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Video monitor size: 6.5
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: maintenance reminder
Lights
Headlight cleaners: heated · Headlights: adaptive
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: auto-dimming · Inside rearview mirror: manual day/night
Passenger Seat
Manual Adjustments: 6
Rear Seats
Type: bucket
Roof
Convertible roof: soft top · Roof rails: silver · Sunroof: power panoramic
Safety
Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: rear · Impact sensor: door unlock · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat manual adjustments: height · Front seat type: sport bucket · Heated: mulitlevel · Passenger seat manual adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: leather/cloth
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.1
Suspension
Damper Control: frequency selective · Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone: pre-wired for phone · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 5
Windows
Front wipers: speed sensitive · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: auto-on in reverse
Air Conditioning
Active charcoal air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front passenger knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · Auxiliary audio input: jack · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Harman-Kardon · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 12.1 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.0 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: front center · Dash trim: alloy · Foot pedal trim: stainless steel · Headliner trim: leather · Shift knob trim: alloy · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ambient lighting: color-adjustable · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: hard · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Footwell lights: color-adjustable · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: in-floor · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Manual adjustments: 6
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 3.71
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps
Exterior Features
Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: black · Headlamp bezel color: black · Mirror color: chrome · Paint: metallic · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Stripes: hood
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Video monitor size: 6.5
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: maintenance reminder
Lights
Headlight cleaners: heated · Headlights: adaptive
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power · Inside rearview mirror: manual day/night
Passenger Seat
Manual Adjustments: 6
Rear Seats
Type: bucket
Roof
Convertible roof: soft top · Roof rails: silver · Sunroof: power panoramic
Safety
Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: rear · Impact sensor: fuel cut-off · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat manual adjustments: height · Front seat type: sport bucket · Heated: mulitlevel · Passenger seat manual adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: leather/cloth
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.1
Suspension
Damper Control: frequency selective · Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone: pre-wired for phone · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: performance
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: painted alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 5
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: auto-on in reverse
Air Conditioning
Active charcoal air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front passenger knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · Auxiliary audio input: jack · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Harman-Kardon · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 10
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 12.1 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.0 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: front center · Dash trim: alloy · Foot pedal trim: stainless steel · Headliner trim: leather · Shift knob trim: alloy · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ambient lighting: color-adjustable · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: hard · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Footwell lights: color-adjustable · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: phone · Storage: in-floor · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Manual adjustments: 6
Drivetrain
4WD Type: full time · Axle ratio: 3.71
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps
Exterior Features
Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: black · Headlamp bezel color: black · Mirror color: chrome · Paint: metallic · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Stripes: hood
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Video monitor size: 6.5
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: maintenance reminder
Lights
Headlight cleaners: heated · Headlights: HID
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: auto-dimming · Inside rearview mirror: manual day/night
Passenger Seat
Manual Adjustments: 6
Rear Seats
Type: bucket
Roof
Convertible roof: soft top · Roof rails: silver · Sunroof: dual-panel
Safety
Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: front · Impact sensor: door unlock · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat manual adjustments: height · Front seat type: sport bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat manual adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: leather
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.1
Suspension
Damper Control: frequency selective · Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): front
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone: pre-wired for phone · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: painted alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 5
Windows
Front wipers: speed sensitive · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: auto-on in reverse