Sun, rain and snow in one day. I checked the BMW X2 and the MINI Countryman on the roads of Slovenia

Over the course of three days, I tested basically all the important versions of these cars in very different conditions – on the highway at 20 degrees, on the Slovenian roads around the wall of rain, and even in wet snow on the snakes that pass through Triglav. Animal park. Here’s everything you want to know about the third-generation BMW X2 and MINI Countryman.

The first episode – the highway, from the sun to the wall of water, and three cylinders under the hood in the MINI Countryman C.

The plan for the first day of the trip was simple – from Zagreb we headed to Slovenia. On the way, we stopped for a short time in wonderful Ljubljana, where I had the pleasure of living many years ago, and from there we continued to Bled. For this segment I chose the MINI Countryman C, the version with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine that produces 170 HP. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

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It is safe to say that this will be one of the most popular options in this car. What’s more – it’s also a good choice. Why? There are three reasons. First of all, the dynamics leave nothing to be desired. Even on the road we have a reserve of power under our right foot, and accelerating even more than 100 km / h does not disappoint.

Second, the MINI Countryman C is fuel-efficient. For a distance of 220 km, it consumed more than 6 liters of fuel, and it was a combination of driving on the highway, in the city (in traffic jams) and on mountain roads, which we used to avoid accidents on the highway. .

The car I was driving was also “normal”, which made me very happy. As a rule, media cars have a hood to show all the equipment from the manufacturer’s version. Here I found a classic black car, in a “balloon”, with upholstery from the middle of the offer and with good equipment. Nothing was missing, and the price of such a car remains very attractive and friendly (by MINI standards).

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Despite the front-wheel drive, the handling, even on the wall of water, was very good

The UKL2 platform, which is the basis of this car (also for the BMW X2), is a very refined design. The standard Countryman C was able to achieve excellent driving characteristics while maintaining good suspension comfort. For daily driving it will be a perfect compromise.

Initially, I was skeptical about the new cockpit and the large central screen, but one solution completely changes the perception of this interior.

Now The command center of all new MINIs is an all-round OLED display, which not only transmits multimedia data, but is also responsible for speed and data from the tablet. So I was afraid that the MINI would go too far in the Tesla way, even though MINI is an expert at leaving the indicators in the middle of the dashboard.

And it worked well, for one simple reason – standard HUD display behind the steering wheel. Although it uses a window, it means you don’t have to look in the middle while driving. You are only interested in navigation and multimedia data. Initially, the operation requires getting used to, but after a few minutes you will easily understand how the new system works.

The MINI Citizen is also highly rated for its capabilities

Let’s be honest: if it had a name Citizen MAXI, then it would be a more appropriate term. Although the body is “only” 4.43 meters long, visually it gives the impression of being much larger. You can also feel it inside, where there is a lot of space in the back seat and the trunk is very large. Three suitcases and a backpack fit here without hesitation.

Second half – BMW X2 M35i, winding mountain roads of Slovenia and Italy, snow and rain

Can you think of better conditions to test the flagship variant of a new SUV? I don’t think so. After all, we have 300 HP and four-wheel drive, which should ensure a pleasant and confident car. So I got the keys to the most beautiful one, with matte varnish Portimao Frozen Blue (PLN 12,200 surcharge) and 20-inch alloy rims.

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From Bled we traveled via Planica to Tarvisio in Italy, and then on to Mangart Pass in Slovenia to Soča. From there, the trip took an unusual route – from Most and Soči we boarded a train platform that crossed the mountain range and took us to Bohinjska Bistrica.

The first stage, namely Bled-Soča, driving a BMW X2 M35i, took place in alternating heavy rain and snow. In some places, winding mountain roads were literally covered in a thick layer of wet white mush. As it turns out, with 300 HP and 4×4 this car is not a problem.

I will not say that it is a car that gives good driving sensations. The sporty X2 has a very composed character, although it does like to make a low noise from the exhaust as it descends. Driving this car is very confident – there is a lot of traction, and the steering system has a short ratio and transmits a lot of information from the chassis. The gearbox can be sluggish in normal setting, but in manual mode it’s fun to play with.

I would compare this car to a big hotch. Although it is a ramp, it has more than small cars, which include large ones. At the same time, it is a comfortable place to sit, there is a lot of space, and the trunk, although “cut” compared to the X1, still offers a lot of space.

Episode three – I’m replacing a BMW X2 with a more powerful combustion engine and a more advanced BMW iX2.

Theoretically, I have more power here, 313 HP instead of 300. However, I also carry 300 kg of “extra baggage” in the form of a 64.7 kWh battery. Surprisingly, despite several similarities and the same body, these are two different cars.

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The iX2 doesn’t pretend to be a sports version. On the contrary – it is fast, but very “daily”. And surprisingly, thanks to its low center of gravity, it is also pleasant to drive. On hilly roads, 2 tons are not often felt, and excellent feedback returns energy. For a distance of 70 km, I got a consumption of 17.7 kWh, and it was a very powerful ride in some places, also uphill. The result is a pleasant surprise.

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The new BMW X2 looks completely different – and that’s a good change

The predecessor, although successful, looked like a cross between an SUV and a hatchback. She wasn’t pretty – you could say that without hesitation. This time, the Germans decided to refer to the X4 and X6, although in a more angular version. Many people will probably appreciate such a change, because the combination of the “SUV and coupe” style, which is eagerly emphasized by the marketing departments of many brands, is what customers expect.

This change was successful here. The silhouette of the X2 is very pleasing to the eye, and the car, like the MINI, looks bigger. The big advantage is the front fascia – a little more aggressive than in the X1, and still with good-sized kidneys.

The fourth episode, the MINI Countryman JCW, which can be called the “crazy brother” of the BMW X2 M35i

Both cars drive the same and have 300 HP under the hood. MINI, of course, offers all this in a classic style. And it looks great – and it’s just as fun to drive.

Like the X2, the Countryman JCW is a very mature car. It can drive fast, but it doesn’t try to surprise the driver by throwing the front end or understeer too much. He showed his dominant side on the beautiful hill section from Lake Bohinj to the biathlon center in Pokljuka.

So we can say that this is a car for people who need practicality, appreciate the MINI design and want to have a lot of power under their right foot. This is the main difference between Citizen and X2. Although these cars are very similar in many respects, they reach different customer groups.

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In X2 you will probably see company employees, people who appreciate modern lines and advanced technologies. MINI it is, in turn, for design fans who break away from everyday patterns and standards. Here, appearance plays a more important role.

What these cars also have in common is top-shelf technology

For the first time in these cars, I was able to test the function of the digital key loaded on the phone. I am approaching some solution with great savings, because I believe that “the enemy of good is better”. However, here it works effectively.

With the new generation of BMW and MINI digital key, you no longer need to keep your phone or watch on the door handle. All we need is to put our device inside the car area. This opens the doors and allows the car to start. Moreover, you can use this function even when your smartphone is removed – at least in theory, since I have not tested it in practice.

In addition, these vehicles have advanced driver assistance and driving automation systems on board. It’s especially useful on the highway – especially when the cruise control automatically adjusts the speed to the speed limit on certain sections.