THERE is very little that is Mini about the new Mini Countryman.

It is the first Mini to come with four doors, the first Mini over four metres long and the first with plenty of space for up to five people.

And, even more impressive, it is the first Mini with serious luggage-carrying capacity.

So it’s the biggest, most practical car to carry the Mini badge, but does it still have that vital Mini spark?

The seating position is raised, so for the first time in a Mini you find yourself looking down on some other drivers. But settle into the hugely comfortable seat and start to explore the handling of the newcomer and relax, because the Mini magic is alive and well.

Despite the increase in size, the “go-kart” handling, which is synonymous with the Mini brand, courses through the Countryman’s veins. From the MacPherson spring struts on the front axle to the multi-link rear axle via front and rear anti-roll bars, the Countryman delivers safe, agile and, above all else, fun handling.

And, for the first time, the optional Mini ALL4 all-wheel drive allows you to take that fun feel off the beaten track, thanks to an electronically-controlled system that varies the power distribution seamlessly between the front and rear axles.

Built in Graz, Austria, by BMW Group’s partner Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik, the test model’s 1.6-litre, lightweight, aluminium turbodiesel engine, also built in Austria, pumps out a lively 112 horsepower. All manual gearbox models come with an auto start/stop function that switches the engine off automatically whenever the car comes to a standstill and fires it up the instant the clutch is depressed.

With its striking roof shape and upright front end, this Mini is a proper head-turner. Eye-catching touches range from the distinctive hexagonal radiator grille, large headlights set into the bonnet, side indicator surrounds and chunky wheel arches, to vertical rear light clusters and a tailgate that bears the biggest Mini badge ever seen, which cleverly doubles up as the handle.

The tea-plate sized speedometer also houses a crystal-clear display of everything from radio to sat-nav, but the awkward placing of more than 30 buttons and switches below it, is much less successful.

Like all Minis, the ability to customise the car is virtually limitless, with buyers able to choose from a wide range of paint finishes, interior colours, upholstery and trim. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, CD player and a centre rail that runs through the middle of the interior allowing storage boxes, cup holders, external audio devices, and mobile phones to be stored.

Options range from the hi-tech, like navigation systems, interfaces for the Apple iPhone or other smartphones and web radio, to the highly practical, such as large panoramic sunroof, xenon headlights, heated windscreen and a trailer coupling.

The Countryman comes as standard with four seats, while a three-seat rear bench is available as a no-cost option. The rear seats can be moved forwards and backwards individually, or in a 60:40 split with the bench option, the angle of the backrests can be adjusted and the backrests can be folded down.

Older readers might recall the original Countryman, that came on to the market back in 1960. The Austin Seven Countryman and the Morris Mini Traveller sister model were sold up to 1969, with this variant of the Mini – not least the version with its wooden frame trim on the body flanks and rear doors – achieving cult status.

Demand for the new Countryman exceeded all expectations, with last year’s UK allocation sold out weeks before its launch.

And though the Countryman is the first modern Mini not to be built in Oxford, one element it shares with the rest of the Mini family is the ability to put a big smile on the driver’s face.