2025 MINI Countryman S7S02184

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The Countryman uses a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Although a DCT will choose gears for you just like a traditional automatic, behind the scenes it’s basically a manual transmission with two clutches operated by two robotic left feet. The benefit is that shifts are quicker than a traditional automatic. The drawback is that some DCTs-including this one-lurch and hiccup at low speeds as if those robots had just gotten their learner’s permits. Tap the throttle in stop-and-go traffic or when pulling away from a stoplight and the Countryman lurches forward only to suddenly hesitate. One of our testers said it felt like the car was hiccuping, and a few of our passengers have asked us to drive more gently. It’s just one example of how the car feels like an unfinished project.