THE latest Countryman is the largest MINI to date and it offers lots of space and stacks of style as well as lots more MINI characteristics that you expect from the brand.

In this third and latest generation of the Countryman there is room for four adults to travel in comfort and surprisingly it is larger than some of the opposition - including the Ford Puma

The John Cooper Works version I have been driving is the flagship of the range and its two-tone paintjob and and quadruple exhausts make it stand out from the crowd and its funky looks mean it gets lots of attention.

This SUV version of the iconic MINI gives the driver almost 300bhp to play with as well as all wheel drive and sports suspension.

The car may be bigger and heavier than before but the JCW version is impressively quick and is still agile and athletic.

I liked its style and think it looks better than the regular five-door MINI.

The steering is sharp and body roll is minimal, allowing you to have fun on twisty roads. The ride is not harsh despite the sports suspension and it always feels composed.

The JCW is also very quick and 62mph arrives in just 5.4 seconds, making it faster than most hot-hatches and its rorty exhaust just increases the fun.

Its extra height provides excellent visibility and you can select from three driving modes, Eco, Mid for general driving and Go-Kart for when you want to dial up the fun.

The 1.5 engine featured in the normal Countryman is ditched for this 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine which sounds sporty when revved and is responsive and eager.

One of the main attractions of the MINI is its retro styling, both externally and in the cabin. The new interior is both premium and ultra smart, blending tradition with state of the art tech and new materials.

A massive crystal clear round OLED touchscreen operates everything from climate control to sat nav and media. Gone are the switches and toggles of the past but some may still long for them - especially for heating control.

Passengers now have greater comfort thanks to the increase in cabin size and head, leg and shoulder room is generous and compares well with others in the sector.

Luggage space at 460 litres is more than ample and the rear seats slide forward to allow extra cargo room. With the rear seats folded there's 1,530 litres of luggage space available.

The two sets of twin exhausts produce a pleasing sporty sound on acceleration but at cruising speeds the JCW is very quiet and refined.

The seven-speed DSG auto box is an ideal companion to the engine and makes driving a pleasure.

As usual the price you pay for performance is economy and I struggled to get better than 35mpg during my time with the car but it did not put me off this JCW version of the Countryman'

There is a lot to like about the new Countryman and if you don't want or cannot afford the sporting JCW, lesser versions start from just over £29,000 and offer just as much style and space.