Compare the2022 BMW X2VS 2022 MINI Countryman

Both the X2 and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, its standard front crash prevention system, its “Good” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X2 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman was last qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2017.

There are over 3 times as many BMW dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X2’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X2’s reliability 21 points higher than the Countryman.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X2 third among small premium suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Countryman isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 11 places higher in reliability than MINI.

The X2 has more powerful engines than the Countryman:

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW X2 2.0 is faster than the MINI Countryman:

On the EPA test cycle the X2 xDrive28i with its standard turbo 4 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the Countryman S ALL4 8-speed Auto 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. (189 HP) (24 city/31 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

For better stopping power the X2 M35i’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Countryman:

The X2’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Countryman are solid, not vented.

The X2 stops much shorter than the Countryman:

The X2’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Countryman’s standard 55 series tires. The X2 M35i’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Countryman’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X2 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Countryman. The X2 M35i’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Countryman.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the X2 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. Run-flat tires cost extra on some versions of the Countryman.

The X2 xDrive28i handles at .91 G’s, while the Countryman S pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X2 sDrive28i xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.4 seconds quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (25.9 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X2 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (7.2 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the X2 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The X2 has 3.7 inches more front shoulder room and 8.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The X2 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (21.6 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The X2 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (50.1 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the X2. The Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than MINI. J.D. Power ranks BMW 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 2% lower rating, MINI is ranked 9th.

Consumer Reports rated the X2’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Countryman’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The X2’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Countryman’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

The X2 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Countryman.