Compare the2022 Kia NiroVS 2022 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Countryman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Niro are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Countryman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Countryman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Autonomous Emergency Braking optional in the Niro as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Countryman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Countryman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Niro and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, rear parking sensors and driver alert monitors.

The Niro comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Countryman’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 7 times as many Kia dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Niro’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 8 places higher in reliability than MINI.

The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 more horsepower (139 vs. 134) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro is faster than the MINI Countryman turbo 3 cyl.:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Niro higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the Niro produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The Niro stops much shorter than the Countryman:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Countryman (106.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Niro Touring SE handles at .82 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro Touring SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 550 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The design of the Kia Niro amounts to more than styling. The Niro has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Countryman (.32) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro get better fuel mileage.

The Niro has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (100.9 vs. 96.9).

The Niro has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 4.1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom and 10.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (19.4 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (54.5 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

The Niro LXS/Touring/Touring Special Edition/EX Premium has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Countryman only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Niro has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro EX Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Countryman doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Niro 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.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Niro and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kia Niro outsold the MINI Countryman by over two to one during the 2021 model year.