Compare the2022 Kia Niro Plug-In HybridVS 2022 MINI SE Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 SE 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 Plug-In Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Plug-In Hybrid as “Superior.” The SE Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’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 SE 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 Plug-In Hybrid’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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the SE Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, 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 rear parking sensors.

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

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than MINI covers the SE 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 SE 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 Plug-In Hybrid’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.

On the EPA test cycle the Niro Plug-In Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the SE Countryman running on electricity (110 city/99 hwy vs. 74 city/72 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Niro Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the SE Countryman running its gasoline engine (48 city/44 hwy vs. 29 city/30 hwy).

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s maximum driving range in pure electric mode is 26 miles, 44% further than the SE Countryman’s 18-mile range.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the SE Countryman (11.4 vs. 9.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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

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

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 600 pounds less than the MINI SE Countryman.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has 5.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the SE Countryman (100.9 vs. 95.4).

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the SE Countryman.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the SE Countryman with its rear seat up (19.4 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SE Countryman with its rear seat folded (54.5 vs. 47.4 cubic feet).

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the SE 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 Plug-In Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 SE Countryman.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.