Compare the2022 BMW X1VS 2022 MINI Countryman

Both the X1 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, 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, available all wheel drive and driver alert monitors.

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 X1 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 175 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 X1’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 X1’s reliability 21 points higher than the Countryman.

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 X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 94 more horsepower (228 vs. 134) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (228 vs. 189) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 206) than the Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the BMW X1 is faster than the MINI Countryman:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW X1 higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the X1 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The X1’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 X1 stops much shorter than the Countryman:

The X1’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.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X1 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Countryman.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the X1 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 X1 xDrive28i handles at .85 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X1 xDrive28i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X1 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (7.2 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the X1 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The X1 has 4.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (101.2 vs. 96.9).

The X1 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 3.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and 10.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The X1 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (27.1 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The X1 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (58.7 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 X1. 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.

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 X1’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Countryman’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the X1 has a standard extendable sun visor. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The X1 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.

Insurance will cost less for the X1 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the X1 with a number “3” insurance rate while the Countryman is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

The X1 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 5 years. The Countryman has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

The BMW X1 outsold the MINI Countryman by 64% during the 2021 model year.