Compare the2023 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2022 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V 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 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 CR-V Hybrid 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Countryman’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The CR-V Hybrid’s blind spot mirrors use wide-angle convex mirrors mounted in the corner of each side view mirror to reveal objects that may be in the driver’s blind spots. The Countryman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

Both the CR-V Hybrid 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 rear parking sensors.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the CR-V Hybrid 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 10 times as many Honda dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 18 places higher in reliability than MINI.

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 70 more horsepower (204 vs. 134) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 15 more horsepower (204 vs. 189) and 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 206) than the Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the Countryman:

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Countryman doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Countryman (235/60R18 vs. 225/55R17).

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

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V Hybrid is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

For greater off-road capability the CR-V Hybrid has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (8.2 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the CR-V Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the CR-V Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Countryman doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V Hybrid has 6.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (103.5 vs. 96.9).

The CR-V Hybrid has .9 inches more front legroom, 6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 10.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (76.5 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 CR-V Hybrid. The Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The CR-V Hybrid has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

The CR-V 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 Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CR-V Hybrid 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 CR-V Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The CR-V 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 Countryman.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 21 years. The Countryman has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Countryman has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the MINI Countryman by almost 36 to one during the 2021 model year.