Compare the2023 Audi Q3VS 2022 MINI Countryman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Countryman doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q3 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.

Both the Q3 and Countryman have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q3 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Countryman’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Pre Sense Front in the Q3 as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q3. But it costs extra on the Countryman.

The Q3 Premium Plus has a standard Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Countryman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Q3’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 Q3’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 Q3 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 124 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman was last qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Audi dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q3’s warranty.

Reliability

The Audi Q3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Countryman’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 9 places higher in reliability than MINI.

Engine

The Q3’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 Q3’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 Audi Q3 is faster than the MINI Countryman turbo 3 cyl.:

	Q3	Countryman
Zero to 60 MPH	8.5 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.4 MPH	79.6 MPH

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q3 higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the Q3 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q3’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Countryman:

	Q3	Countryman
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	12.2 inches

The Q3’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 Q3 stops much shorter than the Countryman:

	Q3	Countryman
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Countryman (235/55R18 vs. 225/55R17). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Countryman (255/45R19 vs. 225/55R17).

The Q3’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Countryman’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q3 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Countryman. The Q3’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Countryman.

Suspension and Handling

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Countryman S pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Q3 has 4.8 inches more front shoulder room and 10.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

Cargo Capacity

The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (23.7 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (48 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Q3. The Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Q3 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

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 Q3’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Countryman’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q3 has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Q3 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.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the Countryman because typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the Countryman, including $247 less for a muffler, $11 less for front brake pads and $84 less for a fuel pump.

Recommendations

The Audi Q3 outsold the MINI Countryman by over three to one during the 2021 model year.