Compare the2023 Toyota VenzaVS 2023 MINI Countryman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Venza 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 Venza 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Pre-Collision System in the Venza as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited has standard Rear Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The Venza Limited has a standard Panoramic View Monitor 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 Venza’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 Venza’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Venza and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Venza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Venza 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 almost 12 times as many Toyota dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Venza’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Venza’s reliability 21 points higher than the Countryman.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, MINI is rated lower.

Engine

The Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 85 more horsepower (219 vs. 134) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 30 more horsepower (219 vs. 189) than the Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

	Venza	Countryman
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.8 MPH	79.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Venza gets better mileage than the Countryman:

			MPG
Venza
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/37 hwy
Countryman
	FWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
	AWD	JCW Countryman 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
		S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

The Venza can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The Countryman can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

The Venza 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.

Brakes and Stopping

The Venza stops much shorter than the Countryman:

	Venza	Countryman
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Venza is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

The Venza’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Countryman’s (58.3% to 41.7%). This gives the Venza more stable handling and braking.

The Venza Limited handles at .80 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Venza Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Venza LE’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

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

Chassis

The front grille of the Venza 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.

Passenger Space

The Venza has .5 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .2 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

Cargo Capacity

The Venza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (28.8 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Venza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (55.1 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

An available locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Venza. The Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Ergonomics

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Venza Limited 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 Venza 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.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Venza has a standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Countryman doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Venza has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Countryman.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Venza outsold the MINI Countryman by almost four to one during 2022.