Compare the2023 Honda HR-VVS 2023 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda HR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The MINI Countryman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda HR-V 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 HR-V 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 Collision Mitigation Braking System in the HR-V 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 HR-V EX-L has a standard Low Speed Braking Control 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.

The HR-V Sport/EX-L’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 HR-V Sport/EX-L’s standard Cross Traffic Monitor 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 HR-V 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 wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the HR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the HR-V 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 HR-V’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 HR-V’s reliability 20 points higher than the Countryman.

The HR-V’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 24 more horsepower (158 vs. 134) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

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

The HR-V 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.

The HR-V 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.

The HR-V stops much shorter than the Countryman:

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The HR-V Sport’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (37 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Countryman doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The HR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The HR-V 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).

The HR-V Sport/EX-L 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 HR-V 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 HR-V has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the HR-V has a standard Adaptive 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.

Insurance will cost less for the HR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the HR-V will cost $115 to $1755 less than the Countryman over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $7992 to $13699 less than for the MINI Countryman.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda HR-V outsold the MINI Countryman by over 12 to one during 2022.