Compare the2023 Mazda MX-30VS 2023 MINI Cooper SE

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda MX-30 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The MINI Cooper SE doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda MX-30 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 Cooper SE doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The MX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The MX-30 has standard Smart Brake Support-Rear that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The MX-30 Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper SE 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 MX-30’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 Cooper SE 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 MX-30’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 Cooper SE doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the MX-30 and the Cooper SE 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Mazda MX-30 weighs 512 pounds more than the MINI Cooper SE. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the MX-30 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Cooper SE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Cooper SE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 5 times as many Mazda dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the MX-30’s warranty.

For better stopping power the MX-30’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Cooper SE:

The MX-30 stops shorter than the Cooper SE:

For better traction, the MX-30 has larger tires than the Cooper SE (215/55R18 vs. 195/55R16). The MX-30’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cooper SE (215/55R18 vs. 205/45R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MX-30 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Cooper SE. The Cooper SE’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the MX-30’s wheelbase is 6.2 inches longer than on the Cooper SE (104.4 inches vs. 98.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the MX-30 is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Cooper SE.

The MX-30 has standard seating for 5 passengers; the Cooper SE can only carry 4.

The MX-30 has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper SE (89.8 vs. 80.3).

The MX-30 has .2 inches more front legroom, 5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom and 4.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper SE.

The MX-30 has a much larger cargo volume than the Cooper SE with its rear seat up (21 vs. 8.7 cubic feet).

When two different drivers share the MX-30, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a memory system.

The MX-30’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper SE’s standard power windows.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the MX-30 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Cooper SE only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the MX-30 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Cooper SE’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The MX-30’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The MX-30 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the MX-30 has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer rear vents.

The MX-30 has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.