Compare the2023 MINI SE CountrymanVS 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime

The MINI SE Countryman has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the SE Countryman and the Rav4 Prime 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, all wheel drive, 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.

The SE Countryman comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Rav4 Prime’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The SE Countryman’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Rav4 Prime’s (12 vs. 5 years).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the SE Countryman for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Rav4 Prime (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The SE Countryman’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 Prime SE’s standard 60 series tires. The SE Countryman’s tires are lower profile than the Rav4 Prime XSE’s 55 series tires.

The SE Countryman has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rav4 Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The SE Countryman has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The SE Countryman’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Rav4 Prime’s (56% to 44%). This gives the SE Countryman more stable handling and braking.

The MINI SE Countryman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4 Prime.

The SE Countryman is 11.1 inches shorter than the Rav4 Prime, making the SE Countryman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the SE Countryman when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the liftgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 25% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

The SE Countryman’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Prime’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The SE Countryman’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Rav4 Prime’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SE Countryman to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To better shield the driver’s vision, the SE Countryman has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

The SE Countryman’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Rav4 Prime offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The SE Countryman has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Rav4 Prime.

The SE Countryman’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer an automated parking system.