Compare the2023 MINI CountrymanVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The MINI 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Countryman has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Countryman and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, 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 front parking sensors.

The Countryman’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (12 vs. 7 years).

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

The JCW Countryman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 75 more horsepower (301 vs. 226) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Countryman S 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

Both the Countryman and Santa Fe Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Countryman has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

An eight-speed automatic is available on the MINI Countryman, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Countryman offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Countryman Auto’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Countryman’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Countryman stops much shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Countryman’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Hybrid Blue’s standard 65 series tires. The Countryman’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited’s 55 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Countryman can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Countryman offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Countryman offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Countryman S ALL4 handles at .83 G’s, while the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Countryman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The MINI Countryman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 750 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Countryman is 1 foot, 6.7 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid, making the Countryman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 42% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

The Countryman offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Countryman’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Countryman the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid Blue/SEL’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Countryman has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Countryman also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Countryman is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Countryman owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Countryman will cost $600 less than the Santa Fe Hybrid over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the MINI Countryman and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Countryman second among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Santa Fe Hybrid isn’t in the top three.