Compare the2023 MINI CountrymanVS 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Countryman’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Tiguan.

The Countryman’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Countryman and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and front parking sensors.

The Countryman’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Tiguan’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Countryman for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Tiguan (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

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 Countryman’s reliability 23 points higher than the Tiguan.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 62 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that MINI vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in long-term dependability. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

The Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (189 vs. 184) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The JCW Countryman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 117 more horsepower (301 vs. 184) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Countryman S 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

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

Regenerative brakes improve the Countryman’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer launch control.

The Countryman stops much shorter than the Tiguan:

For better traction, the Countryman has larger tires than the Tiguan (225/55R17 vs. 215/65R17).

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 Tiguan S’ standard 65 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 Tiguan doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

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

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 Tiguan’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Countryman S handles at .88 G’s, while the Tiguan 4Motion® pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Countryman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Tiguan 4Motion® (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The MINI Countryman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 400 pounds less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The Countryman is 1 foot, 4.4 inches shorter than the Tiguan, making the Countryman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the MINI Countryman amounts to more than styling. The Countryman has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Tiguan (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Countryman get better fuel mileage.

The Countryman has .9 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom and 1 inch more rear legroom than the Tiguan.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Countryman has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (17.6 vs. 12 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 40% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Tiguan can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

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 Tiguan’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Insurance will cost less for the Countryman owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Countryman with a number “5” insurance rate while the Tiguan is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Countryman is less expensive to operate than the Tiguan because it costs $137 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Countryman than the Tiguan, including $259 less for a water pump, $128 less for a muffler, $211 less for a starter, $207 less for fuel injection, $151 less for a fuel pump and $68 less for front struts.

Consumer Reports® recommends the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Tiguan isn't recommended.

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 Tiguan isn’t in the top three in its category.