Compare the2023 Ford Escape PHEVVS 2023 MINI SE Countryman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape PHEV 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape PHEV 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking in the Escape PHEV as “Superior.” The SE Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escape PHEV offers optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Escape PHEV offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The SE Countryman only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Escape PHEV’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 SE 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 Escape PHEV’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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Escape PHEV’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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Escape PHEV and the SE Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Escape PHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The SE Countryman last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Escape PHEV 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the SE 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 SE Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 29 times as many Ford dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape PHEV’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape PHEV has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the SE Countryman running on electricity (117 city/93 hwy vs. 74 city/72 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Escape PHEV running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the SE Countryman running its gasoline engine (43 city/38 hwy vs. 29 city/30 hwy).

The Escape PHEV can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 37 miles. The SE Countryman has to start its internal combustion engine after only 18 miles.

The Escape PHEV has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the SE Countryman (11.1 vs. 9.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Escape PHEV 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape PHEV higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI SE Countryman (3). This means the Escape PHEV produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the SE Countryman every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Escape PHEV 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

Tires and Wheels

The Escape PHEV has a standard 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 SE Countryman; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape PHEV’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the SE Countryman (106.7 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Escape PHEV uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Escape PHEV has 6.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the SE Countryman (102.2 vs. 95.4).

The Escape PHEV has 2 inches more front legroom, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the SE Countryman.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the SE Countryman with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The Escape PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SE Countryman with its rear seat folded (60.8 vs. 47.4 cubic feet).

Towing

The Escape PHEV has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The SE Countryman has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape PHEV uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Escape PHEV 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape PHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Escape PHEV’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the SE Countryman’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escape PHEV has standard extendable sun visors. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Escape PHEV’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The SE Countryman’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Escape PHEV owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escape PHEV will cost $240 to $765 less than the SE Countryman over a five-year period.

The Escape PHEV will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Escape PHEV will retain 48.6% to 48.86% of its original price after five years, while the SE Countryman only retains 47.91%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Escape PHEV will be $6586 to $10725 less than for the MINI SE Countryman.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ford Escape PHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.