Compare the2023 Subaru ImprezaVS 2023 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Impreza 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 Countryman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Impreza are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Countryman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Impreza has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Countryman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the EyeSight™ System optional in the Impreza as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Impreza Limited has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Impreza. But it costs extra on the Countryman.

The Impreza (except Base)’s optional 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 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 Impreza (except Base)’s optional 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 Countryman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Impreza and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, rear parking sensors and driver alert monitors.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Impreza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

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

There are over 6 times as many Subaru dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Impreza’s warranty.

The Impreza’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (152 vs. 134) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Impreza lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Countryman doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Impreza 5-door gets better mileage than the Countryman:

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

The Impreza offers an optional 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 Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Impreza stops much shorter than the Countryman:

The Impreza Sport’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Countryman’s optional 45 series tires.

The Impreza 2.0i Limited 5-door handles at .80 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Impreza 2.0i Limited 5-door executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Impreza’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Subaru Impreza may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The design of the Subaru Impreza amounts to more than styling. The Impreza has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Countryman (.32) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Impreza get better fuel mileage.

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

The Impreza 5-door has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (100.9 vs. 96.9).

The Impreza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (20.8 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Impreza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (55.3 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Impreza. The Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The engine in the Impreza is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Countryman. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Impreza Auto offers a 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 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 Impreza’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Impreza Base). The Countryman doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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

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

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Impreza Auto has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Countryman doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The Subaru Impreza comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the MINI Countryman isn’t available as a sedan.

Insurance will cost less for the Impreza owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Impreza will cost $460 less than the Countryman over a five-year period.

The Impreza will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Impreza will retain 53.58% to 57.04% of its original price after five years, while the Countryman only retains 48.25% to 51.18%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Impreza is less expensive to operate than the Countryman because typical repairs cost much less on the Impreza than the Countryman, including $65 less for a water pump, $238 less for a muffler, $30 less for front brake pads, $105 less for a timing belt/chain and $399 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Impreza will be $8967 to $15825 less than for the MINI Countryman.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Impreza and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Impreza outsold the MINI Countryman by over three to one during 2022.