Compare the2023 Subaru SolterraVS 2023 MINI Cooper SE

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The MINI Cooper SE doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra 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 Cooper SE 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 Solterra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Solterra has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Solterra has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard 360-degree Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper SE only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Solterra’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 Cooper SE 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 Solterra’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Solterra and the Cooper SE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Solterra weighs 1222 to 1362 pounds more than the MINI Cooper SE. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Solterra its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper SE has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Solterra 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Cooper SE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Cooper SE 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 Solterra’s warranty.

Engine

The Solterra’s electric motors produces 34 more horsepower (215 vs. 181) and 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (249 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Solterra can travel longer on a full charge than the Cooper SE on a full charge:

		Miles
Solterra
	Premium Electric Motors	228 miles
	Limited/Touring Electric Motors	222 miles
Cooper SE
	Electric Motor	114 miles

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Solterra’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Cooper SE:

	Solterra	Cooper SE
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	11 inches

The Solterra’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cooper SE are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the Cooper SE (235/60R18 vs. 195/55R16). The Solterra Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cooper SE (235/60R18 vs. 205/45R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Cooper SE. The Solterra Limited/Touring’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Cooper SE Signature Plus/Iconic.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 14 inches longer than on the Cooper SE (112.2 inches vs. 98.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is 4.6 inches wider in the front and 4.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Cooper SE.

Passenger Space

The Solterra has standard seating for 5 passengers; the Cooper SE can only carry 4.

The Solterra has 15.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper SE (95.7 vs. 80.3).

The Solterra has .7 inches more front legroom, 7.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 4.5 inches more rear legroom and 8.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper SE.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Solterra Limited/Touring, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Solterra’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper SE’s standard power windows.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Solterra detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

Both the Solterra and the Cooper SE have standard heated front seats. The Solterra Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Cooper SE.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Solterra Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Solterra has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Solterra has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Cooper SE’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.