Compare the2023 Buick Encore GXVS 2023 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Buick Encore GX 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 Encore GX 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking in the Encore GX as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Encore GX Select/Essence offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Countryman 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 Encore GX’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 Encore GX’s optional Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Encore GX and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, 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 Encore GX the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 174 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the Encore GX 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 almost 19 times as many Buick dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore GX’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Encore GX first among small suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Countryman isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 13th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 11th.

On the EPA test cycle the Encore GX gets better mileage than the Countryman:

The Encore GX 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 Countryman doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Buick Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder AWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Countryman.

The Encore GX 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 Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Encore GX stops much shorter than the Countryman:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Encore GX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Countryman.

The Encore GX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Countryman doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Encore GX AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Encore GX AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Encore GX’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Encore GX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (7.5 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the Encore GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Buick Encore GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The front grille of the Encore GX 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 Encore GX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Countryman doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Encore GX has .5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front shoulder room than the Countryman.

The Encore GX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (23.5 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Encore GX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (50.2 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

The Encore GX has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

The Encore GX AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Encore GX can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Countryman can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Encore GX 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 Encore GX’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Countryman doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Encore GX 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 Encore GX has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Encore GX offers an optional 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 Encore GX Essence has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Countryman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Encore GX Essence’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Countryman’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Insurance will cost less for the Encore GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Encore GX will cost $450 less than the Countryman over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore GX will be $3735 to $9744 less than for the MINI Countryman.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Buick Encore GX and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Buick Encore outsold the MINI Countryman by almost five to one during 2022.