Compare the2024 Kia SportageVS 2024 MINI Countryman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
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 seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sportage 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 Sportage 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 Autonomous Emergency Braking in the Sportage 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 Sportage Prestige has standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Countryman doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Sportage Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor 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 Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. 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 Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Sportage and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The Kia Sportage achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Countryman has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Countryman’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Kia dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sportage’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 11th.

Engine

The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 53 more horsepower (187 vs. 134) and 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Countryman S FWD (25 city/33 hwy vs. 24 city/33 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Countryman requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Sportage stops much shorter than the Countryman:

	Sportage	Countryman
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage has larger tires than the Countryman (235/65R17 vs. 225/55R17).

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Countryman (108.5 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

The Sportage X-Pro handles at .81 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sportage X-Pro executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.9 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Sportage has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (8.3 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the Sportage to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Sportage 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.

Passenger Space

The Sportage has 1 inch more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 3.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The Sportage has a 2500 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Countryman doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Sportage 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.

The Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro’s standard Easy Access Function 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 Countryman doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Countryman doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sportage owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sportage will cost $775 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 Kia Sportage will be $2960 to $5922 less than for the MINI Countryman.

Recommendations

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

The Kia Sportage outsold the MINI Countryman by over 11 to one during 2023.

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