Compare the2024 Mazda CX-50VS 2024 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Smart Brake Support in the CX-50 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 CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support-Reverse that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a 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 CX-50. But it costs extra on the Countryman.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° 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 CX-50’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 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 CX-50’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the CX-50 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Mazda CX-50 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Countryman has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-50 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 5 times as many Mazda dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-50’s warranty.

The CX-50 has more powerful engines than the Countryman:

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl. is faster than the MINI Countryman turbo 3 cyl.:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Countryman doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda CX-50 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The JCW Countryman requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda CX-50 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the CX-50 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the Countryman:

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Countryman (245/45R20 vs. 225/55R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Countryman’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Countryman (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus handles at .84 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (26.8 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (8.3 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is 2.1 inches higher than on the Countryman (8.6 vs. 6.5 inches).

The CX-50 has 3.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (100.3 vs. 96.9).

The CX-50 has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 2.2 inches more rear legroom than the Countryman.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (56.3 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the Countryman’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Countryman doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The CX-50 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-50 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.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-50’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Countryman’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CX-50 has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the CX-50 and the Countryman offer available heated front seats. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Countryman.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium 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.

The CX-50 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Countryman.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-50 will be $1638 to $2364 less than for the MINI Countryman.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-50 and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-50 outsold the MINI Countryman by almost four to one during 2023.