Compare the2024 Chevrolet TraxVS 2024 MINI Countryman

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 Trax 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 Trax’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 Trax’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 Trax 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 and available rear parking sensors.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Trax 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 28 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trax’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Trax’s reliability 20 points higher than the Countryman.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 13 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, MINI is rated lower.

The Trax’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (137 vs. 134) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Trax is faster than the MINI Countryman turbo 3 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Trax gets better mileage than the Countryman:

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

The Trax 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 Chevrolet Trax higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the Trax produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The Trax stops much shorter than the Countryman:

For better traction, the Trax RS’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Countryman (245/45R19 vs. 225/55R17).

The Trax 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Trax’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Countryman (106.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

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

The Trax ACTIV executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Countryman ALL4 (27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The front grille of the Trax offers available 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 Trax 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 Trax has 2.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (99.8 vs. 96.9).

The Trax has 1.5 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The Trax has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (25.6 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Trax has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (54.1 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

The Trax 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 Trax can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Countryman can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Trax 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 Trax’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Countryman does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Trax’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 Trax 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 Trax has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Chevrolet Trax outsold the MINI Countryman by almost three to one during 2022.