Compare the2024 Kia Sportage HybridVS 2024 MINI Countryman

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sportage Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid SX-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 Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Countryman doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Sportage Hybrid SX-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 Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige’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 Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige’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 Hybrid 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.

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 Sportage Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 58 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Sportage Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 over 7 times as many Kia dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sportage Hybrid’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 Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 93 more horsepower (227 vs. 134) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 38 more horsepower (227 vs. 189) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 206) than the Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Sportage Hybrid is faster than the Countryman S 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Sportage Hybrid	Countryman
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	8.3 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.7 sec	5.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.9 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91 MPH	87 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage Hybrid gets better mileage than the Countryman:

			MPG
Sportage Hybrid
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/44 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	38 city/38 hwy
Countryman
	FWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
	AWD	JCW Countryman 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
		S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage Hybrid 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 Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the Sportage Hybrid produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

Tires and Wheels

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

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage Hybrid’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 Hybrid is 2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Countryman.

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

Chassis

The front grille of the Sportage Hybrid 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 Hybrid has 1 inch more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (39.5 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Sportage Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (73.7 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The Sportage Hybrid has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Countryman has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid SX-Prestige’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 Countryman doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage Hybrid SX-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.

The Sportage Hybrid 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.

The Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Countryman’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Recommendations

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

The Kia Sportage outsold the MINI Countryman by over 13 to one during 2022.