Compare the2024 Honda PrologueVS 2024 MINI SE Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Prologue 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 SE 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 Prologue are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Prologue has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Prologue Elite has a standard Surround Vision System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The SE 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 Prologue’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 SE 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 Prologue’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 automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Prologue and the SE Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

The Honda Prologue weighs 1006 to 1347 pounds more than the MINI SE Countryman. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Prologue 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the SE 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 SE Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 10 times as many Honda dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Prologue’s warranty.

The Prologue’s optional electric motors produces 67 more horsepower (288 vs. 221) and 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (333 vs. 284) than the SE Countryman’s 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Prologue gets better mileage than the SE Countryman running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the Prologue gets better mileage than the SE Countryman running its gasoline engine:

The Prologue can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 273 to 296 miles. The SE Countryman has to start its internal combustion engine after only 18 miles.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Prologue higher (10 out of 10) than the MINI SE Countryman (3). This means the Prologue produces up to 36.3 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the SE Countryman every 15,000 miles.

For better traction, the Prologue has larger standard tires than the SE Countryman (255/60R19 vs. 225/50R18). The Prologue Elite’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the SE Countryman (275/45R21 vs. 225/50R18).

The Prologue Elite’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the SE Countryman’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Prologue has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the SE Countryman. The Prologue Elite has standard 21-inch wheels.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Prologue’s wheelbase is 16.7 inches longer than on the SE Countryman (121.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Prologue is 4.5 inches wider in the front and 4.6 inches wider in the rear than on the SE Countryman.

For greater off-road capability the Prologue has a 2.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the SE Countryman (8.1 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Prologue to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Prologue has 16.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the SE Countryman (111.7 vs. 95.4).

The Prologue has 1 inch more front legroom, 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and 3.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the SE Countryman.

The Prologue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the SE Countryman with its rear seat up (25.2 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The Prologue has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SE Countryman with its rear seat folded (57.7 vs. 47.4 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Prologue. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Prologue has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The SE Countryman has no towing capacity.

The Prologue has a standard 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Prologue Touring/Elite’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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Prologue has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Only the SE Countryman Iconic offers wireless charging.

The Prologue Elite 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 SE Countryman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Prologue is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The SE Countryman doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.