Compare the2025 MINI CountrymanVS 2025 Lincoln Corsair

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 Countryman are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Corsair doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Countryman. But it costs extra on the Corsair.

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

Both the Countryman and the Corsair have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the MINI Countryman is much safer than the Corsair:

The MINI Countryman 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 Corsair is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Countryman’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Corsair’s (12 vs. 5 years).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Countryman for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Corsair. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Corsair models.)

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 77 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that MINI vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks MINI third in overall reliability. Lincoln is ranked 23rd.

The Countryman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 275) than the Corsair’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The JCW Countryman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (312 vs. 266) than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the Countryman’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Lincoln only offers a regenerative brake system on the Corsair Grand Touring.

The Countryman has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Countryman has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Corsair. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The Countryman offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Corsair doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Countryman’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Corsair doesn’t offer launch control.

The Countryman’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corsair Premiere’s standard 60 series tires. The Countryman’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Corsair’s optional 45 series tires.

The Countryman is 6.4 inches shorter than the Corsair, making the Countryman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Countryman has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more rear headroom and 5.5 inches more rear hip room than the Corsair.

The Countryman’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Corsair’s (3499 vs. 2000 pounds).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 31% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 19th.

The Countryman’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Corsair’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Countryman to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Corsair doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Countryman’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Corsair’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

When the Countryman with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Corsair’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Countryman has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Corsair.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the MINI Countryman has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Corsair.

The Countryman’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Corsair’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.