Compare the2025 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2025 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The MINI Countryman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross 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.

Both the Corolla Cross and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 114 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Countryman has not been fully tested, yet.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Corolla Cross 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 13 times as many Toyota dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked fourth.

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

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross gets better mileage than the Countryman:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Corolla Cross uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Countryman requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Corolla Cross has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross’ turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Countryman S’ (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Corolla Cross’ turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the JCW Countryman’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Corolla Cross has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Toyota Corolla Cross may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 650 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The Corolla Cross has a larger cargo volume than the Countryman with its rear seat up (25.5 vs. 25 cubic feet).

While the Countryman JCW is not recommended to tow, any Corolla Cross can tow a minimum of 1500 pounds.

The Corolla Cross has a higher standard payload capacity than the Countryman (1160 vs. 1089 lbs.).

The Corolla Cross has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Countryman (1175 vs. 1100 lbs.).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Corolla Cross 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.

The Countryman’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Corolla Cross XLE’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Corolla Cross LE/XLE has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Compared to the MINI Countryman, the Toyota Corolla Cross XLE eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the MINI Countryman isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

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

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Corolla Cross, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Corolla Cross outsold the MINI Countryman by almost six to one during 2023.