Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2025 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester 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 Subaru Forester 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.

The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Countryman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

The Subaru Forester has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Countryman is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Forester 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 7 times as many Subaru dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Forester’s warranty.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Countryman doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

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

The Forester has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Countryman (16.6 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Forester higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (5 to 6). This means the Forester produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The Forester 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.

The Forester’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Countryman are solid, not vented.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Countryman S’ (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Forester’s 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 Forester has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 250 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The front grille of the Forester 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.

The Forester has .5 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 25 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 56.2 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Forester Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Countryman doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Forester, using the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Countryman.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Countryman. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Countryman doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Forester and the Countryman offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Countryman.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Forester Touring 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.

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

The Subaru Forester outsold the MINI Countryman by over 12 to one during 2023.