Compare the2026 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2025 MINI Countryman SE

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen ID.4 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 SE doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The ID.4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen ID.4 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 SE doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the ID.4 and Countryman SE have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The ID.4 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Countryman SE’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volkswagen ID.4’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the MINI Countryman SE does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the ID.4 and the Countryman SE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Volkswagen’s powertrain warranty covers the ID.4 4 years and 50,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman SE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman SE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 6 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the ID.4’s warranty.

The ID.4’s standard electric motor produces 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (402 vs. 364) than the Countryman SE’s electric motors. The ID.4’s optional electric motors produces 27 more horsepower (335 vs. 308) and 172 lbs.-ft. more torque (536 vs. 364) than the Countryman SE’s electric motors.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen ID.4 electric motors is faster than the MINI Countryman SE:

On the EPA test cycle the ID.4 gets better mileage than the Countryman SE:

The ID.4 can travel longer on a full charge than the Countryman SE on a full charge:

The ID.4 stops shorter than the Countryman SE:

For better traction, the ID.4 has larger tires than the Countryman SE (F:235/50R20 & R:255/45R20 vs. 225/55R18).

The ID.4’s standard 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Countryman SE’s standard 55 series tires. The ID.4 Pro S Plus AWD Pro S Plus’ 255/40R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Countryman SE’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the ID.4 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Countryman SE. The ID.4 Pro S Plus AWD Pro S Plus’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Countryman SE.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the ID.4’s wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the Countryman SE (108.8 inches vs. 106 inches).

The ID.4 Pro S AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Countryman SE pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is 7.2 feet tighter than the Countryman SE’s (31.5 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The ID.4 AWD’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Countryman SE’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The front grille of the ID.4 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 SE doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The ID.4 has .7 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman SE.

The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman SE with its rear seat up (30.3 vs. 24.8 cubic feet). The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman SE with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 56.2 cubic feet).

trailer stability control is standard on the ID.4, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Countryman SE.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the ID.4 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Countryman SE’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The ID.4 Pro S/Pro S Plus’ 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.

Both the ID.4 and the Countryman SE have standard heated front seats. The ID.4 Pro S Plus also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Countryman SE.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the ID.4 Pro S/Pro S Plus keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Compared to the MINI Countryman SE, the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S Plus 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 ID.4 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the MINI Countryman by 51% during 2024.