Mini Countryman VS Ford Everest
Mini Countryman
Likes
- Cute styling inside and out
- Responsive engine
- Practical
Dislikes
- High urban fuel consumption
- Visibility restricted while driving
- No shifting paddles
Ford Everest
Likes
- Very economical on longer trips
- Easy to drive and handle, despite size
- Great family storage (and stowage) throughout
Dislikes
- Thirsty in the city
- Bit schlumpy off the mark
- Towards the more expensive end compared to rivals
Summary
Mini Countryman
The Countryman is Mini’s SUV and the new-generation model has grown in size making it the biggest Mini ever made. But even then it’s still a small SUV.
We’ve tested the Countryman S All4 in the Favoured grade to find out if it could be the ideal urban little SUV.
In this review we rate the Countryman S All4 Favoured for what it’s like to drive and how fuel efficient it is, how practical and spacious the cabin is for people and their stuff, check out the safety equipment, list its features and weigh up the value-for-money.
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| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | Pulp |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Ford Everest
The updated Ford Everest looks and sounds like a beast. My family nicknamed it Hank, after the blue beast from X-Men, and that about sums up how much fun we have in this seven-seater!
This is the Sport 4WD variant which sits second from the top in the Everest line-up and competes with other large and popular SUVs like the Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Prado.
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So, how does the Everest Sport fair over a week with my family of three?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.5L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Mini Countryman8/10
The Mini Countryman S All4 Favoured is cute, practical, fun to drive, good value and has the latest safety tech. But its urban fuel consumption is high for a small SUV. If you are staying mainly in the city the electric Countryman might make this already excellent SUV just about perfect for you and your urban lifestyle.
Ford Everest8.1/10
I enjoyed my time with the Ford Everest Sport 4WD. It’s a great-looking vehicle with the engine specs to support families who like to adventure. It’s also big enough to haul a large family and those added child seat top-tethers in the third row offer flexibility, too.
The ride is a bit rough at times and it's thirsty in the city but it has enough to charm my family of three.
My seven-year old and my husband loved our blue truck and my son doesn’t want to see it go!
Design
Mini Countryman
The Mini Countryman S Favoured’s design is so interesting it’s easier to make a list of things about it which aren’t interesting. The list: i) tyres, ii) windscreen wipers, iii) seat belts.
That’s pretty much it. I mean they’re interesting in that we can’t live without them but they're not cute like the headlights, pug-nosed bonnet, tiny windscreen and sad-faced grille.
Nor stunning like the cabin’s large central display. The first-ever circular OLED display in a car, by the way. And certainly not as intriguing as the way the interior door trim changes colour from the back to the front.
The Countryman S is all-wheel drive and Mini has given it a rugged look complete with All4 badging.
The Countryman S All4 comes in nine colours, ours is 'Smokey Green' and you can mix and match the colours with the roof and wing mirrors ('Vibrant Silver' on our car).
The test car's wheels are 20-inch alloy 'Windmill' design and although they aren’t the most intricate looking they're easy to clean.
Another interesting Countryman attribute is its size. This is the biggest Mini ever made at 4.44m long, 1.84m wide and 1.66m tall.
So, if you do decide to buy one be prepared for “not very mini, is it?” jokes delivered by unfunny people haunting petrol stations and shopping centre car parks.
Ford Everest
The Everest Sport means business. It’s big and brutish-looking with its squared-off shape and a bunch of black accents across the handles, badging, 20-inch wheels and massive grille.
These accents up the beasty factor and I love the look of this SUV. Especially in our test model's 'Blue Lightning' paintwork, which is exclusive to the Sport variant.
The cabin continues the exterior's robust look, especially in the dashboard and vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia set-up.
The massive honeycomb-like air vents look cool but there’s still something of a workhorse vibe inside thanks to the styling and feel of the black leather-accented upholstery and trims.
Everything gives off a strong ‘vinyl’ feel and the soft touchpoints look hard thanks to their plastic-looking grain. But it’s a pleasant cabin to be in and the overall finish still looks high-quality.
Practicality
Mini Countryman
The Countryman is Mini’s SUV and the brand has clearly attempted to make the interior feel rugged and practical with touches like hard wearing materials and grippy surfaces, plus clever storage.
There are big door pockets with moulded compartments, shelves under the dashboard, a covered area between the driver and front passenger and four cupholders.
There are plenty of power outlets, too, with four type-C USB ports, two 12V outlets and a wireless phone charger.
If you were wondering how roomy the Countryman is, don’t fear, there’s plenty of space up front even for me at 189cm with wide seats and good elbow room. Space in the back is excellent with plenty of legroom and headroom. All up there are five seats on board.
If you’re going to be using the rear doors for passengers a lot, take a look at the size of the opening. It’s small and getting in and out might be a problem for older and less flexible people.
As for cargo space the Countryman has a 505L boot with all seats upright.
The Countryman’s BMW X1 twin offers better practicality and space, but lacks the cute, quirky looks. Having lived with both cars it’s clear the X1 makes a better family car.
Something to keep in mind if you’re looking for better practicality for about the same price, size and performance.
Ford Everest
The biggest issue I have with the cabin’s practicality is getting in and out, which comes down to the 226mm ground clearance. But that is 100 per cent a user issue!
The side-steps and grab handles are a must have and my seven-year old needed them, too. No doubt, you'll be helping younger kids into their seats.
Besides the tall trucky-ness, the cabin in the first two rows feels roomy with ample leg- and headroom for my 168cm height. It's only when you venture into the third row that legroom is compromised for an adult, although access to this row is still very good.
All seats are rather firm and there's not stacks of under-thigh support in any row but the front seats are powered with additional lumbar support as well as heat and ventilation functions which adds dramatically to comfort on a long trip.
Amenities and storage are pretty good in all three rows. The front has two glove boxes, a shallow-ish middle console, phone holder, big storage bins and drink bottle holders in each door, two permanent cupholders and, my personal faves, a pair of retractable cupholders in the dashboard and a sunglasses holder.
In the middle row there are map pockets, drink bottle holders in each door and two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest. There aren't any luxury features but the roof-mounted directional air vents and fan control is appreciated by my kid.
The third row gets two shallow and skinny cupholders and the left-hand side also features a long but thin nook, which may be for a tech device. There are also roof-mounted directional air vents and reading lights.
Technology is found in each row and looks good while still being useful. The vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use but it takes a while to get used to its positioning.
It sits lower than I'd like and isn't angled towards the driver which makes accessing controls that have been embedded in the screen, like seat functions and air-flow direction, a bit of a pain while on the go.
The wireless Apple CarPlay is easy to connect to but dropped out twice during our test. There is also Android Auto for those users and built-in satellite navigation.
The charging options are very good throughout the car with the first rows getting a USB-A and USB-C port. The front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket. While the third row and boot feature a 12-volt socket each.
The boot space is mostly user-friendly but because the boot lip sits quite high it can be annoying to load heavier items in or fit a top-tether strap.
Capacity is good and with the third row in use. You get 259L of storage, which is adequate for a smaller grocery run but that capacity jumps up to 898L when the third row is stored.
There is a small space underneath the floor that could house your manual and log book, if you wanted to free up your glove box. This model has a powered tailgate function.
Price and features
Mini Countryman
We have tested the Mini Countryman S All4 Favoured. In Mini-speak that means it sits in the middle of the Countryman line-up and it’s all-wheel drive. The list price is $61,990.
Coming standard are LED headlights, black roof rails, 20-inch alloy wheels, proximity unlocking, John Cooper Works seats, dual-zone climate control, heated power front seats, a heated sports steering wheel, a round OLED media display, a head-up display, sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and wireless phone charging. And by the way the interior colour which transitions from brown to blue is also standard on the Favoured.
The value is pretty good for what really is a prestige car and that means you’re comparing it to things like a Volvo XC40 and it’s not-so identical twin the BMW X1.
Ford Everest
There are four grades for the Everest range and our model on test this week is the Sport 4WD, which sits second from the top in the line-up. Which means it’s priced from $72,490, before on-road costs, and sits second from the top compared to its rivals.
The most affordable rival is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed 4WD for $60,690 MSRP, then the Isuzu MU-X LS-U $61,400 MSRP and the Toyota LandCruiser Prado VX sits at $76,848 MSRP; all of these models have similar specs and that highly coveted third row for families.
The Sport 4WD model comes with some lovely features, like leather-accented upholstery, powered front seats with heat and ventilation functions, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation.
Technology is rounded out with a 12-inch multimedia touchscreen, an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a wireless charging pad.
Other standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, side puddle lamps, full-suite LED lights, front fog lights and DRLs, dual-zone climate control and a full-size spare wheel.
Under the bonnet
Mini Countryman
The Mini Countryman S has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 150kW and 300Nm - the same one powering the BMW X1.
This is a more powerful engine than the three-cylinder found in entry-grade Countryman C, but doesn’t have the grunt of the more hardcore Countryman JCW that sits above it in the range.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic flips through gears quickly and smoothly. If only there were shifting paddles on the Countryman S so the driver could be a bit more involved.
As mentioned earlier the Countryman S is all-wheel drive which is great for extra traction but doesn’t make this little SUV a capable off-roader, so keep your adventures no wilder than dirt or gravel roads that aren’t too challenging.
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest Sport on test is the four-wheel drive variant and has a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine that produces a power output of 184kW and 600Nm of torque.
That hefty power supports the 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity this model has, meaning you can have your weekend adventures and haul the family around, too.
Efficiency
Mini Countryman
Mini says the Countryman S should use 7.6L/100km of premium unleaded petrol after a combination of open and urban roads, but also says if you’re driving is restricted to just the city consumption will jump to 9.9L/100km. Our own testing was mainly urban and we measured 11.2L/100km at the fuel pump.
Thanks to a 45-litre tank, driving range between fills is around 450km using the official consumption figure and just over 400km using our real-world average.
The relatively heavy fuel consumption is a weakness in the Countryman S’s urban suitability. The three-cylinder Countryman C is more fuel efficient but the electric Countryman E is a much better alternative and only costs about $5000 more than our test car.
Ford Everest
It's big but is it thirsty? The answer is, sometimes.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.5L/100km. But after a fair bit of travel, consisting of mostly open-road driving, my real-world average came in at 7.6L/100km, which is amazing for such a massive car.
In fact, I had to triple check my figures to make sure I had calculated it correctly!
During urban trips the on-board read-out sits closer to 15L/100km, which is something to consider if you're an urban dweller.
Based on the official combined cycle number and large 80-litre fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of 941km, which is good for road tripping families.
Driving
Mini Countryman
The Mini Countryman S is a fun and comfortable car to drive with sporty handling. That 2.0-litre engine has plenty of oomph, the all-wheel drive offers flawless traction in rain and the transmission shifts decisively.
The drive mode list lets you flip through 'Experiences' using a switch under the media display. The Experiences range from 'Efficiency' for better fuel economy to 'Go Kart' which is a sport mode that shifts gears quicker or holds them to keep the engine in the most responsive rev range.
It would have been good if Mini gave the Countryman S Favourerd shifting paddles. I’m a fan of these, but they’re only available on the grade above.
If there is a downside it’s that visibility from the driver’s seat isn’t great and this comes down to the design of the vehicle which is undoubtedly cute but has small windows and blind spots caused by thick pillars. Even the All4 badge on the side of the car obstructs visibility through the window it’s fixed to.
The Countryman S isn’t tiny, either, at 4.44m long and 1.84m wide, and the visibility actually makes this small SUV feel larger than it is. You’ll get used to this as well. If you are concerned about the size, there are smaller Minis like the three-door which feels a lot more… mini.
Ford Everest
The Everest Sport delivers its power responsively once you’re up to speed. Overtaking or keeping your pace consistent on hills is no issue but this car reminds you of its size when you start moving from a standstill. It’s not quick.
There’s a serious lull between accelerating and actually shooting forward. So, allow more time for roundabouts or crossing traffic.
The steering sits right in the middle – not too firm or loose. Which means it doesn't handle like a truck and has a nice on-road feel.
Coupled with a relatively small 11.8m turning circle it’s quite nimble to manoeuvre and you won’t be daunted by city driving.
The ride comfort is a little bit rough but not totally unexpected given its relatively high centre of gravity. You get some consistent vibrations through the seats and the suspension feels bouncy when hitting corners. I still feel confident going over bumps but you will feel them.
Cabin noise is low key most of the time but you can get a fair bit of wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, it’s easy to hear and chat between all three rows, which is excellent for a large SUV.
Because of the higher seating position and wide windows, visibility is awesome – another big plus for a big, three-row SUV.
Despite almost being five metres in length (with the tow bar), you don’t notice the size when it comes time to park because the turning circle is good and the 360-degree camera system is also nice and clear. You fill out a space but getting into the space isn’t an issue.
Safety
Mini Countryman
The Mini Countryman S has yet to be assessed by ANCAP, but its BMW X1 twin scored the maximum five-star score in 2022 and we’d have no reason to suspect the Mini won’t achieve a high mark.
Coming standard is AEB, blind-spot warning, lane keeping assistance and rear cross-traffic alert with braking.
There are front airbags, curtain airbags covering both rows and a centre airbag between the driver and front passenger.
For child seats you’ll find two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchor mounts across the second row.
The lack of a spare tyre is disappointing but there is a puncture repair kit that’s easy to use.
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest comes with a bunch of standard safety systems like blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, lane departure alert, driver monitoring alert, adaptive cruise control, intelligent seatbelt reminders, rear cross-traffic alert plus a 360-degree view camera system with front and rear parking sensors.
The Everest has a total of nine airbags, which is great for the class, including a front centre airbag and curtain airbags that cover all three rows.
It has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022. It scored highly across all four of ANCAP's individual criteria with the child protection score at 93 per cent.
The Everest has AEB with forward collision warning which is operational for pedestrian and cyclist detection from 5.0-80km/h and 4.0-180km/h for car detection.
There are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the middle row outboard positions and a total of five top-tether anchor points. You can easily fit five child seats, which is great for families with lots of tots.
However, when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed in the middle row, front passenger space has to be adjusted but I still have enough space for my height.
Ownership
Mini Countryman
The Countryman is covered by Mini’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. When it comes to servicing the car will let you know when it’s needed and although there’s no capped pricing servicing costs Mini does have a five-year/80,000km plan for $2275.
Ford Everest
The Everest comes with a usual warranty term of five-years/unlimited km and you can pre-purchase servicing for the first four-years or up to 60,000km for $1385 or an average of $347 per service, which is good for the class.
Servicing intervals are at every 12 months or 15,000km, which is also reasonable.
Participating dealers will also provide a complimentary loan car when your vehicle is being serviced.
Roadside assistance is included for the first 12 months, extending up to seven years if you have your car regularly serviced at an authorised Ford dealer.