Mini Countryman VS Nissan Juke
Mini Countryman
Likes
- Cute styling inside and out
- Responsive engine
- Practical
Dislikes
- High urban fuel consumption
- Visibility restricted while driving
- No shifting paddles
Nissan Juke
Likes
- Funky looks
- Decent interior space and boot
- Full safety equipment
Dislikes
- Frustrating dual clutch auto
- Missing a few tech items rivals get
- Could do with a hybrid version
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 |
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke was meant to herald a new era for Nissan in Australia.
It was the first in a slew of new-generation SUVs and has now been joined by the Qashqai, X-Trail, and Pathfinder as part of a new-look Nissan.
Unlike those others, though, the Juke hasn’t quite resonated with buyers. Since arriving to what Nissan probably expected to be fanfare back in 2020, the new Juke has since sunk to the bottom of its compact SUV segment, outselling only a handful of other models.
Read more about
So, what went wrong? Is the quirky styling of the Juke too much? Are there too many appealing choices in the compact SUV space? Alternatively, could the Juke be an underrated gem worth checking out?
I find myself in an upper mid-spec ST-L to find out.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.8L/100km |
| Seating | 5 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.
Nissan Juke6.9/10
The Juke is a fun little car. It looks cool, it packs most of the important features and safety equipment, but while it can be fun to drive, it’s also a little clunky around town.
It’s so frustrating, because there is a great car in there somewhere, and it would take only small tweaks and enhancements to bring it out.
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.
Nissan Juke
Urban style is clearly what the Juke is about. It’s always been about this, but the original incarnation, while unusual, was a bit bulbous and awkward. The current version is a razor-sharp re-interpretation of the original.
Ugly duckling no more, the Juke blends the elements of Nissan’s current design language with its own unique take, in a clever way.
The roofline and bulbous face of the original car, complete with its ‘eye’ headlights are all maintained, but this time they look more contemporary with a splash of chrome and gunmetal plastic in the face, offset by gloss blacks running down the doorline.
The new light fittings look great and the curviness is also gently off-set with some sharp angles. The massive 19-inch wheels finished in a two-tone gloss black and aluminium brush keep this car looking like a concept come to life. Just don’t crash them into the curb. It would be very easy to.
The cool elements continue inside, with rotary air vents, a blend of textures, including a gloss grey for the vent claddings, with white stitching for the wheel, seat, and into the door cards, too.
There are touches of chrome about the place, and an ambient red LED light surrounding the shifter, which sits on its own little pedestal thing.
It’s quirky and punches above its weight when it comes to soft trims in the doors. Like most higher-grade Nissans the seats are pretty comfy, too, clad in a hard-wearing synthetic leather material.
But it won’t be for everyone, and it’s not without its downsides. The abundance of grey plastic down the centre console is a bit cheap, and the tech offering doesn’t match the youthful style.
The centre screen is adequate, but compared to many rivals it’s a bit small and dull, and the Juke is still missing a digital overhaul for its instrument cluster.
The black headlining, usually reserved for sportier cars, makes the cabin feel smaller than it is.
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.
Nissan Juke
The Juke is a small SUV in the true sense of the word, sitting below the Qashqai which is more like a mid-sizer these days in terms of dimensions.
However, it’s quite cleverly packaged on the inside and is more useful than it first appears.
The front seats, for example, offer heaps of headroom and a surprising amount of width, and while the seats are manual, they’re pretty adjustable. I was able to find a great seating position.
There are big pockets in the doors with an integrated bottle holder suitable for even the largest bottles, although the centre console area is a bit less versatile, choosing its funky design over additional storage.
It features two good bottle holders, but a tiny armrest box and a shallow tray with one 12V socket and a USB-A outlet, as well as an auxiliary audio input under the climate controls.
On the topic of climate controls, I love the fact the Juke maintains a dedicated ventilation panel complete with buttons and dials for all the core functions. No touchscreen nonsense here.
The media screen, as mentioned, is a tad small, and falls victim to glare easily.
The stock Nissan software is a massive upgrade on the brand’s previous-generation products, but while it’s functional it’s far from the prettiest or the fastest on the market.
The back seat offers more space than you might assume, but it’s not as well thought-out as the front of the cabin. At 182cm tall I fit behind my own driving position with just enough space for my knees and just enough headroom.
There are decent bottle holders in the doors, and a further two small ones in the drop-down armrest. The backs of the front seats are clad in that synthetic leather material, which is nice, and have soft pockets, too.
The back of the front centre console offers just a single USB-A outlet and a small cubby. There are no adjustable air vents for rear passengers. It also feels a little claustrophobic back there thanks to the black trim on everything and smaller windows.
Boot capacity for the Juke is impressive for an SUV in this class, with 422 litres on offer, which is close to the volume we’d expect from something a size-bracket up, and 1305L with the second row folded down. There is a space-saver spare under the boot floor.
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.
Nissan Juke
The Juke range kicks off from just $28,390 which gets you into a base ST and reaches to $36,890 for the top-spec Ti.
We’re driving the $34,440 (before on-road costs) ST-L which is the upper mid-grade car.
It scores concept-style 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather interior trim, an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 7.0-inch digital screen between the analog dials, a surround camera system, single-zone climate, keyless entry and push-start ignition, and LED headlights.
The quite attractive ‘Magnetic Blue’ paint our car wears is a $700 option. For an additional $1133 you can also step up to the ST-L+ grade which adds alternate two-tone seat trim, chrome and black highlights and a 10-speaker Bose audio system.
While this ST-L grade gets the lion’s share of Juke equipment without the price-hike to the Ti (and is therefore the pick of the range) there are some notable items missing at this price.
For example, there’s no wireless phone charging, no head-up display, no fully digital instrument cluster, and no electrical adjustment for the seats. The 8.0-inch multimedia screen is starting to look a bit dated, too.
Still, it looks trendy and those massive wheels are well above the standard for a car at this size or price. So, if you’re going for style over equipment there is a choice to be made here.
Nissan also hasn’t cheaped out on safety equipment, with most active stuff coming standard, even on the base ST. More on this later.
Pricing is about line-ball with its most direct competitors. It’s a tad cheaper than some like the outgoing similarly-styled Toyota C-HR (Koba 2WD - $35,695), or slightly more expensive than others like the current equivalent Ford Puma (ST-Line - $33,190) or Mazda CX-3 (Touring SP - $34,300) although it is also ever so slightly larger than those last two by width, height, and wheelbase.
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.
Nissan Juke
In the Juke’s messy engine bay lies a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine which sends 84kW/180Nm to the front wheels.
Nissan has its own 'HR10DET' engine code for this unit but it’s actually a Renault 'H5Dt' engine as evidenced by Renault logos all over the place.
Power is communicated by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic which has been a source of strife for this car since it arrived. This very European engine and transmission combination is one which the Juke shares with its Renault Captur cousin.
I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I would prefer a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which Nissan uses elsewhere in its range. It would solve maybe the main issue with this car, which we’ll explore up next in the driving section of this review
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.
Nissan Juke
One of the reasons this car comes equipped with a dual-clutch automatic is to chase fuel efficiency as well as emissions output. On paper DCT autos don’t suffer the inherent losses of a traditional torque converter transmission.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 5.8L/100km. My week of driving, weighted slightly more towards freeway conditions, produced a marginally higher average of 6.8L/100km. It’s not the claim, but it’s pretty good.
This little engine requires mid-shelf 95RON unleaded fuel, and the Juke has a 46-litre fuel tank, suggesting a driving range of 793km using the official fuel consumption number.
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.
Nissan Juke
The Juke can be fun to drive, and I wanted to like it more, but the transmission its peppy little engine is paired with is frustrating.
Outputs of 84kW/180Nm doesn’t sound like a lot, but power isn’t the problem. The little engine has a fun turbo-surge which pairs with the Juke's light frame to make for a car which is quite athletic when you push it.
The issue is a mountain of turbo-lag conspires with the clunky dual-clutch automatic to make it far too sluggish off the line.
There’s a full second (or two, at times) to wait for any power to arrive, which simply isn’t good enough at T-junctions and roundabouts, the kind of situations a little urban SUV like this will constantly be encountering.
Nissan says the transmission software was even updated after the Juke’s launch, but it’s still not where it should be.
It has good traits, too. When you’re out on the open road, it has quick, snappy and well-defined shifts, and the engine is much better when it’s being properly pushed, too.
It has a gruff, entertaining tone, and the Juke’s light frame, firm ride, and comparatively heavy steering make it a joy to throw into some corners.
The long wheelbase for such a small SUV, paired with a decent set of tyres, also keeps it confident when its predecessor was a little clumsy.
Again, though, the reasonably hard ride, not helped by the very large wheels, isn't its best trait in an urban environment. The Juke is by no means uncomfortable, it just seems like the priorities for this little SUV aren’t in the right place.
I’ve said this before but there’s a great car in here somewhere. The Juke is fun to drive in the right environment, it’s just this environment is not where most prospective buyers will primarily be looking to use it.
What could fix this issue? A different transmission perhaps. Better yet, an e-Power hybrid powertrain.
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.
Nissan Juke
The Juke's standard active safety features include freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
Last time I reviewed this car I complained about the way it vibrates the steering wheel when the lane keep function decides you’re going out of your lane. But having since experienced so many more invasive lane keep systems, this one seems comparatively low-key.
Elsewhere, the Juke gets the standard array of six airbags (dual front, side, and curtain) and wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the 2019 standards.
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.
Nissan Juke
Nissan offers the Juke with a five-year, unlimited km warranty, with five-years of roadside assist included.
It requires servicing every 12 months or 20,000km and the cost is subject to a capped price servicing program for the first six years.
This averages $651.33 annually, which is not cheap for a small SUV in this class.
However, there is also the option of a pre-paid five-year service plan which brings the annual cost over five years down to a more reasonable $429.60.
But, notably, it does not include the pricy $1521 sixth-year interval. It’s worth asking yourself how long you’ll own the car for before splurging on it.