2024 MINI Countryman vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 featured a blunt nose, long hood, and a rakish windshield, with a cabin pulled back toward the rear wheels. This styling exhibited the subtle seductiveness that had characterized Mazda’s cars and SUVs for the past decade. However, the CX-50 conveyed newfound ruggedness with blistered and boxed fender swells, garish lower body and wheel arch cladding, and fake front and rear skid plates. Oversized air intake and vent designs imparted performance without offending the eye.

When paired with the CX-50’s standard black grille and mirror caps and the available 20-inch wheels, these exterior design elements came together in an appealing way. Later in the model year, a new CX-50 Meridian Edition joined the lineup with exclusive wheels, all-terrain tires, splash guards, and a roof-mounted load platform that Mazda claimed would accommodate a rooftop tent. Inside, the CX-50’s interior displayed Mazda’s traditional mix of driver-focused design, quality materials, and polished metallic trim, though the lone off-center vent in the middle of the dash looked too small and conspicuous.

The 2024 MINI Countryman, like all Minis, didn’t take itself too seriously. It wore classic Mini styling cues, had an erect wraparound windshield design, and featured a floating roof that looked like a bimini top. The Countryman loudly and proudly declared its British heritage with Union Jack tail lights. Buyers could dress a Countryman in numerous paint, roof, and mirror cap paint treatments, and select from multiple wheel designs. Strangely, dark tinted rear privacy glass was an option instead of standard equipment.

The 2024 Countryman lineup included Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works model designations, each pertaining to the drivetrain. Coopers had an underpowered turbocharged three-cylinder engine, while Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions used a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in two different states of tune. The Cooper SE was a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle offering 18 miles of electric driving range before reverting to gas-electric hybrid operation and returning 29 mpg in combined driving. The test car arrived in Cooper S specification with the Iconic trim package, dark-tinted privacy glass, an adaptive damping suspension, and 19-inch wheels wrapped in summer performance tires.

Most Mazda CX-50 buyers were likely to choose the more affordable and fuel-efficient 2.5 S model. It had a 187 hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 186 lb-ft of torque, delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Mazda believed this base-engine version of the CX-50 would return 27 mpg in combined driving, once official EPA fuel economy estimates were finalized.

For those seeking stronger acceleration and increased towing capacity from 2,000 pounds to 3,500 pounds, the CX-50 2.5 Turbo was the better choice. It had a turbocharged version of the standard engine, coupled with the same six-speed automatic and standard all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. The turbo engine made between 227 hp and 256 hp depending on the type of gas used. Torque varied between 310 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm on 87-octane gas to 320 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm on 93-octane fuel. Mazda predicted the CX-50 2.5 Turbo would get 25 mpg in combined driving, but real-world testing averaged 23.4 mpg.

The 2024 MINI Countryman’s John Cooper Works model wasn’t messing around. It had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder powertrain whipping up 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, and an eight-speed sport automatic transmission powering all four wheels. Mini claimed a Countryman JCW zoomed to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. For most people, the Mini Cooper S Countryman was perfect. It also used a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but here the engine made 189 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. With front-wheel drive (FWD), it had a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT), while the optional ALL4 all-wheel-drive (AWD) came with an eight-speed sport automatic.

The Cooper S was quick enough, with Mini claiming it would scoot to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (7.1 sec. with ALL4). The peak torque arrived at just 1,350 rpm, making the Countryman feel zippy and athletic during the daily drive. The test vehicle carried an EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg in combined driving, but real-world testing averaged 25.4 mpg.

The fully equipped CX-50 2.5 Turbo had power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. The ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control effectively chilled the cabin. The driver’s seat and front passenger’s seat were comfortable for hours on end, though they could use more side bolstering. The back seat was roomy enough for adults, and nearly all trims included rear air vents and charging ports. Rear doors that opened to nearly a 90-degree angle made entry and exit easier.

Storage space was adequate, though Mazda missed opportunities to include bins in the door panel armrests and a shelf across the dashboard. The available smartphone charger had its own slot under the center armrest. The power rear liftgate revealed 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum of 56.3 cubic feet when the back seat was folded down.

The Countryman had room for four adults and just enough luggage for a week-long road trip. The Iconic trim package included dual-zone automatic climate control, premium leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated front seats, and a thick-rimmed heated steering wheel. The seats were small but supportive and comfortable, and the steering wheel was a delight to grip. Outward visibility was excellent, and the Mini’s tidy dimensions made it easy to park. However, a surround-view camera and rear cross-traffic alert system were not available.

Interior storage was reasonable given the Countryman’s size, but the smartphone charging pad blocked access to the tray beneath it. Cargo measurements were small even by class standards, with 17.6 cubic feet of luggage space behind the back seat and 47.6 cubic feet with the seat folded down. The Cooper SE PHEV model’s measurements were slightly smaller.

Every CX-50 had a Mazda Connect infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services. The base 2.5 S had an 8.8-inch display, while other trims included a larger 10.25-inch display. Historically, Mazda Connect did not offer touchscreen control, but the 2023 CX-50 allowed touchscreen control of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system delivered a satisfying experience. The Active Driving Display, commonly known as a head-up display (HUD), projected a wealth of data within the driver’s line of sight.

The Countryman had a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display (HUD) projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system used a version of BMW’s iDrive technology and included five ways to interact with it: touchscreen, volume and tuning controls, steering wheel controls, a control knob and buttons on the center console, and a voice-recognition system. The system lacked Android Auto, providing only Apple CarPlay. The Iconic trim included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.

Mazdas typically rated high for safety, and the CX-50 was expected to excel in crash tests. Mazda provided a generous standard package of driving assistance systems, with additional features available on the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. These included Traffic Jam Assist, active blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors with reverse automatic braking, and a surround-view camera system. The driving assistance systems worked well, though the adaptive cruise control occasionally failed to recognize slower vehicles cutting into the gap ahead.

The Countryman had fewer advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Every Countryman had Active Driving Assistant, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Rear parking sensors and an emergency SOS call button were standard, and adaptive cruise control was available on the Signature or Iconic trim. The Countryman lacked blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and a surround-view camera system. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Countryman highly in crashworthiness evaluations.