2024 MINI Countryman vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2024 MINI Countryman exuded a playful charm, staying true to its British roots with classic styling cues like the Union Jack tail lights and a floating roof reminiscent of a bimini top. It offered a variety of customization options, from paint treatments to wheel designs, allowing owners to personalize their ride. Despite its compact size, the Countryman provided a unique and unmistakable presence on the road, with its retro interior design and jaunty styling setting it apart from the more conventional small SUVs.

In contrast, the 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its rugged appeal with a few updates, such as a new front fascia and LED fog lights for the Wilderness trim. The Outback's exterior featured tasteful chrome accents, particularly on the Touring trim, and a range of wheel designs that varied by trim level. The interior of the Outback Touring XT impressed with its Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, offering a level of luxury unexpected from a brand known for capability over opulence. The Outback's design balanced practicality with a touch of sophistication, making it a versatile choice for those seeking both style and substance.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of powertrains, with the John Cooper Works (JCW) model standing out for its performance. The JCW boasted a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, making it the choice for speed enthusiasts. The Cooper S, with its 189 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque, provided a more balanced performance, achieving 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds with front-wheel drive. The Countryman excelled in daily driving scenarios, though it wasn't the best for off-road adventures or spirited canyon carving.

The 2024 Subaru Outback, true to its brand, featured a "Boxer" engine layout. The base engine was a 2.5-liter flat-four with 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, while the XT trims, including the Wilderness, upgraded to a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This turbo setup increased towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. The Outback's CVT mimicked an eight-speed transmission, providing a smooth driving experience. With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, or 9.2 inches for the Wilderness trim, the Outback was well-suited for off-road adventures, aided by Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and advanced X-Mode for challenging terrains.

Inside the 2024 MINI Countryman, there was room for four adults and their luggage for a week-long trip. The Iconic trim added dual-zone climate control, premium leather upholstery, and power-adjustable heated front seats. The Countryman offered excellent outward visibility and easy parking, though it lacked some advanced parking technologies. Interior storage was reasonable, but cargo space was limited to 17.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 47.6 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2024 Subaru Outback, despite its sleek design, provided ample interior space. It offered more headroom and legroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The Outback's cargo area measured 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place, expanding to 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Outback featured dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat starting from the Premium trim. Higher trims added features like heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a hands-free power liftgate, enhancing comfort and convenience.

The 2024 MINI Countryman wasn't a tech powerhouse but offered useful features. It had a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed in a round casing, used BMW's iDrive technology with multiple interaction methods, including a touchscreen, control knob, and voice recognition. However, it lacked Android Auto, offering only Apple CarPlay. The Iconic trim included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, providing excellent audio quality.

The 2024 Subaru Outback featured a larger 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen on higher trims, with the base trim retaining dual 7-inch screens. The Subaru Starlink platform offered standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless connectivity starting from the Premium trim. Climate controls were integrated into the touchscreen, with some hard buttons for essential functions. Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth, HD Radio, and SiriusXM were standard, and most trims included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, enhancing the in-car entertainment experience.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered limited advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). It included Active Driving Assistant with 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, with adaptive cruise control available on higher trims. The Countryman lacked features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The IIHS rated the Countryman as Good in crashworthiness evaluations.

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The EyeSight suite of ADAS was standard, including adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, automatic pre-collision braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on higher trims. The Touring trim added a wide-angle camera, digital rearview mirror, and driver-attention monitor, enhancing safety and driver awareness.