2024 MINI Countryman vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2024 MINI Countryman was a playful nod to its British roots, showcasing classic Mini styling with its erect wraparound windshield, floating roof, and Union Jack tail lights. It offered a variety of customization options, including paint treatments and wheel designs, though it was peculiar that dark tinted rear privacy glass was optional rather than standard. The Countryman lineup included several models, each with distinct drivetrains, from the underpowered Cooper to the plug-in hybrid Cooper SE, and the more robust Cooper S and John Cooper Works. Our test vehicle, a Cooper S with the Iconic trim, featured premium leather, power-adjustable front seats, and a head-up display, among other amenities. Despite its digital instrumentation and 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the Countryman retained its classic Mini character, offering a unique and unmistakable experience in a sea of bland small SUVs.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to be the sportier sibling within the Range Rover family, boasting a taller stance with a shorter wheelbase and chopped top for a more athletic appearance. Its large front air intakes and fake vents added to its sporty look, though from some angles, it appeared too tall and narrow. The lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the latter being the highest-performance model. Our test car, the SV Edition 2, featured a subtle exterior with Marl Grey paint and carbon-fiber elements, while the interior was adorned with red leather upholstery and unique sport seats. Despite its minimalist aesthetic, the Range Rover Sport offered a cockpit-like feel with high-quality materials, though the reflective piano black plastic was a bit overused.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of powertrains, with the John Cooper Works model standing out for its performance. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. This setup allowed the JCW to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The Cooper S, with its 189 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque, was quick enough for most drivers, reaching 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. However, the Countryman was not designed for off-roading, and while it handled twisty roads well, it was best suited for daily commuting and errands. The test vehicle averaged 25.4 mpg, slightly below its EPA rating of 28 mpg.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 hp, while the Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp. The Autobiography trim could be equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 producing 523 hp, while the SV Edition Two pushed the V8's output to 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. The SV Edition Two could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and had a top speed of 180 mph. Despite its performance capabilities, the Range Rover Sport maintained a luxurious ride and offered impressive off-road capabilities with its Terrain Response system and air suspension.

The 2024 MINI Countryman provided room for four adults and their luggage, making it suitable for a week-long road trip. The Iconic trim added dual-zone climate control, premium leather upholstery, and power-adjustable heated front seats. While the Countryman had seatbelts for five, it was more comfortable for four passengers. The SUV offered excellent outward visibility and easy parking, though it lacked some advanced parking technologies. Interior storage was reasonable, but the smartphone charging pad blocked access to the tray beneath it. Cargo space was limited, with 17.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 47.6 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, positioned between the Velar and full-size Range Rover, offered ample space for five passengers. Front-seat occupants enjoyed similar headroom to other midsize luxury SUVs, while rear-seat headroom was only slightly less than competitors. The Range Rover Sport provided 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 53 cubic feet with the seats folded. It lacked a split tailgate but featured power operation and an "access height" setting for easier loading. The SUV's towing capacity was competitive, with turbo-six and V8 models capable of towing up to 7,716 pounds.

The 2024 MINI Countryman was not a technology 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 reminiscent of classic Mini models, used BMW's iDrive technology and offered five interaction methods. While the system lacked Android Auto, it provided Apple CarPlay and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with the Iconic trim.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment functions. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design had some functional drawbacks, as many functions required screen interaction. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive and included natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car had "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, though it felt a bit gimmicky.

The 2024 MINI Countryman had limited advanced driving assistance systems, with Active Driving Assistant providing 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, while adaptive cruise control was optional. The Countryman lacked blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and other advanced features. The IIHS rated the Countryman as Good in crashworthiness evaluations.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a comprehensive suite of standard driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though parking sensors were overly sensitive. The IIHS and NHTSA had not released safety ratings for the current-generation Range Rover Sport.