MINI Countryman vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

Redesigned this year, the 2025 Countryman grows in size but remains a small crossover SUV. Expressively styled, infused with parent company BMW’s engineering and technology, and packed with cheeky Mini quirks, the Countryman is available in Cooper S All4, John Cooper Works All4, and electric SE All4 model series, each equipped with standard All4 all-wheel drive (AWD). It can comfortably hold rear-seat passengers, carries a competitive amount of cargo, and remains fun to drive.

Verdict: With prices starting at just over $40,000, the Mini Countryman sells in entry-level luxury territory. However, anyone expecting plush refinement will want to shop elsewhere because the Countryman is decidedly rough around the edges. We begrudgingly accept its quirks in exchange for its personality, but many people likely won’t.

It would appear to be the calendar, not the competition, that has the Ioniq 5 due for a mid-cycle refresh. We liked it when it burst onto the scene as an angular oddball in a sea of soft-lined sameness, and it has only improved over the last few years.

Verdict: Hyundai makes minor but welcome changes and avoids tweaking the many things that were working well, successfully making a good thing better.