Land Rover Range Rover vs MINI Countryman

The 2025 MINI Countryman presented a charming blend of traditional Mini design elements and modern aesthetics. It featured iconic wide-eyed headlights, a floating roof available in various colours, and vertical Union Jack taillights, all wrapped in contemporary sheet metal. Depending on the model and customization choices, the Countryman could appear as a conservative crossover or a performance-oriented SUV. The interior was stylish, with Vintage Brown artificial leather seats and a Petrol Blue fabric dashboard made from recycled polyester, offering a sense of quality and sophistication. Despite some reservations about the faint gold tint on the trim and wheels, the Countryman made a bold statement with its bright British Racing Green paint and 20-inch Windmill Spoke wheels.

In contrast, the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover maintained its classic design, subtly conveying its high-end status without the flashiness of some luxury competitors. The fifth-generation Range Rover, codenamed L460, retained a familiar look with updated headlights and taillights, integrated into a fuselage-like rear bodywork. The interior emphasized simplicity, with a minimalist dashboard featuring a touchscreen, hidden air vents, and a subtle curve. While the long-wheelbase SE test car had a bit too much plastic for a luxury vehicle, the overall design exuded refinement and comfort. The Range Rover's ample size and minimal exterior detailing made it instantly recognizable, appealing to those seeking understated luxury.

The 2025 MINI Countryman S was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 241 horsepower between 4,500 rpm and 6,500 rpm, and 295 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 rpm to 4,000 rpm. It featured a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, allowing it to accelerate to 100 km/h in approximately 6.4 seconds. The Countryman offered a maximum towing capacity of 1,587 kilograms. Despite its zippy and nimble nature, the Countryman lacked refinement, with clunky shifting from the DCT and a lack of paddle shifters. The driving dynamics were boisterous, with road noise and a choppy ride on anything but smooth pavement. The steering had an on-centre dead spot, and the brakes exhibited touchy response and inconsistent feel. Fuel economy was estimated at 8.7 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, but the test vehicle returned 9.6 L/100 km.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and 4WD. The entry-level option was a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine with a mild hybrid system, producing 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid powertrain was also available, generating 543 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine delivered 523 hp and 553 lb-ft in SE and Autobiography models, and 606 hp and 553 lb-ft in the Range Rover SV, achieving 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. The Range Rover prioritized comfort and refinement over athleticism, with excellent ride quality and body control. Standard features like a two-speed transfer case, brake-based torque vectoring, and height-adjustable air suspension ensured off-road capability, while the suspension provided a smooth ride on-road.

The 2025 MINI Countryman offered seating for four adults, with comfortable front seats and good outward visibility. The interior featured artificial Vescin leather, oversized side mirrors, and a surround-view camera system. The new Countryman was roomier than its predecessor, making it suitable for a family of four, though the back seat remained snug. Storage was generous, with a power tailgate revealing 708 litres of cargo space, expandable to 1,591 litres with the rear seats folded. However, clearance for a reverse-facing child safety seat was tight, and the rear doors had sharp corners that required caution.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover provided ample interior space, with three-row models seating seven and two-row models seating five. The long-wheelbase model offered unmatched second-row legroom, while the third-row legroom was comparable to competitors. Cargo space was limited with the third row in place, but folding the seats increased capacity to 857 litres and 2,050 litres, respectively. A split tailgate and air suspension made loading and unloading cargo easier. The Range Rover could tow up to 3,720 kilograms, matching expectations for the segment. Standard features included three-zone automatic climate control, with four-zone climate controls and additional amenities available on higher trims.

The 2025 MINI Countryman featured a 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen infotainment display, though it received mixed reviews. It included cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system. The Intelligent Personal Assistant, Spike, was inactive in the test vehicle, and the depth of menus and settings could be overwhelming. A head-up display provided helpful information, compensating for the cluttered centre display.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover came standard with a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, along with a 35-speaker Meridian audio system on higher trims. The Pivi Pro infotainment system had improved functionality, but the lack of physical controls made it challenging to use. The gauge-cluster display was crisp and easy to read, and the natural-language voice recognition system helped navigate the interface.

The 2025 MINI Countryman was well-equipped with safety and driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. An adaptive cruise control system with stop-and-go capability was available, and the Countryman received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in 2024.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover included standard driver assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and a 360-degree camera system. While it lacked advanced systems like Super Cruise, the standard features worked as expected. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing.