Compare the2025 Hyundai Kona ElectricVS 2025 MINI Countryman SE

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Kona Electric have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The MINI Countryman SE doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Kona Electric are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Countryman SE doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Kona Electric and the Countryman SE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Kona Electric has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Countryman SE has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Kona Electric comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Countryman SE’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona Electric 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman SE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman SE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 9 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kona Electric’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 11th.

On the EPA test cycle the Kona Electric gets better mileage than the Countryman SE:

The Kona Electric can travel longer on a full charge than the Countryman SE on a full charge:

The Kona Electric has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Kona Electric’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Countryman SE’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Hyundai Kona Electric may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 1000 pounds less than the MINI Countryman SE.

The Kona Electric is 3.5 inches shorter than the Countryman SE, making the Kona Electric easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Kona Electric uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Kona Electric has 1.3 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman SE.

The Kona Electric has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman SE with its rear seat up (25.5 vs. 24.8 cubic feet). The Kona Electric has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman SE with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 56.2 cubic feet).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona Electric has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Countryman SE only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Kona Electric has standard extendable sun visors. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Kona Electric Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Countryman SE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Compared to the MINI Countryman SE, the Hyundai Kona Electric eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Kona Electric, based on reliability, safety and performance.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Kona as the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Countryman SE has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the MINI Countryman by over seven to one during 2024.