MINI Countryman hybrid reliability & safety rating
Good crash-test results and low fault rates bode well, but you'll have to pay extra for extra safety systems
|
Euro NCAP |
Adult protection |
Child protection |
Safety assist |
|
5 stars (2017) |
90% |
80% |
51% |
MINI shares much of its technology with its BMW parent company, so there's little for buyers to worry about when it comes to either reliability or safety. Strong Euro NCAP ratings and an impressively low rate of reported faults in the most recent Driver Power survey bode well for prospective Countryman owners.
MINI Countryman hybrid reliability & problems
Both the Countryman and the MINI brand fared well in the 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, the latter particularly seeing a sizable improvement in ranking from the previous year. The MINI brand itself finished in ninth out of 29 manufacturers (up 10 places from 2021 and up from 26th the year before), while the Countryman came in 36th out of 75 on the list of the best new cars to own. The family SUV also managed to rank above the likes of the Renault Captur and Volkswagen Tiguan – however, its main rival the Kia Niro came in 15th.
It's a shame that the Countryman hybrid's battery is only covered by the car's standard three-year warranty, especially when you consider that many rivals offer a much longer battery warranty. For example the plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Tiguan’s battery is covered for eight years or exactly 99,360 miles (160,000 kilometres) against material or manufacturing defects.
Safety
The MINI Countryman achieved a five-star score in Euro NCAP crash tests back in 2017, which applies to the plug-in hybrid, and received individual results of 90% for adult occupant protection and 80% for child occupants.It's a shame that you can't have a space-saver spare wheel, as the batteries take up the space in the boot. You also have to pay extra for a reversing camera (sensors are standard), adaptive cruise control (a normal system is standard fit), traffic-sign recognition and lane-keeping assistance. Still, there are eight airbags as standard in addition to the compulsory anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control. Also standard are autonomous emergency braking and a bonnet that pops up slightly in a pedestrian collision to help cushion the impact.
It’s also worth noting that the Euro NCAP tests get tougher most years, so the MINI’s result isn’t exactly comparable to scores achieved more recently.
