Compare the2023 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Taos 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 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Countryman’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking optional in the Taos as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Taos offers optional Maneuver Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Taos’ standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Countryman doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Taos’ blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Countryman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Taos’ standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Taos and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

There are over 6 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taos’ warranty.

The Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 24 more horsepower (158 vs. 134) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 162) than the Countryman’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen Taos is faster than the MINI Countryman turbo 3 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better mileage than the Countryman:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Taos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Countryman requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Taos higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Countryman (3 to 7). This means the Taos produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Countryman every 15,000 miles.

The Taos stops shorter than the Countryman:

The Taos SEL handles at .80 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Countryman (7.6 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The Taos has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Countryman (99.5 vs. 96.9).

The Taos has .2 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Countryman.

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Countryman with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Countryman with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 47.6 cubic feet).

The Taos has a higher standard payload capacity than the Countryman (937 vs. 805 lbs.).

The Taos SE/SEL has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Countryman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the Taos has a standard extendable sun visor. The Countryman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The Volkswagen Taos outsold the MINI Countryman by over six to one during 2022.