2025 BMW X3 vs 2024 MINI Countryman

The 2024 MINI Countryman was a vehicle that embraced its playful heritage, showcasing classic Mini styling with a wraparound windshield and a floating roof reminiscent of a bimini top. Its Union Jack tail lights proudly declared its British roots. Buyers could personalize their Countryman with various paint options, roof, and mirror cap treatments, and wheel designs. However, it was peculiar that dark tinted rear privacy glass was an optional feature rather than standard. The Countryman lineup included several models, each with distinct drivetrains, from the underpowered Cooper to the more robust Cooper S and John Cooper Works, and the plug-in hybrid Cooper SE. Our test car, a Cooper S with Iconic trim, featured premium leather, power-adjustable front seats, and a head-up display, among other amenities. Despite its digital instrumentation and 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the Countryman retained its classic Mini character, offering a unique and unmistakable experience in a sea of bland small SUVs.

In contrast, the 2025 BMW X3 presented a seductive and athletic appearance for a two-box SUV. Its long hood, captivating dashboard-to-axle ratio, and tapering greenhouse and roofline contributed to its dynamic look. The test model, adorned in Arctic Race Blue paint with machined surface wheels and gloss black M Sport details, exuded a sense of sophistication. Inside, the X3's cabin featured quality materials, though some areas revealed its price point with less refined plastics. The X3 lineup included the 30 xDrive and M50 xDrive models, both equipped with standard all-wheel drive. Our well-equipped X3 30 xDrive test vehicle, priced at $60,875, included features like ventilated front seats and multiple option packages, making it a compelling value compared to its rivals. The X3's combination of style, performance, and pricing made it an attractive choice in the luxury SUV segment.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of performance options, with the John Cooper Works (JCW) model standing out as the most powerful. The JCW featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, making it the choice for those seeking speed. The Cooper S, with its 189 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque, provided a more balanced performance for everyday driving. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and offered both front-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive with an eight-speed sport automatic. The Cooper S could reach 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (7.1 seconds with all-wheel drive). While the Countryman excelled in daily commuting and errand-running, it wasn't the most engaging option for spirited driving, despite its adaptive damping suspension and summer performance tires. Fuel economy was rated at 28 mpg combined, but our test vehicle averaged 25.4 mpg during testing.

The 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive, with its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivered 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite its 4,176-pound weight, the X3 achieved a respectable 0 to 60 mph time of six seconds, thanks to its eight-speed automatic transmission and standard xDrive all-wheel drive. The engine's broad power curve, with peak torque available from 1,600 to 4,500 rpm, contributed to its responsive performance. The X3 also featured a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, enhancing off-the-line responsiveness and improving the engine's automatic start-stop system. For those seeking more power, the M50 xDrive model offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with 393 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Our test vehicle, equipped with the M Sport package and 21-inch wheels, provided a sporty driving experience, though the ride quality on imperfect roads was less comfortable. Despite its performance-oriented setup, the X3 managed an average of 24.2 mpg, slightly below its EPA rating of 29 mpg combined.

Inside the 2024 MINI Countryman, there was room for four adults and their luggage for a week-long road trip. The Iconic trim package added dual-zone automatic climate control, premium leather upholstery, and power-adjustable heated front seats. While the Countryman had seatbelts for five, four passengers would be more comfortable. Rear legroom was sufficient, but squeezing in a fifth person was challenging. The Countryman's compact dimensions made parking easy, though it lacked advanced parking technologies like a surround-view camera. Interior storage was reasonable, but the smartphone charging pad blocked access to the tray beneath it. Cargo space was limited, with 17.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 47.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The Cooper SE PHEV model had slightly smaller cargo measurements.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and Veganza artificial leather upholstery. The dashboard housed the BMW Curved Display, which included a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The X3's cabin felt wider and larger than most compact crossovers, with angular trim elements that illuminated at night. While the front seats were comfortable, the rear seats were less so, with passengers positioned low and hard front seat-back panels causing discomfort. The cargo area measured 31.5 cubic feet and included a lightweight cargo cover, netted storage, and a grocery bag hook. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo and passenger arrangements.

The 2024 MINI Countryman featured a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display (HUD) projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed within a round housing reminiscent of classic Mini models, used a version of BMW's iDrive technology. It offered five ways to interact, including a touchscreen, volume and tuning controls, steering wheel controls, a control knob on the center console, and a voice-recognition system. While the system lacked Android Auto, it provided Apple CarPlay connectivity. The Iconic trim included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, delivering excellent audio quality.

The 2025 BMW X3 featured the BMW Curved Display with Operating System 9 (iDrive 9) software. While the system offered a Quick Select user experience, creating profiles and accessing BMW Digital Services proved challenging during testing. The system occasionally froze and became unresponsive, and it sometimes forgot media preferences. However, the navigation system with augmented video provided accurate directions. Wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity worked flawlessly, offering a reliable alternative to the native infotainment features. Despite the frustrating experience with the test vehicle's infotainment system, it was possible that the issues were unique to the test vehicle or user error.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered limited advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). It included Active Driving Assistant, which provided forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Rear parking sensors and an emergency SOS call button were standard, with adaptive cruise control available on higher trims. However, the Countryman lacked features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Countryman as Good in crashworthiness evaluations.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a more comprehensive suite of driver assistance features. The standard Active Driving Assistant included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. The Premium Package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and Steering Assistant technology. The Parking Assistant Plus package included a surround-view camera system and a Drive Recorder system. The optional Driving Assistant Professional Package added hands-free Traffic Jam Assistant and other advanced features. The X3 earned a four-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with four-star ratings for the driver and front passenger in the frontal-impact crash test.