2024 MINI Countryman vs 2025 INFINITI QX80

The 2024 MINI Countryman was a vehicle that embraced its playful and distinctive design, staying true to its British roots with classic Mini styling cues. It featured an erect wraparound windshield, a floating roof reminiscent of a bimini top, and Union Jack tail lights that proudly declared its heritage. The Countryman offered a variety of customization options, including numerous paint treatments and wheel designs, although it was peculiar that dark tinted rear privacy glass was an optional feature rather than standard. The lineup included various models like the Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works, each with different drivetrain specifications. The Cooper S, with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine, was a popular choice, offering a balance of performance and efficiency. The Iconic trim package added premium features such as leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and a head-up display, enhancing the overall driving experience. Despite its compact size, the Countryman provided a unique and unmistakable presence on the road, making it a standout choice in the small SUV segment.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 underwent a significant redesign, growing slightly in size while retaining its body-on-frame architecture. This new frame improved torsional and lateral stiffness, enhancing the vehicle's overall stability. The QX80's styling became more expressive, with notable changes at the front, including a larger grille and a stacked-headlight setup that gave it a distinctive and imposing look. The interior received a high-tech makeover, featuring dual 14.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, along with a smaller 9-inch touchscreen for additional controls. The QX80 offered a range of trim levels, each with unique features, and the interior was spacious and luxurious, with options for leather upholstery and advanced seating configurations. The redesign also increased cargo space, making it a practical choice for families. Overall, the 2025 QX80 combined modern technology with a bold design, appealing to those seeking a luxurious and capable full-size SUV.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of performance options, with the John Cooper Works (JCW) model standing out for its impressive power. 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. This setup allowed the JCW to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, making it the choice for those seeking speed and excitement. The Cooper S, with its 189 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, provided a more balanced performance, offering a quick and zippy driving experience. It was available with front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or an optional all-wheel-drive system with an eight-speed sport automatic. The Cooper S could reach 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, or 7.1 seconds with all-wheel drive. While the Countryman excelled in daily commuting and urban driving, it wasn't designed for off-road adventures. The test vehicle achieved an EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg in combined driving, although real-world testing yielded slightly lower results.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, replacing the previous naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8. This new engine delivered 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, providing a noticeable improvement in performance compared to the outgoing V8. The QX80 also received a nine-speed automatic transmission, enhancing its overall driving dynamics. The twin-turbo V6 offered a more energetic feel, although it lacked the traditional V8 sound. The QX80's suspension system varied by trim level, with base models featuring steel-sprung suspension and higher trims equipped with air suspension and adaptive damping. This setup allowed for real-time adjustments to provide a comfortable ride, and the suspension could raise or lower the ride height for different driving conditions. Despite its size and body-on-frame construction, the QX80's handling was average for its class, and it excelled in providing a smooth and comfortable ride. The QX80's towing capacity was impressive, with a maximum of 8,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a comfortable interior with room for four adults and their luggage, making it suitable for road trips. The Iconic trim package added features like dual-zone automatic climate control, premium leather upholstery, and power-adjustable heated front seats. The seating position was upright, providing good visibility, and the steering wheel was a pleasure to grip. While the Countryman had seatbelts for five, it was more comfortable for four passengers. The rear seat provided ample legroom and foot space, but squeezing in a fifth person was challenging. The Countryman's compact dimensions made it easy to park, although it lacked some advanced parking technologies. 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 INFINITI QX80's redesign increased cargo space significantly, offering 22 cubic feet with all three rows in place, 59 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 101 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. This provided a competitive advantage over some rivals, although the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator offered even more space. The QX80 featured a power liftgate and power-folding second- and third-row seats, making it easy to reconfigure the interior for passengers or cargo. Passenger space was generous, with increased legroom in the first and third rows. The third row was particularly comfortable, with ample headroom and well-placed amenities. The QX80 offered a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, making it suitable for hauling trailers and other heavy loads.

The 2024 MINI Countryman featured a user-friendly infotainment system with an 8.8-inch touchscreen housed in a round display reminiscent of classic Mini models. The system used BMW's iDrive technology and offered multiple ways to interact, including a touchscreen, physical controls, steering wheel buttons, a control knob, and voice recognition. While the system lacked Android Auto, it supported Apple CarPlay. The Iconic trim included a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, providing excellent audio quality. The head-up display projected information on a small screen, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 boasted a high-tech cabin with dual 14.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, along with a smaller 9-inch touchscreen for additional controls. The QX80 was the first Infiniti model to feature Google built-in apps, including Google Maps for navigation and Google Assistant for voice recognition. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were also supported. The infotainment system's graphics were reminiscent of Nissan vehicles, and the lower touchscreen required firm presses for operation. All QX80 models came with Klipsch sound systems, with higher trims offering a 24-speaker version with Individual Audio tech. The QX80 also featured a 360-degree camera system with multiple viewing angles and advanced safety features.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a limited set of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included 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 also included. Adaptive cruise control was available on higher trims, but the Countryman lacked blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and other advanced safety technologies. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Countryman with the highest rating of Good in crashworthiness evaluations.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and a trailer blind-spot warning system. The QX80 also offered Nissan's ProPilot Assist highway-driving assistance system, with adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering. The more advanced ProPilot Assist 2.1 version allowed for hands-free driving and automated lane changes. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.