Alfa Romeo Junior vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?

Alfa Romeo Junior

$45,900 - $58,990

2026 price

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Mini Countryman

$45,900 - $81,800

2025 price

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Renault Megane E-Tech

Renault Scenic E-Tech

Summary

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior

2025 Mini Countryman

By Jack Quick

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.2L

Inline 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

4.1L/100km (combined)

7.7L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Keen driving dynamics
Surprisingly quiet
Can be very frugal

Gorgeous Mini styling
Strong on-road performance
Lots of personalisation available

Dislikes

Double the price of Chinese rivals
Lots of plain black finishes
No standard spare wheel

Lacking a few features for a top-grade model
An expensive endeavour for a Mini
Not much separates the two trim levels

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior Summary

Alfa Romeo’s new entry-level model has finally arrived in Australia.

Pitched as a spiritual successor to the MiTo and Giulietta hatchbacks, the Junior is a tiny SUV with plenty of hatchback design cues.

It was originally set to be called the Milano, however members of the Italian government complained, claiming it’s illegal to sell products with an Italian place name that aren’t actually made there.

The Junior is actually built in Tychy, Poland alongside the related Jeep Avenger at a Stellantis production plant.

We’ve driven the Junior a few times now overseas, but now it’s time to see how it holds up on local soil.

First up is the Ibrida, or hybrid. The fully electric version is also on sale but will have to wait for a future review.

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2025 Mini Countryman Summary

The Mini Countryman is the not-so-mini cousin to the iconic and smaller Mini Cooper.

The new generation offers a larger body-size, fun new interiors and a whole suite of updated technology.

We're in the flagship John Cooper Works grade in Favoured trim to find out if this small SUV is still urban-friendly and fun after all of these changes.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior 2025 Mini Countryman

Verdict

The Alfa Romeo Junior is a cute car that’s charming and smile-inducing. It deserves to sell well but ultimately this will come down to whether the Australian public is receptive.

There is plenty of competition out there and if you're wanting something design-led, it's hard to look past this without spending much more money.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

The new Mini Countryman John Cooper Works in Favoured trim offers everything you’d expect it to - the iconic Mini styling, a powerful driving performance and a well-equipped cabin. It’s a wonderfully quick urban dweller that you can park anywhere but is just as happy on the open-road. For me, this is pure fun and offers more personality than a lot of its rivals.

Alfa Romeo Junior vs Mini Countryman What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Alfa Romeo Junior vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?