2021 Audi Q2 vs Mini Countryman

What's the difference?

Audi’s littlest and most affordable SUV, the Q2, has been updated with new looks and tech, but something else has snuck in with it. Or should I say roared in? It’s the SQ2, with a whopping 300 horsepower and a snarling bark.

So, this review has something for everybody. It’s for those who want to know what’s new for the Q2 in this latest update - those thinking of  buying a cool-looking little SUV from Audi - and for those who want to wake their neighbours up and frighten their friends.

Ready? Let’s go.

Mini has released the ultimate version of its bestselling model after the Hatch, the John Cooper Works (JCW) Countryman.

Hang on. Wasn’t that revealed last July, you ask?

The answer is yes, but because of, well, 2020, we’ve only now managed to grab hold one of the facelifted (LCI for Life Cycle Impulse) MY21 JCW Countryman models – and in flagship $71,013 Signature ALL4 guise at that. Flash. To refresh, the changes ushered in a revised grille, bumpers and instrumentation, Union Jack-shaped lenses for the tail-lights and higher levels of efficiency, safety and equipment.

Now, there’s been a JCW version of the BMW-owned British marque since the original R60 series surfaced in 2011; the MY21 Countryman LCI is the first big makeover since the second-gen F60 series surfaced in Australia during 2017… and with 250km/h capability, this grade represents the pinnacle.

So, what does one of the fastest performance premium small SUVs feel like? Read on…