Ford Fiesta vs Mini Countryman

What's the difference?

The Fiesta ST is an addictive car to drive. It's a modern classic and hard to beat when it comes to engaging performance and smile-inducing dynamics. Add in excellent value for money and you have a certified performance car bargain. 

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.

The styling changes ushered in by the 2022 update are subtle. The Fiesta ST gains a revised front fascia with LED Matrix headlights, a larger grille with a repositioned Ford badge, and restyled bonnet and bumper. 

It gets a fresh 18-inch alloy wheel design and black tail-light surrounds at the rear. It also comes in two new exterior paint colours - 'Mean Green' and the 'Boundless Blue' of our test car.

The current-generation Fiesta ST has an appealing design that represents a clear evolution of its predecessor, and, arguably, it didn’t need much work this time around.

The ST’s sporty bodykit adds a touch of aggression but not in a boy racer sort of way. It’s a classic hatchback design with a bit of an edge. 

It's a case of the 'not-so-mini' when it comes to the new Countryman because it now stands at 4447mm in length, 1843mm in width and 1645mm in height. That's 170mm longer and 21mm wider than the previous generation!

But the Countryman still has all of the fun styling you’d expect in a Mini and it’s that iconic styling that sets this car apart from its rivals. It knows its fun and isn't afraid to show it.

Our Mini Countryman gets JCW badging across the body of the car, including its wheels but it's the chequered flag motif across the grille that reminds you what’s under the bonnet.

Unfortunately, our test model is finished in the rather boring 'Midnight Black II' but the range of colours and customisations available on the Countryman will help make it feel like your own.

Head inside and there's a hefty mix of materials in the cabin space. You’ve got a thick and rough-textured weave/knit across the dash, doors and tops of the sports seats but that’s then mixed with a black synthetic upholstery and plastics everywhere else.

The red stitching and accents won’t land with everyone but it certainly creates a fun atmosphere.

There are some lovely design highlights with rose gold metal accents in the door handles and air vents. A panoramic sunroof adds some much needed airiness and I adore the way you still get a ‘turn-key’ experience despite having keyless start with the starter knob.

The round media screen isn't as well-integrated as before but it looks gorgeous and the different drive modes give you a range of colours to further customise the cabin.

As part of the update, the Fiesta ST gains new Recaro front sports seats that are firm and hug the body tightly. You feel well supported when cornering. The mix of synthetic leather and suede looks spot-on.

Like a number of sports-focused models, the ST features red stitching throughout the cabin - on the steering wheel, gearbox gaiter and air vent surrounds - and while it’s ubiquitous, it’s still a nice touch.

The chunky perforated leather steering wheel feels nice to touch, as does the metal gear knob. 

Cabin materials are a mix of soft-touch and hard plastics, and there’s carbon-fibre-look inserts on the dash.

There’s no denying Ford’s dash design is a huge improvement over the previous-generation Fiesta that ran from 2009, but the current model still lacks the polish of the VW Polo. It’s about on par with the Hyundai i20 N, although the Ford’s layout is a little busier.

In saying that, it’s hard to fault the cabin’s functionality. It has a deep central storage bin, which is larger than most cars in this category, a decent sized glove box, two-and-a-half cupholders in the centre console and storage for narrow bottles in the doors.

There’s a wireless charging dock behind the gear shifter, two USB ports (one in the storage bin and one next to the charger), as well as a 12-volt charger.

It’s nice to see the ST still has a manual park brake, too.

The facelift introduced a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, and while some may lament the loss of analogue dials, it’s nice to see Ford taking the opportunity to improve the tech.

The multimedia is housed in a smallish 8.0-inch digital screen sitting atop the centre stack and it runs Ford’s Sync 3 system. 

Sync 3 functions well, is hard to fault and the menu layout is easy to navigate, but it is being left behind by competitors with more modern and appealing graphics. The latest version in the new Ranger will no doubt be a major improvement, but we won’t be seeing it in this generation of Fiesta.

The diminutive size of the Fiesta ST is more apparent when sitting in the rear seats. It’s pretty tight behind my 183cm (6ft) driving position, with my knees hitting the rear of the front seats. 

It’s a cramped space that’s not designed for long trips by adults. It has redundant tiny rear-side windows behind the C-pillar, but on the plus side, there’s acres of headroom. 

It lacks rear-seat air vents and the closest USB port is in the front centre storage compartment. Taller bottles won’t fit in the doors and it lacks a centre fold-down armrest, but it has map pockets.

The rear seats are flat and the Fiesta has outboard ISOFIX points for child seats.

Realistically, most people buying a car like this aren’t using it to haul children around so think of it as a two-seater with handy rear-seat storage.

The rear seats fold 60/40 but not flat. A space-saver spare wheel lives under the boot floor and it has a high boot lip, meaning you have to lift items up and over to get them in. 

At 311 litres, it’s a decent sized boot with usable space. It’s just one litre more than the Hyundai i20 N, and six litres more than the Polo GTI.

The cabin of the Mini Countryman doesn't feel like it belongs in a small SUV. The legroom is still best up front but the second row offers more than enough space for taller adults. It will be most comfortable for four rather than five adults, though.

The electric front seats have large side bolstering and decent padding but they are on the firmer side. You get a little bit of fatigue on a longer trip but around town they’re great and the massage function on the driver's seat is strong.

The rear seat is even firmer than the front and set like a stadium seat, so it won't be as comfy for adults on a longer trip. The fold-down armrest adds some bolstering.

While the storage looks a little odd at first, all of the cubbies are quite functional. There's a lot of them, too, and the dual shelves underneath the starter-knob are particularly handy for your larger 'small' items, like phones and sunnies case. This is where the wireless charging pad is, too.

The glove box can fit a manual and the little centre console is kind of adorable but still fit all of my keys and wallet.

The sliding armrest is a nice touch and there's a couple of USB-C ports underneath it. There are two large cupholders, two drink holders and small storage bins in the doors.

In the rear you get a drink bottle holder in each door, two map pockets, two USB-C ports and two cupholders.

The circular multimedia screen looks great and once you get used to how the menus are accessed and the little shortcuts, it’s a fairly simple system to use while on the go.

The touchscreen is fairly responsive but you'll need to do wide swipes across to switch the menu screens.

I’m not a massive fan of having to access a screen for most of your functions but do like the way climate control remains on the screen at all times and it's just the fan function that needs a couple of extra toggles.

The multimedia system is run by Android Automotive and has wired and wireless phone mirroring. The Apple CarPlay maintained a steady connection this week with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and the built-in sat nav is easy to use.

Rounding out the interior is the large 505L boot and if you want more storage options, the back row has a 40/20/40 split-fold.

The loading space has a small lip, and a handy storage compartment underneath the floor which holds the tyre repair kit and other items you don’t want rolling around. JCWs get a hands-free powered tailgate, which is always handy after a big shopping trip.

There are five versions of the new Mini Countryman, which includes a line-up of petrol and fully-electric powertrains.

For the petrol John Cooper Works (JCW), there are two trim levels available and our test model is the flagship Favoured variant.  It's priced from $73,990, before on road costs, making it an affordable high-performance small SUV compared to its Euro rivals.

The third-gen Mini Countryman JCW is built alongside the BMW X1 and because they share the same platform and engine, it directly competes against the X1 M35i xDrive which is priced from $92,300 MSRP.

So, if its the impressive engine outputs you’re after our JCW Favoured is the better pick. The Audi RS Q3 2.5 TFSI quattro is even more expensive at $101,215 but it does have better engine outputs.

Surprisingly, the John Cooper Works Favoured doesn’t add all that much to the ‘base’ Classic trim but the additions include 20-inch alloy wheels with performance brakes (including red calipers) and six extra paintwork options. You also get electric front seats, with memory and massage functions for the driver.

JCW models come with keyless entry and start, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cornering LED headlights, dual climate control, powered tailgate with kick-function, heated steering wheel and velour floor mats.

The technology includes a round 9.4-inch OLED multimedia screen, dash cam recorder, a premium Harman Kardon sound system, digital radio, a head-up display, 'Spike' Mini Assistant, an interior camera (you can take selfies!), augmented satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, four USB-C ports and two 12-volt sockets.

While it's impressively more affordable than its peers, the JCW in Favoured trim misses out on a few top-grade features you'd expect at this level. Features like front seat ventilation and heated rear outboard seats or even a massage function on the front passenger seat.

Under the Fiesta’s cute bonnet is Ford’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 147kW at 6000rpm and 320Nm at 4000rpm - the latter is an increase of 30Nm over the pre-facelift model.

Interestingly, it now matches the power and torque outputs of the Polo GTI. The i20 N pumps out 150kW and 304Nm.

The engine is exclusively paired to a six-speed manual gearbox - there is no auto transmission available - and it is front-wheel drive.

The JCW Countryman is an all-wheel-drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. It has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 233kW of power and 400Nm of torque. This model has a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.4-seconds!

There are eight drive 'experience' modes you can choose from, comprising 'Core', 'Green', 'Go Kart' (very fun), 'Personal', 'Timeless', 'Vivid', 'Balance' and 'Trail'.

Ford claims the Fiesta ST has an official combined cycle fuel use figure of 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres. 

After a week of predominantly inner city and freeway driving, we recorded a much higher 10.2L/100km. However, that was very shortly after an enthusiastic back-road blast to test its performance chops. We did see single-digit numbers throughout the week prior to that.

The Fiesta requires premium 95RON petrol and it has a 45-litre tank. CO2 emissions are 144g/km of CO2.

For a performance SUV, the JCW Favoured has a lowish official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure of just 7.7L/100km and a large 54L fuel tank, giving you a theoretical driving range of up to 701km, which isn’t bad for such a little go-getter.

After doing a few bigger road trips this week, plus a long weekend in the city, my real-world usage has popped out at 7.9L/100km, which is excellent but expect it to be higher if you only do city driving.

It’s easy to find your ideal driving position in the Fiesta ST, thanks to the reach and height adjustable steering wheel and the adjustable seat.

Aside from the extra 30Nm dollop of torque, Ford hasn’t changed anything else about the Fiesta ST mechanicals for 2022, but arguably, it didn’t need to.

The pre-facelift model could cover 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds, and while Ford has not revealed whether that has changed with the facelift, it feels about right.

It’s brisk from a standing start, without being neck-snappingly quick, but there is strong urge and a lack of noticeable turbo lag. There is, however, some axle tramp on take-off, particularly in the wet. We also detected some torque steer when pushing hard up a hill, but it was minimal. 

Speaking of, the little three-pot turbo engine is utterly unfazed by steep hills - it just keeps adding speed. A light kerb weight of 1218kg helps here. 

The three-pot turbo engine sounds wonderful when accelerating, and the Fiesta ST begs to be driven hard.

The engine is perfectly matched with the slick shifting six-speed manual gearbox that has lovely short throws and is a joy to use. Even if Ford offered an auto with the Fiesta ST, it would take away from the driving experience.

'Sport' mode ups the growl from the engine and throttle response, but it’s not a dramatic departure from 'Comfort' mode.

The ST’s strong brakes are bordering on sensitive, but the heavily weighted steering is incredibly sharp.

On a back road run, the front-wheel drive Fiesta ST comes alive, hugging corners confidently. 

On bends that would’ve seen many other cars come undone, the Fiesta’s tight, balanced chassis, grippy tyres and the standard mechanical limited slip differential ensure it maintains its composure.

The ride is undeniably firm, particularly around town in urban areas - you feel every speed bump. My partner found the ride a bit too much at times, but I was far more forgiving.

The Fiesta feels solidly built and has a level of refinement that’s missing from the likes of the Suzuki Swift Sport and Hyundai i20 N.

However, the cabin could do with more noise deadening materials as it can be quite rowdy at speed and on coarse chip roads. Another negative is the massive turning circle - a bit odd for a city-focused light hatchback.

But these are things I could happily live with. During my week with the Fiesta ST, I made any excuse to jump behind the wheel and go for a drive.

Me: “I’m just going to run to the shops to get pasta.”

My partner: “We’re not cooking pasta this week.”

Me: “Yeah but you never know when you need pasta. Bye!”

Even if you don’t love the design, the power and performance of the turbo-petrol engine will win you over. It’s just pure unadulterated fun on the open road and in the city. You get a total hot-hatch experience, despite the Countryman being an SUV. 

The adaptive suspension feels a little stiff when you’re going over uneven road surfaces at higher speeds and road noise also creeps in, but around town this is a comfortable ride. 

Visibility is great, even in heavy rain with a child's car seat installed in the rear (we had a mix of weather on test). Thanks in no small part to the all-wheel drive system it felt sure-footed in the wet and I felt confident this car would do everything I asked of it.

The firm steering makes for a nimble on-road experience no matter the situation and you have gear-shifting paddles on the steering wheel.

There’s also a 'Boost' mode that wrangles the top performance out of the suspension, steering and engine for when you want more control.

You can park the Countryman just about anywhere and the 360-degree camera view system is excellent quality. It’s easy to park, even in small, tight car parks.

The new Mini Countryman hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP but features a healthy list of crash-avoidance safety features and has nine airbags, including a front centre bag.

Standard safety equipment includes driver monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, AEB, 'Cornering Brake Control', blind-spot monitoring, emergency e-call, lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, side exit assist, a dash cam recorder, tyre pressure monitoring, 360-degree view camera system plus front and rear parking sensors.

The adaptive cruise control is also well-tuned and one of the better systems I’ve sampled recently.

The rear seat has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

The Fiesta is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and you get free roadside assistance and state/territory auto club membership each year that you service your car at a dealer, for up to seven years.

The servicing schedule is every year or 15,000km, whichever comes first. There’s a four-year/60,000km capped-price servicing program, which costs $299 per service. 

Ford also offers a free service car loan that can be booked in ahead of your service.

The Countryman is offered with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is pretty standard fare for a Euro model. You can pre-purchase a five year or up to 80,000km servicing plan for $2250, which is very competitive for the class.

Servicing intervals are condition based, so your Mini will tell you when it needs to visit the workshop.