Kia Niro vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?

Kia Niro

$34,990 - $54,990

2023 price

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Mini Countryman

$45,900 - $80,880

2025 price

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Polestar 2 Long Range

Polestar 2 Standard Range

Summary

2023 Kia Niro

2025 Mini Countryman

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Not Applicable, 0.0L

Inline 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

0.0L/100km (combined)

7.7L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Decent driving range
Pleasant interior design
Easy-to-use tech

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

Dislikes

Rougher ride
Doughy acceleration from a full stop
Expensive compared to rivals

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

2023 Kia Niro Summary

Kia has released the newly updated Niro, which is the smaller and less sporty sibling to Kia’s popular, EV6. As far as EVs go, it has a decent driving range and specs that should entice first-time electric vehicle owners to dip their toes into the EV pool.

However, the updated model does come with a price hike… which might not excite a budget-conscious buyer, especially with such affordable competitors like the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric also available.

I’ve been hanging in it for a week with my family of three to see how it handles!

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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

2023 Kia Niro 2025 Mini Countryman

Verdict

The Kia Niro S Electric is a solid little SUV that has decent space inside and some nice specs, but it's more expensive than its nearest rivals. The EV powertrain can take a little getting used to and I would have liked a smoother ride, but the 460km driving range is good.

For first-time EV owners, this wouldn’t be a bad option if you wanted to dip your toes in the water but it will suit urban dwellers and smaller families, like mine, best. This gets a 7.5/10 from me.

My son wasn’t in love with this one. Not enough buttons for him to press and he did comment on how bumpy the ride was in the back. He gives it a 6.0/10.

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.

Kia Niro vs Mini Countryman What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Kia Niro vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?