Volvo EX30 vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?

Volvo EX30

$49,990 - $62,990

2026 price

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Mini Countryman

$45,900 - $80,880

2025 price

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Summary

2026 Volvo EX30

2025 Mini Countryman

By Marcus Craft

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 on all surfaces
Impressive AWD capability
Free five-year/150,000km servicing plan

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

Dislikes

19-inch rims
Squeeze back seat
No cover on panoramic glass roof

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

2026 Volvo EX30 Summary

The EX30 Cross Country is the new adventure-focussed top-shelf variant in Volvo’s small electric SUV line-up.

This five-seat compact crossover has a dual-motor electric set-up, all-wheel drive, raised suspension, more ground clearance than a regular EX30 and an exterior that more than hints at its off-road aspirations.

But just how much potential does this Cross Country have as an all-wheel drive adventure machine?

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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 Volvo EX30 2025 Mini Countryman

Verdict

There’s a lot to like about the Volvo EX30 Cross Country. It’s an impressive AWD EV. Nice to drive, comfortable and offering the extra driver confidence an AWD system brings.

It also looks good, has a decent stack of features onboard and has plenty of appeal for owners, especially in terms of servicing costs.

As an EV tourer, it has a reasonable driving range and offers enough in terms of AWD flexibility to appeal to those people who may like the idea of an all-electric adventure machine.

But it is small, has a limited scope of off-road capability and pricing is ranging upward for what it offers.

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.

Volvo EX30 vs Mini Countryman What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Volvo EX30 vs Mini Countryman
What's the difference?