The 2021 Mini Countryman trades some of its small car driving charm for a roomier interior.
Pros Roomiest Mini Distinct looks Fits a fun family Varied powertrains Meager plug-in hybrid range
Cons No Android Auto No standard Apple CarPlay Overmatched turbo-3 Mismatched features Luxury price
The 2021 MINI Cooper Countryman's #4 ranking is based on its score within the Subcompact SUVs category. Currently the MINI Cooper Countryman has a score of 7.8 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 25 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Roomy, supportive seats Well-crafted interior Fun to drive
Cons Weak base engine Below-average cargo capacity High price tag
The biggest Mini gets a smattering of updates for 2021. Its unmistakable appearance is now even more distinctive due to a restyled front end. LED lighting elements promote its British heritage through a Union Jack motif on the taillights. There's now a Piano Black Exterior option that replaces the Mini's chrome trim with gloss-black pieces. A set of fresh wheel designs as well as White Silver and Sage Green metallic paint colors are new too. Inside, the infotainment system's housing is redesigned with gloss-black material.
Pros Well-built interior, Mini character in a family size, generous complimentary maintenance.
Cons Neither quick or nimble, plug-in hybrid is unremarkable, lacks some popular driver assists.
It doesn’t really do sharp handling, it’s not quite big enough to match the best in class for practicality, nor does it come with seven seats. Yet don’t overlook the C5 Aircross if those limitations don’t worry you, because it has a lot of other things going for it; its ride is superb on most roads, it cruises along supremely quietly, it has a reasonable purchase price and very reasonable running costs.
Pros Mostly a super-smooth ride Quiet inside at speed Frugal engines
Cons Wallowy handling No seven-seat option Question marks of Citroën's reliability
The C5 Aircross is Citroen's (late) leap onto the family-crossover bandwagon.A plug-in hybrid arrives early in 2020. The big draw with that one will be better fuel economy for commuting, and lower tax. Interestingly Citroen elected to make its PHEV front-drive only to keep the price down. Whereas Peugeot, which sells 3008s at a higher price, went for a more expensive PHEV system with 4WD via an extra rear-mounted motor.
Pros Very comfortable in all sorts of ways. Looks different. No sporty pretence
Cons No sporty actuality. Ride not as consistent as billed. Occasionally irritating screen system
Pros Eye-catching looks Generous boot space Comfortable to drive
Cons Some low-rent interior bits Awkward infotainment system Rear space is tight
