Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2024 MINI Countryman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Kicks Play are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Countryman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 5 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking in the Kicks Play as “Superior.” The Countryman scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks Play has standard Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks Play’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Countryman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks Play’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Automatic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Countryman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Kicks Play and the Countryman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Kicks Play 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Countryman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Countryman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 10 times as many Nissan dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks Play’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks Play gets better mileage than the Countryman:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks Play uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Countryman requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Kicks Play has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Countryman doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Kicks Play SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Countryman are solid, not vented.

The Kicks Play stops much shorter than the Countryman:

The Kicks Play has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Countryman doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks Play handles at .82 G’s, while the Countryman ALL4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Countryman’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 950 pounds less than the MINI Countryman.

The Kicks Play has 3.3 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Countryman.

The front step up height for the Kicks Play is 1.3 inches lower than the Countryman (15.5” vs. 16.8”). The Kicks Play’s rear step up height is 1.1 inches lower than the Countryman’s (15.9” vs. 17”).

The Kicks Play has a much larger cargo volume than the Countryman with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 17.6 cubic feet).

The Kicks Play’s cargo area is larger than the Countryman’s in almost every dimension:

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kicks Play has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Countryman only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Kicks Play and the MINI Countryman, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Kicks Play outsold the MINI Countryman by almost seven to one during 2024.