"What is the difference between Crosstrek and Countryman?
 


 


 

5 Minute Video.  Lots of text and pics below. 
 




EXECUTIVE SUMMARY for people bored with details:

It's tough to beat a Subaru for reliability, value, all-weather prowess, and overall utility.  It's hard to beat a turbocharged Mini for zippy thrills, slot car handling, and the opportunity to have a very close relationship with the folks in the repair department at the Mini dealership.   Mini costs about $5,000 more. 







 Review and Specs
 Crosstrek orange, Countryman white



Ground clearance

Crosstrek:  8.7 inches
Countryman:  6.3 inches

Countryman looks the part but can't run with the big dogs in deep snow or mud.   






  







Both are same width.









Crosstrek is over a foot longer. 
Countryman is great for parking in Boston...but you give up a lot of interior space.





 
   






Crosstrek is two inches taller.




 
 




 




 


 


Crosstrek 


 Countryman


Ride Quality
With its "long travel suspension" Crosstrek rides much more enjoyably over these crappy New England roads. ("Travel" is just a fancy way of saying that there is more space for the suspension to compress, which results in a more compliant ride.)  Countryman rides more like a sports car, and you feel every road imperfection.





 




Lots of suspension travel
 










 
Believe it or not, that's a
heart in the center cap. 
Cheeky Brits!

 




Cargo Space

Cooper:  41.3 cubic feet
Crosstrek:  51.9 cubic feet

They don't call it a Mini for nothin'.  You won't fit a big old dawg like Blue
in a Countryman.   More "people space" in the Crosstrek, too:  120 cubic feet to 103. 




 









 


 

All Wheel Drive Systems

Crosstrek
was built from the ground up with all wheel drive; Cooper started life as a rear driver and then they bolted on a lot of extra hardware later. 





 


   
Warranties
Cooper comes with free scheduled maintenance during warranty period.  Of course, for the difference in price, you can pay for a lot of oil changes on a Crosstrek.


3 year or 36,000 mile
"bumper to bumper"

5 year or 60,000 mile

powertrain warranty



4 year, 50,000 miles
"bumper to bumper"

No additional
powertrain warranty.






Engine
Mini is about a second quicker 0-60mph. 








2.0 liter four cylinder
148 horsepower
 
 





 
1.6 liter turbocharged four cylinder
208 horsepower





Fuel Economy
Mini requires premium gas.   




Continuously variable
automatic transmission:

26 city, 34 highway








Six-speed automatic:
 25 city, 31 highway





Fuel Tank
You won't be able to drive past as many gas stations in the Mini.  


15.9 gallons


540 mile maximum range


12.4 gallons


384 mile maximum range


Interior

Crosstrek is pretty conventional; Mini looks like it had a few gin and tonics. 













 



Purchase and Ownership Experience
You can buy a Subaru at Planet, but not a Mini.

    









Typical dealership experience.




Search our inventory

We trade a lot of Mini Coopers, so even though we don't sell them new, we might have one used!











Search used
Mini Coopers

 









Crosstrek Resource Links 









 
 










 














 
 your undealership







Planet Subaru is your Boston Subaru Dealer that buys, sells, and leases XV Crosstreks in the areas of Newton, Cambridge, Cape Cod, and Dorchester.