2016 head-to-head · Compact Car

2016 MINI Countryman vs Volkswagen Beetle

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$2,043/ year to fuel
29 MPG
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,661/ year to fuel
28 MPG

The 2016 Volkswagen Beetle is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.10/gal regular gas, it costs about $1,661 a year to fuel (28 MPG), versus $2,043 for the 2016 MINI Countryman (29 MPG). That's roughly $382 a year, or about $1,912 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • MINI Countryman
  • Volkswagen Beetle

Side by side

MINI CountrymanVolkswagen Beetle
$2,043 Your annual fuel cost $1,661
29 MPG Combined efficiency 28 MPG
26 MPG City 24 MPG
32 MPG Highway 33 MPG
87 cu ft Passenger volume 81 cu ft
16 cu ft Cargo volume 7 cu ft
311 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 320 g/mi
7/10 EPA fuel economy score 7/10
7/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 7/10
Gas Powertrain Gas
Premium gasoline Fuel Regular gasoline
1.6L 4-cyl Engine / motor 1.8L 4-cyl turbo
6-speed manual Transmission 6-speed automatic
FWD Drivetrain FWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

MINI Countryman vs Volkswagen Beetle across model years

  • MINI Countryman
  • Volkswagen Beetle

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Per EPA interior volume figures, the MINI Countryman has more passenger space (87 vs. 81 cu ft); the MINI Countryman has more cargo space (16 vs. 7 cu ft).

Among 51 2016 compact cars, the MINI Countryman ranks 34th and the Volkswagen Beetle 27th for lowest fuel cost.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2016 MINI Countryman or the 2016 Volkswagen Beetle?

Measured by cost to drive, the Volkswagen Beetle. The MINI Countryman is rated 29 MPG combined and the Volkswagen Beetle 28 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2016 MINI Countryman vs. the Volkswagen Beetle per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.10/gal regular gas, about $2,043 for the MINI Countryman and $1,661 for the Volkswagen Beetle.

Which has more cargo space?

The MINI Countryman, with 16 cu ft of luggage volume versus 7 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).

MINI Countryman vs Volkswagen Beetle in other years

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