Rally refugees cross over

On paper, the Audi has the Mini’s number, but there’s no denying the Brit is the more characterful of the two Gareth Dean

Surprisingly good performance crossovers but still overshadowed by their hatchback counterparts Nikesh Kooverjee

Love the RS’s fivecylinder thrum. Even in Countryman guise, the Mini’s go-kart handling comes to the fore Sean Parker

The Audi for its engine, the Mini for outright entertainment value Marius Boonzaier

As their badges – RS and JCW – would suggest, both the Audi Q3 and Mini Countryman are top-dog crossovers, fitted with bombastic turbopetrol engines and enough model-specific exterior items to trumpet their flamboyant performance-orientated personas. The most notable items distinguishing them from their garden-variety stablemates are their deep bumpers, flared wheelarches, RS- and JCW-specific alloy wheels, and chunky tailpipes. As far as grabbing peoples’ attention, both have perfectly adhered to the brief.

Surprisingly, it is the RS Q3 – dressed in a seemingly conservative Nardo Grey hue – that turns the most heads. A few team members noted that the Sportback’s slopedrear suits the RS Q3 to a T.The Mini JCW, on the other hand, while more conventional, is far from demure with its bodywork adorned in red paintwork and accents.