Over the past year, I have spent a considerable amount of time behind the wheel of the new generation Mini Countryman. Like, seriously! My experience began with a weekend in the C Classic which I wasn’t particularly fond of, mainly because the powertrain was just too underpowered for the car. Then, over the course of a week, I drove the length of the country on the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run, completing the North Island in a Countryman S and the South Island in a Countryman SE. To top that, I then spent two weeks behind the wheel of a Countryman John Cooper Works, one of which serves as the subject of this review!
During my time with all of the above Countrymans, I have listened to the car get plenty of stick for its size and the fact that it isn’t a “real Mini” because of this. In fact, if I had a dollar for each time someone told me this, I could probably afford a new Countryman! Granted, the Countryman is indeed colossal if your benchmark is a 1950s Mini, but then, most hatchbacks of today would dwarf the thing. However, look to the history books and you will find that the Mini brand has always had particular characteristics associated with it that. Look at one and you might associate words like quirky and self-expression with it. Drive one and you might say it was fun and enjoyable, probably scary too if we are talking classic Minis. The challenge for me then was whether I could find these qualities in the new Countryman John Cooper Works, the brand’s range topper.
Admittedly yes, size is a bit of an issue when we are talking about a car that says ‘Mini’ on the nose. The new generation car is larger than its predecessor, now measuring in at 4.43m in length and 1.63m tall. There’s also the small matter of width as well but you can probably see where I’m going with this. If anything, the numbers above raise a chicken and egg type debate because crossovers and SUVs are what people are buying these days. Between utes (pickups) and SUVs, they have about 75% of New Zealand’s new car market cornered so any brand that is not selling either of those types of vehicles is missing out on an overwhelming majority of the car buying market.
With that being said, I’m sure the right crowd could argue endlessly about the SUV debate but it’s here to stay. That aside, this is a review of the Countryman JCW so why don’t we go back to talking about that! The new generation Countryman keeps the boxy styling of its predecessor and the JCW version builds on this. Exterior highlights are now finished in gloss black with the grille featuring a chequered flag style look.
The chequered flag theme continues with wheels that are also unique to the JCW Countryman along with the red painted brake calipers. Like with other Countryman variants, a dual tone paint scheme is available with this particular car coming in an eye catching red and black scheme. Specifically, Chili Red 2 and Midnight Black 2. There’s also the small matter of those quad exhausts at the rear which really hammer the point home!
There’s a similar story on the inside too where it feels very much like a Countryman but with subtle hints of sportiness dropped around. Special JCW seats make enthusiast driving more appealing while a unique JCW third spoke on the steering reminds you exactly what you are driving. Take a dive into that curved OLED screen and you can even adjust both the headlight and taillight signatures to a unique John Cooper Works configuration.
Otherwise, it’s the same Countryman interior that people have taken to. Fabric woven inserts cover the dashboard and a portion of the door cards, in keeping with Mini’s theme to keep improving sustainability in the manufacturing of their cars. As promised, there’s no leather and no chrome, although there’s still a fair bit of scratchy plastic to beware of round the cabin. The JCW model makes up for this with some extra fruit on offer, including massage functionality for the drivers’ seat, a dual sunroof and a Harman Kardon audio system which helps pipe in some of that turbocharged four cylinder noise.
Being a JCW Countryman, the sensation of speed and its respective sounds are important but this model has plenty of go for its show too! A 2L turbocharged four cylinder unit sits under the bonnet, powering all four wheel through Mini’s All4 all wheel drive system. It’s punchy too with 221kW of power on offer and 400Nm of torque, catapulting this family SUV to 100kph in 5.4 seconds, not bad at all! Power is fed to the wheels through a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox which also helps keep the efficiency in check, a claimed figure of 8.3L/100km was not far off my test which returned 8.7L/100km. Impressive yes, but no one’s buying a Countryman JCW for its fuel sipping ability!
Nope, the John Cooper Works badge means business. The name of course has a long association with the Mini brand, with it now representing the pinnacle of performance cars from the same. Applied to the Countryman package, the appeal is more so in its handling than its straight line power figures. Yes, this JCW is impressively quick in a straight line, managing to put its power down with ease. It’s comfortable too on longer motorway journeys with the big wheels and low profile tyres only roaring on the occasional rougher open pore stretch.
However, find a twisty road and the JCW really comes into its own, harnessing the spirit of the traditional Mini. The ‘go-kart’ term might be overused when it comes to these cars, particularly because it has a dedicated mode by the same name but there’s good reason for this. During my time behind the seat of the Countryman S, I got a feel for what the chassis is really capable of and believe me, this car can be pushed hard! The JCW is even hotter, allowing you to tackle the corners with even more gusto. Flip a switch and all of a sudden, it’s calm enough for the daily commute as well, the duality of character on offer is very impressive.
The Verdict
The Countryman JCW is a very impressive package, quick in a straight line and fun around the corners. It offers plenty of individuality for those wanting to specify a car to their tastes as well. Its size makes family trips a convenience rather than a chore while still allowing the driver to have some fun. Like any car, it has its downsides, the cabin is quite plasticky despite the fabric inserts and the ride can be harsh on some of our roads. All things considered, it offers the Mini experience for the whole family and that’s exactly what the brief was!
2025 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works: 4/5
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Car courtesy of Mini New Zealand. Words and photos by Matthew D’Souza.
