Yahoo Autos 2025 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works Is Big-Time Fun
Funny thing about hot dogs. Eat a dozen little smokies and nobody bats an eye. Eat just as many Koegel Viennas and people start asking questions like Does he need an ambulance? Can someone lock the doors? and Do we have more hot dogs? The newest-generation Countryman, Mini's largest yet, is finally big sausage. It's 5.3 inches longer, 0.9 inch wider, and almost 4.0 inches taller than before. Beyond the Countryman's badging and iconic round instrument cluster, calling this 14.6-footer "Mini" seems like a complete misnomer. Alas, the 312-hp John Cooper Works flavor we drove in Portugal proved that, despite all the extra meat, it's still a fun time.
The revised turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four features a redesigned cylinder head that adopts the Miller cycle, has redesigned intake ports and combustion chambers, and now has port fuel injection along with direct injection. Otherwise known as the B48A20T2, it serves up 11 more horsepower, that peak arrives 750 rpm later than the outgoing unit and holds strong to the 6500-rpm redline. Torque drops from 331 to 295 pound-feet, but is transmitted to the wheels by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that replaces the previous torque-converter eight-speed automatic.
It's snappy, particularly during downshifts. The dual-clutch won't automatically grab another gear at redline if you neglect the paddle shifters in Manual mode. Forgetting to pull the "up" shifter results in the automotive equivalent of the facepalm gif. A long pull of the left paddle activates Boost mode, which is really just a different way of saying Sport mode, as it sets the driver up for 10 seconds of the most aggressive drive settings.
Go-Go Gadgets
The exciting hum and throaty burble of exhaust notes that is the soundtrack to the Go-Kart drive mode is unfortunately all artificial. From the driver's seat, the Countryman sounds like it's on stage in The Italian Job's Nivolet Pass, but from the outside the drama is only as thick as Edward Norton's mustache.
The sportiest Countryman is also the most comfortable John Cooper Works (JCW) to date. Adapting to the size and style of the redesigned BMW X1 (its sibling on the UKL platform), the Countryman's wheelbase is 0.9 inch longer than before. Some of the JCW's edginess has been smoothed, making it easier to drive fast. A strut tower brace over the engine aids a JCW-tuned Adaptive M suspension—borrowed from its BMW counterpart—in delivering delightful and progressive damping.
Part of its improved ride is due to the discontinuation of run-flat tires. The Countryman gets slightly wider tires with wheel options ranging from 17 to 20 inches. The JCW we drove wore Pirelli P Zero PZ4 245/45R-20 rubber on the optional JCW Flag Spoke wheels. The standard 19-inch wheels likely would deliver a superior ride, but the 20s' Flag Spoke design is just too damn cool to pass up.
The steering, unfortunately, leaves something to be desired in terms of the tactility and direct feel we expect from a sporty machine. The standard ALL4 all-wheel-drive system does allow for some rather aggressive tactics, and although there's no drift mode to hoon around in, traction control and stability control can be disabled to allow for a wider range of shenanigans. Also, the new JCW's raccoon-preserving 8.0 inches of ground clearance is 1.5 inches above the previous gap. #Savethecritters.
The redesign and upgrades have wrought a slightly heavier Countryman JCW; we estimate a roughly 100-pound increase. The 15.2-inch front rotors are vented and cross-drilled—slightly larger than the 453-hp BMW M2 hardware—and are clamped by bright Chili Red–painted calipers. We'll have to wait until we test one to say for certain if the bigger stopping system and new tires match or beat the previous car's 161-foot stop from 70 mph.
Jingle Jangle Jingle
Inside, the Countryman JCW is once again designed to be fun. The screen behind the steering wheel is gone; instead you get a small head-up display. The Countryman's infotainment ecosystem lives inside the 9.4-inch round OLED touchscreen in the center of the dashboard.
Each of the eight drive modes (Go-Kart, Core, Green, Vivid, Timeless, Personal, Balance, and Trail) is illustrated with distinctive themes, highlighted data, and a jingle. Flick it into Go-Kart mode and you'll be met with a giant digital tach and speedometer while a silly "Yahoo!" sound effect plays. It does begin to sound like the Wilhelm scream after the second time you hear it, but you can disable these jingles, which also interrupt music when changing drive modes.
Like a shoestring used as a belt, we found the software is easily overwhelmed. We experienced a few instances when the navigation system lagged behind, causing us to miss a turn as the augmented reality inside the dashcam took priority. A lot is happening on that display, so while it's incredibly well detailed and pleasing to look at, it is slow to catch up.
Thankfully, there are physical buttons in that minimal stack: one to select Park; a volume knob that's easy for a front passenger to reach; and toggle switches for the ignition, gear selection, and drive modes. Parking cameras, emergency lights, and front and rear defrost also have buttons. The rest of the controls are on the steering wheel or within the digital interface.
There are also three themes for the exterior lighting, which change the design of the LED head- and taillights. The different sectors of the daytime running lights will illuminate to convey a sportier look, but this can only be configured while the vehicle is off.
The Countryman JCW puts on a good show with its cabin materials, but only from the waist up. While the dashboard is covered in layers of "carbon-friendly" materials, below that area things turn to plastic—the kind made glossy by greasy fingers after a fast-food lunch. There isn't much storage in the center console, as the center armrest isn't a container, but Mini says that area can be fitted with customizable cargo modules.
Rear passengers will find excellent headroom, but six-footers will touch their knees on the back of the driver's seat behind a six-foot-tall driver. Just like many of its subcompact competitors, opening/closing the vents and the windows are the only climate controls for folks riding in coach. There are two USB-C charging ports and a folding armrest with integrated cupholders. The cargo space aft the rear seats is generous, in part thanks to an additional deep cubby beneath the floor.
What You Pay to Play
Like eating too many hot dogs, the Countryman JCW's pricing might make you a little queasy. The JCW starts at $47,895, which puts a meaningful distance between it and the $50,895 BMW X1 M35i xDrive. It's $8000 more than the tame 241-hp Countryman S, which has all-wheel drive too. There's also the upcoming all-electric $46,195 Countryman S E All4 to consider.
However, start adding equipment packages to the JCW for the better wheels, panoramic sunroof, bigger brakes, and augmented reality, and the sporty Mini costs as much as a mid-tier Genesis GV70. Yet, given the luxury subcompact segment's recent need for speed, a fully optioned JCW still feels like a spectacularly better deal than its more expensive competitors such as the $57,600 Mercedes-AMG GLA35 and $60K GLB35.
The Countryman JCW is our first taste of the new-generation Mini. It's lighthearted fun, and with good power and big brakes it has serious hardware to support its name. The style and space inside the cockpit also more than fit the mantra. Still, when the Countryman goes on sale later this spring, we wonder if this bigger Mini's bigger price tag will give buyers indigestion.
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