Item: Mini Countryman JCW
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

In terms of price, the Mini Countryman JCW&nbsp;sits&nbsp;just below the more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen T-Roc R</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/cupra-ateca/estate/review/n17969">Cupra Ateca</a>&nbsp;in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/sports-suv">Sports SUV</a> field. It’s still a huge financial leap from the entry-level Countryman, though, and the price starts to creep up if you tick the boxes for extras like the upgraded infotainment system, the adaptive suspension or go-faster stripes.&nbsp;

Fortunately, the Mini also proves cheaper to run than those rivals – not that you’ll be focused on fuel economy if you’re considering a 300bhp-plus SUV. The JCW officially returns 34.4mpg, with the T-Roc R and Ateca claimed to achieve 32.1mpg and 31.7mpg respectively. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">CO2 emissions</a> –<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/company-car-tax-bands/n1255"> important for business users </a>– are also the lowest, with 156g/km versus 176g/km and 168g/km. Although good luck trying to convince your boss to let you run a Countryman JCW as a company car.&nbsp;

The JCW sits at the top of the Countryman price list and is as comprehensively equipped as you’d hope, with sports suspension and those 18in wheels, plus the Comfort Plus Pack with its rear-view camera and front parking sensors, and the Navigation Pack with sat-nav and smartphone mirroring.&nbsp;

The regular Countryman performed especially well in our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">2019 What Car? Reliability Survey,</a> finishing top of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey-small-suvs/n20062">small SUV category</a>. Mini performed well as a brand, finishing 8th out of 31 manufacturers in the same survey, beating Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda. For further peace of mind, Mini offers a selection of fixed-price servicing packages that can also be paid for monthly.&nbsp;

Adaptive cruise control, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking (AEB)</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-new-car-technology-that-could-save-your-life/n17548">traffic sign recognition</a> are standard equipment on every Countryman. There's also an alarm, eight airbags, stability control, traction control, rear parking sensors and a tyre pressure monitor.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP</a> has safety-tested the regular Countryman and it received a full five-star rating. However, seeing as all of the Countryman’s best rivals have been awarded five stars, too, it’s worth delving into the finer points of its score breakdown to find that both the non-sports-focused <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q2/estate/review/n120">Audi Q2</a> and Volkswagen T-Roc score more highly in their adult, child and pedestrian protection scores.

Let’s start with the good. Minis have always been famed for their “go-kart-like handling”, and you’ll be pleased to know the Countryman JCW manages to maintain some of that reputation, despite being so much bigger than the brand’s other models. Body control is impressively tight and there’s plenty of grip when you throw it into corners.

However, unlike the smaller Mini hatch, which handles such behaviour in its stride, the Countryman betrays its considerable extra weight with noticeable body lean on especially winding roads. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">T-Roc R</a> manages to remain more composed, feeling more like a hot hatch than a bulked-up SUV.&nbsp;

The steering is also quite heavy, especially at the lower speeds that are typical of town driving. This can make getting in and out of a parking spot more of a chore than it really should be.

The 302bhp turbocharged engine is, unsurprisingly, pretty pokey, and you can feel the punch of its healthy low-down torque when pulling away at a roundabout, for example. It never feels quite as fast as the official performance figures suggest, though, and doesn’t quite display the outright zip you’ll experience find in hot hatches such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n143">Honda Civic Type R</a>.

The JCW comes with sports suspension that’s set up quite firmly and potholes and expansion joints send a pronounced thud through the car, the large 18in wheels doing little to cushion the shock. With a driver’s seat that’s set quite low to the ground, the road’s imperfections seem exaggerated as their impact passes through the bodywork.&nbsp;

We have yet to try the optional adaptive suspension, which softens or sharpens the ride on demand, in collaboration with the JCW’s three driving modes. The latter are standard, though, and allow you to determine the accelerator response, the steering weight and, most importantly, the exhaust noise. Sport mode sharpens everything up and unleashes an exaggerated rasping noise from the exhaust, while Green mode holds back on the accelerator to help save fuel.

The eight-speed ‘sports’ automatic gearbox is pleasingly quick to respond, and slicker than the auto ‘boxes found in the German rivals. Put your foot down and it jumps into life with minimal delay, so doesn’t leave you frustrated like you would be in the more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q2/estate/review/n18990">Audi SQ2</a>. You also get steering-wheel-mounted paddles to let you take control of the changes yourself, which also react sharply.&nbsp;

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

Small but mighty – the perfect way to sum up the Mini Countryman JCW. Well, it would be if the Mini Countryman really was ‘mini’; indeed, the brand’s largest five-door, four-wheel-drive model is a bonafide SUV, and this 302bhp performance model is a sports SUV at that.&nbsp;

That means it’s up against rivals such as the Cupra Ateca,&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen T-Roc R</a> and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q2/estate/review/n18990">Audi SQ2</a>&nbsp; – all of which have less power than the Countryman JCW on paper. So, can the British machine take the upper hand?

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PAMGwqGJVKM"></iframe>

JCW stands for John Cooper Works –&nbsp;a name that’s been associated with fast Minis for over half a century. In this case, the famous initials signify a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 332lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds – that’s over two seconds quicker than the JCW’s less-powerful sibling, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/review/n71">Countryman Cooper S</a>. That proves that it’s really here to earn its sporting stripes.&nbsp;

There’s also a host of trim and personalisation options that come as standard on the JCW, including Rebel Green paint, part-leather sports seats and a John Cooper Works body kit with spoiler and rear exhaust.&nbsp;&nbsp;

So does the JCW badge sit well on the largest and heaviest member of the Mini range? Read on to find out how it fares on the road, what it’s like inside and how much impact it’ll have on your wallet. If you like what you see, head to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/sports-suv">New Car Buying</a> pages to find a great deal with very little effort.&nbsp;

Mini’s trademark quirky dials and toggle switches remain, and each feels solidly put together, working with a satisfying click. In terms of visual appeal and perceived quality, it’s way above the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/cupra-ateca/estate/review/n17969">Cupra Ateca’s</a> interior, with smart details such as contrast stitching on its leather steering wheel. There are still scratchy plastics lower down the centre console, but coloured gloss-plastic trim details help distract attention on the most part.

Like all versions, the JCW gets an infotainment system with a 6.5in screen and sat-nav, and you can upgrade to an 8.8in touchscreen with a sharper display as part of the Navigation Plus Pack. Both use a rotary dial between the seats that makes controlling the infotainment system easy, and the optional head-up display can be used to select radio stations and view sat-nav prompts without taking your eye from the road ahead.

The sports seats are quite firm and can become tiresome on longer journeys, but they do at least offer extra support when cornering. They are also heated and come with lumbar support, although you can’t add electric adjustability.&nbsp;

The Comfort Plus Pack is also included as standard, and features a rear-view camera and parking assistant to help with visibility when reversing. The Countryman doesn’t have the raised-up stance of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">T-Roc R</a> or Cupra Ateca, and feels much like a regular hatch, so you don’t get the same commanding view over the road as those rivals.&nbsp;

Forward visibility is pretty good, though, with a tall screen and those bulbous headlights making it easy to judge the edges of the car. But thick front, side and rear pillars can make for tricky visibility over your shoulder and when approaching junctions, and the small rear windows make it rather dark in the back seats.

Hatchback

Talk about taking an idea and running with it. The big-selling Mini hatchback is still at the core of the firm’s range, but its cute styling and relatively compact dimensions have been spun off into an estate (the Clubman) and an SUV (the Countryman), as well as a convertible.

Despite its small size, the Mini is a firmly premium product, and the three-door hatchback counts the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo among its key rivals.

The fact that Mini is owned by BMW brings some big advantages –&nbsp;not least the fact that its infotainment system is based on BMW’s industry-leading iDrive.

MINI

COUNTRYMAN

The top performance model adds special sports styling inside and out, keyless entry, leather sports seats, a limited-slip differential, a sports exhaust and bigger brakes. 

John Cooper Works

Not as much fun as Sports SUV rivals, and less spacious, too

The Mini Countryman JCW is large by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small-suv">small SUV</a> standards and makes good use of its not-so-mini dimensions inside. Its high roof and low seating position mean most drivers should have plenty of room to get comfortable, and its wide body means you shouldn’t be rubbing elbows with your passenger.

Space in the rear is slightly limited due to the height of the seats, so taller passengers might find their head annoyingly close to the roof lining. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/cupra-ateca/estate/review/n17969">Cupra Ateca</a> or larger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/sports-suv">sports SUVs</a> such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kodiaq/estate/review/n18440">Skoda Kodiaq vRS</a> are likely to stack up rather better if you plan to intersperse your back-road fun with more mundane family duties. On the plus side, sliding seats are optional as part of the Activity Pack, for extra legroom or luggage space when you need it.&nbsp;

It’s no surprise that the Countryman JCW has significantly more luggage room than you’ll find in a regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/hatchback/hatchback/review/n17350">Mini hatchback</a>, but there’s also more space back there than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">T-Roc R </a>can offer, both with the seats up and when they’re folded down.

john-cooper-works

While its typical Mini handling and responsive sports gearbox give it that sports SUV feel, the Countryman JCW’s large size and weight hold it back on the road. Heavy steering and a lacklustre real-world performance make it less nimble than rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Roc R, and despite its dimensions, it can’t match the space or practicality of the Cupra Ateca. Optional extras and personalisation can cost a lot, too. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Precise, feelsome steering</li> <li>Agile, entertaining handling</li> <li>Reasonable ride comfort</li> <li>Smart and practical interior</li></ul>

Needing a&nbsp;practical load-lugger doesn't mean you need to scrimp on power and sporting prowess. In fact, most sporty manufacturers now have dedicated sports SUVs in their line-up with 0-62mph times to rival cars half their size.&nbsp;

Porsche, for example, offers two:&nbsp;the Macan and the Cayenne, both of which offer rapid performance and seriously impressive handling, as well as providing enough space for five people and a boot capable of fitting more than seven carry-on suitcases.&nbsp;

But even&nbsp;manufacturers not usually focused on track times are getting involved in this market. The Volkswagen T-Roc R is one of our favourites, too, with a 0-62mph time of 4.8sec&nbsp;and&nbsp;fuel economy of 31.5mpg. A sports SUV&nbsp;should satisfy anyone who doesn't want to trade speed for space.&nbsp;

Sports SUV

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

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Mini Countryman JCW review

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Read review covering Mini Countryman JCW boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

The Mini Countryman JCW is large by small SUV standards and makes good use of its not-so-mini dimensions inside. Its high roof and low seating position mean most drivers should have plenty of room to get comfortable, and its wide body means you shouldn’t be rubbing elbows with your passenger.,Space in the rear is slightly limited due to the height of the seats, so taller passengers might find their head annoyingly close to the roof lining. The Cupra Ateca or larger sports SUVs such as the Skoda Kodiaq vRS are likely to stack up rather better if you plan to intersperse your back-road fun with more mundane family duties. On the plus side, sliding seats are optional as part of the Activity Pack, for extra legroom or luggage space when you need it. ,It’s no surprise that the Countryman JCW has significantly more luggage room than you’ll find in a regular Mini hatchback, but there’s also more space back there than the T-Roc R can offer, both with the seats up and when they’re folded down.

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