Mini Countryman

When someone says “Mini”, you immediately think of a cute little hatchback, not a big bulky SUV. But that is exactly what the Mini Countryman JCW All4 is – big, mean, and capable. This SUV comes from the JCW division of Mini, which stands for John Copper Works. This means it is the more performance oriented version of the standard Mini Countryman.

With its price of Rs 64.90 lakh (ex-showroom), it does not have a direct competitor in the market, but it can be considered as a more fun to drive alternative to premium SUVs like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. But is it really fun to drive? Or is the high price justified? Find out in this review.

(4.5 out of 5)

From a distance, the Mini Countryman might just look like a normal Mini Cooper to an untrained eye. But as it gets closer, you realise it's different just by its size. At 4.4 metres, it is not as big or imposing as some of the German SUVs, but it is still big enough to turn your head and make you stare.

The face has the signature Mini look with the round-ish headlamps and a large grille. But it also gets larger air intakes on the bumper, indentations below the bonnet, and JCW badging on the grille.

On the side, the silhouette is of a proper SUV. There are flap-type door handles, all-black optional 19-inch alloy wheels (18-inch as standard), slim wheel arches and door cladding, and a dual-tone finish. You also get the JCW badging with a checkered flag on the C Pillar, and the JCW paint scheme also adds a red roof, red and black ORVMs, red C-pillar, and red/black design livery on the bonnet.

The rear end is comparatively simpler in design with a flat boot lid, large C-shaped LED tail lamps, and “Countryman” written in big lettering. However, you do get a massive gloss black bumper that houses a functional quad exhaust setup.

Just as the front and side, the rear end also gets a JCW badge next to the Countryman lettering. As for colour options, you can get the Mini Countryman in three shades: Midnight Black, British Racing Green, and Legend Grey. The JCW dual-tone shade is available with all three shades, but the combination of the red elements looks best with the Midnight Black shade.

(4 out of 5)

Design & Quality

Inside, you get a black cabin theme with red inserts and JCW badges. The dashboard is finished in fabric which might not feel outright premium, but feels nice to touch and sports a very eye-catching pattern with red inserts. 

Mini has offered a sporty three spoke steering wheel where the middle spoke is a fabric band, and all the toggles in the cabin, especially below the infotainment system look inspired from the cockpit of an airplane. 

As for the cabin quality, nothing feels loose or out of place. All the touchpoints are covered in soft touch padding, all buttons and toggles have a satisfying click, and the fit and finish is excellent. 

Front Seats

Getting in and out of the Mini Countryman JCW is easy thanks to the neutral seating position, tall roof, and wide opening doors. Once inside, you get height adjustment for the driver seat, and both tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel. The seats, however, only get manual adjustment.

As for space, there is no shortage. A 6-foot tall passenger can easily sit in the front without worrying about headroom. The sporty bucket seats provide excellent side supportand hold you well while cornering hard, but people with broader frames might find them intrusive. The underthigh support is decent. There is just one issue, which is the absence of adjustable headrests in the front seats.

Rear Seats

Due to the shape of the seats and the prominent bolsters, the middle passenger in the rear seat will have to sit upright, and won’t get a lot of shoulder room. For two passengers, however, the rear seat provides great space and support. The headroom is plenty for a 6-footer, underthigh support is enough, and there is ample legroom and kneeroom.

If you want more space and comfort, the rear bench also slides and reclines, which will allow you to sit with more room to stretch your legs. If there are only two passengers in the back, they can rest their hands on the centre armrest, and despite being an enthusiast-oriented car, the Countryman JCW feels plenty accommodating for a family of four.

Practicality

There is plenty of storage space inside the Mini Countryman JCW like bottle holders in all four doors, two cupholders in the centre console along with a small cubby, an average-sized glovebox, storage under the front centre armrest, and a tray to keep your phone.

Rear passengers get seat back pockets and cupholders in the centre armrest. There is also a storage space here under the rear AC vents to keep your phone.

Charging Options

Front passengers get a wireless phone charger along with two USB Type-C ports. Rear passengers also get two USB Type-C ports.

The cabin of the Mini Countryman JCW All4 does what it intended to – give a sporty vibe without compromising on practicality. It feels like you’re sitting in a performance car but at the same time there is no lack of space or storage options.

Features

(4 out of 5)

The Mini Countryman JCW covers all the basic features you need for your daily drives and comes with some additional niceties.

On top of the basic features, it also gets a 9.4-inch signature MIni round touchscreen which looks cute and comes with multiple themes and modern graphics. Each theme packs a different design and offers a varyingly unique experience. It also supports wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, but they do not use the entire round screen and could’ve been better executed.

This screen is paired with a Harman Kardon sound system which offers a surround sound experience.

While there is no digital driver’s display, there is a heads-up display which gives you all the drive information along with navigation and driver assistance. A proper driver’s display is missed.

The panoramic sunroof does a good job of bringing additional light into this fairly dark cabin, and the wireless phone charger charges your phone at a good pace without heating it up too much.

There is a 360-degree camera with good camera quality and a lag-free feed. The feed also works well in low light conditions and does not become grainy.

However, while all these features work properly, it does miss out on powered front seats, front seat ventilation, and rear sunshades. Another complaint is from the AC controls, which have been integrated into the screen itself. Using the screen for something as basic as AC control is already an issue, and the tiny icons for it make matters worse.

(5 out of 5)

In terms of safety, it gets multiple airbags, front and rear parking sensors, electronic stability control (ESC), a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat anchors, hill hold assist, and a 360-degree camera.

It also comes with Level 2 ADAS features like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, high beam assist, and rear cross traffic alert. The Mini Countryman also has a 5-star crash test safety rating from Euro NCAP.

(4 out of 5)

The Mini Countryman has a boot space big enough to carry the luggage of an entire family heading for a weekend trip. You can keep an entire suitcase set here (small, medium, and large) along with small soft bags or laptop bags.

The boot lip is a little high, which will result in you making more effort while loading or unloading luggage.

(4 out of 5)

The Mini Countryman JCW comes with a single 2-litre twin-scroll turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch automatic transmission). This setup sends power to all four wheels which is what the “All4” denotes.

2-litre Turbo-petrol

This is a very refined engine which delivers power quickly and smoothly. There are little to no vibrations inside the cabin due to great cabin insulation and refinement, and you won’t be left wanting for more.

City Performance

At slow speeds, the engine has more than enough torque to quickly pickup speeds and perform overtakes. It does not leave you waiting as the power is delivered instantly and it can push you into your seat when you quickly accelerate.

The DCT changes gears quickly without any delay and it comes with paddle shifters if you want to change gears manually. 

The downside of this engine is low fuel efficiency, which in the city will be under 10 kmpl, even while driving in a relaxed manner.

Highway Performance

On the highway, you can enjoy the full potential of this SUV. With a sub 6 second 0-100 kmph time, you will feel the acceleration in your body. Overtakes won’t require any planning as you’ll be racing past everyone else on the road.

There is also a boost mode which gives you a boost of power for a few seconds, and Mini’s “Go Kart” mode will make your drives even more fun. Even here, the DCT will change gears quickly and there won’t be any delay. This big SUV has enough punch to make you enjoy your drives.

However, this enjoyment will come at the cost of a low fuel efficiency.

(4 out of 5)

Ride Comfort

We drove the Countryman JCW at a race track, so our drive experience does not involve poorly built roads. On smooth tarmac, at high speeds, the Countryman remains planted and there isn’t a lot of side to side movement to disturb the passengers. Even over the curbs of the racetrack, the suspension absorbed the bumps pretty well.

You do feel the roads and minor imperfections inside the cabin, but that does not make you uncomfortable. And while we weren’t able to test it over speedbreakers and bad roads, the JCW tuning makes the Countryman an inherently stiff car, so don’t expect the ride to be as cushioned as comparable luxury vehicles.

Handling

It does handle itself well around corners, that too at high speeds. On straights, it remains planted and gives you the confidence to keep accelerating. However, under hard braking from really high speeds of 200kmph, we noticed that the car was squirming a bit, which takes away your confidence. In regular usage however, you should not have any issues.

The Mini Countryman JCW All4 is available in a single variant which comes with the aforementioned powertrain and equipment.

If you want a big spacious family SUV with all the niceties and luxury money can buy, then the Mini Countryman JCW All4 is not the right car for you. It is a niche product for someone who carries the weight of being an enthusiast with a family he/she cares for. 

If you’re only looking for performance, or you’re only looking for practicality, then there are many other options in this price. But, if you want a nice balance between both, which will keep both you and your family satisfied, then go for the Countryman JCW. It is worth it.

Other Cars To Consider

BMW X3

Reasons To Consider

• More comfort oriented

• Bigger size results in better road presence

• Has a better brand value

Reasons To Ignore 

• More expensive

• Less powerful

• Does not get any major feature addition

Audi Q5

Reasons To Consider

• Better space for 5 passengers

• More premium cabin quality

Reasons To Ignore

• Does not look as premium