2017 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman First Drive Review | An All-Weather Hot Hatch For The Whole Family
Sports cars and SUVs couldn't be more different if they tried. Despite both containing the S-word, the former is designed to appeal to driving enthusiasts, the while the latter seems to be a random assembly of vaguely connected words.
Of course, with the rampant success of the SUV globally it’s inevitable that the two should meet, from twin-turbo V8 BMWs and Porsches down to compact highly-strung Mercedes-AMGs. It is clear that prestige automakers have worked out that driving enthusiasts remain enthusiastic about driving even with practical family needs to meet.
Mini is one such brand with its finger on the pulse. The previous Countryman SUV came with a hotted-up John Cooper Works variants, but unfortunately that generation car really flunked when it came to practicality.
Having realised the error of its ways, Mini’s new Countryman is a bigger car all-round, with real space in the rear, and the JCW treatment has been applied yet again, resulting in a compact family truckster that ought to keep the driving enthusiast of the household happy.
Vehicle Style: Performance small SUV
Price: $57,900 plus on-road costs
Engine/trans: 170kW/350Nm 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol | 8sp automatic, 6sp manual
Fuel Economy Claimed: 7.4-7.8 l/100km | Tested: 9.4 l/100km
OVERVIEW
As the flagship of the Countryman range, the John Cooper Works sits at the head of the five-variant range and includes all- wheel drive as standard, matching the one-step-down Cooper SD Countryman as the only two variants with all-paw grip.
There’s a whole swag of standard JCW improvements too with a more powerful engine (170kW/350Nm), specifically-tuned adaptive suspension, Brembo four-piston brakes and unique aero parts - among other changes - to help justify the $5600 step-up in price compared to the Cooper SD Countryman.