- Mini is on a roll lately, as it launches the 2025 Mini Countryman lineup, now featuring a John Cooper Works edition.
- With 312 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, the JCW Countryman lines up with the electric Countryman SE All4, fighting for the position of the most powerful Mini.
- For $47,895, the 2025 Mini JCW Countryman is not cheap, though the significant increase in size means you get more car for the money.
The Mini Countryman has been on a tour of sorts, as Mini and the BMW executive team overhead push the brand further into the realm of seriousness. Mini is gearing up to take on the 21st century and the Countryman is at the front of this charge. But the English-born brand hasn’t really been serious, well, ever.
In fact, a pillar of Mini’s character is rambunctiousness, though the official company-dubbed term these days is go-kart-like. Either way, Mini is still committed to providing a lively, performance-oriented driving experience to its customers regardless of powertrain or propulsion style. And it plans to send off the internal-combustion era in up-sized style.
Specifically, Mini just announced the 2025 John Cooper Works Countryman, the biggest and now fastest Mini ever. Those two terms may seem contradictory, particularly with the brand name next to it, but a look at the specifications of this tuned-up crossover tells the more complete story.
Riding on BMW’s UKL2 platform, the 2025 Mini JCW Countryman features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 312 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That’s the most power ever in a road-going, production ICE Mini, besting the previous generation of Mini JCW Cooper GP, which made 301 hp from a 2.0-liter four as well.
Boosting these power figures required some careful changes to the 2.0-liter powerplant. Optimized pistons and connecting rods and new engine mounts help keep the engine stable, while an advanced, dual-drive exhaust turbocharger and dethrottled air intake account for the slight increase in power. More air is almost always a good thing.
Mini says the new JCW Countryman is good for a top speed of 155 mph and a sprint to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. That’s on par with a modern Subaru WRX, for reference. But the JCW Countryman is about blending the family adventure with some fun along the way, according to Mini.
In order to fit the whole family, however, Mini had to size up the Countryman for 2025. The new body is 5.1 inches longer and 2.4 inches taller, making it noticeably bigger and a bit chunky looking in person. No longer will the Countryman be accused of being a hatchback on stilts. It’s a true crossover now, at least in categorization.
Mini has yet to say how much the JCW Countryman weighs, but we suspect it’ll be around 3500 pounds. As a result of this size increase and because of its JCW badging, the company took care to bolster its handling characteristics. Starting off, 245-mm tires now come standard, with a 70-mm increase in diameter as well.
Similarly, Mini’s All4 all-wheel-drive system comes standard on the JCW version. Much like Volkswagen’s Haldex system or BMW’s xDrive, All4 AWD works by redistributing power from axle to axle depending on real-time slippage. This is particularly helpful for loose surface escapes as well as on-the-limit track duty.
While the JCW heritage signals track work, this Countryman is probably better suited for lengthy, adventurous street drives, given its size and relative ride height. Even so, the upscale model matches the historical presence of the JCW lineup in the US. With a Legend Grey base and Chili Red two-tone contrasts, the JCW Countryman is truly a big brother to its Cooper siblings.
Inside the JCW, you’ll find model-specific seats with increased bolstering and a dashboard made of a two-tone textile made from recycled polyester. Of course, Mini’s new 9.4-inch OLED display infotainment setup is as round as can be, though the minimal interior suits the larger car. More space for everyone to stretch out, at least in the front.
If all this sounds enticing, you won’t have to wait much longer. Production for the US market is set to begin in March, and dealerships will receive initial models by May. Coming in at $47,895 (including $995 destination), the JCW Countryman certainly isn’t the most affordable in this range, but it could be the most rambunctious.
What do you think about Mini continuing to size up its cars? Is it good to get with the times or do you miss the old pint-sized models? Please share your thoughts below.
Associate Editor
A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles. After learning to ride at 17, Emmet worked in the motorcycle industry before joining Autoweek in 2022. The woes of alternate side parking have kept his fleet moderate, with a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a 2003 Honda Nighthawk 750 street parked in his South Brooklyn community.
