Test drive MINI JCW Countryman is compact but dynamic

The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman / Courtesy of MINI

By Nam Hyun-woo

MINI has built up its distinctive brand identity with its compact but dynamic cars, as proclaimed by the catchphrase of “Please do not tease or annoy the MINI” under its license plate in Korea.

On the top of the automaker's dynamism is the John Cooper Works (JCW) brand. It is named after British F1 constructor John Cooper, who tuned the MINI, which seemed to be far from the racetrack. Cooper made his namesake race cars into formidable contenders and dominated multiple races including Monte Carlo in the 1960s.

In Korea, the MINI has been introducing its high-performance lineup since 2013 and in June brought the new MINI JCW Countryman, which is the highest-performing and the largest MINI.

How large is it? The first thought about this model when this reporter was offered to test drive it on Aug. 30 was “this is no longer a mini.” The car is 4.299 meters in length, 1.822 meters in width and 1.557 meters in height, which made it seem like the MINI somehow got angry and bulked up after overdosing on steroids. It was no longer a compact car but an SUV.

For those who were impressed with MINI's agile images depicted in the movie The Italian Job, the SUV-like mass may be a bit of a disappointment, but for others, who buy the MINI Countryman to fulfill both their craving for MINI's identity and for pragmatic necessities, the JCW Countryman could be the finest option.

The backseat of the vehicle is roomy enough to sit a 187-centimeter tall man without complaints. Without three more people in the back, the load capacity increases to 1,390 liters from 450 liters.

The backseat of the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman / Courtesy of MINI

The 10.2 kilometer per liter fuel economy is also in the range that can be regarded as reasonable, given its driving performance.

When the engine is started, the attractive growling sound of the car makes the driver feel like it is a high-performance model and is ready to roll. The 2.0 liter V4 JCW TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine produces 231 horsepower and 35.7 kilograms per meter delivered to all of the 19-inch wheels.

Its top speed is locked at 234 kilometers per hour and it takes 6.5 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour from zero, which is nearly a second quicker than the MINI Cooper SD Countryman.

Supporting the power is the car's braking and sharp steering. The Brembo sports braking system allows tight braking before corners and the car's trademark go-kart-like steering gives immediate response to the driver.

What causes hesitation for consumers is the price. It has a 59 million won ($52,300) price tag and there are too many formidable rivals in the price group, namely Mercedes-Benz GLA class and BMW's X3. The JCW Countryman is certainly not a vehicle lagging behind those rivals, but Koreans are so loyal to Mercedes-Benz and BMW, meaning the JCW Countryman's target could be limited to MINI fans.

This car is a super MINI in terms of its dynamic performance and size. But at the same time, it is the least MINI-looking MINI which targets the brand's fans. Not an easy task ahead.

Front seats of the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman / Courtesy of MINI