USED: Chilli Red and Fun for the Whole Family: 2020 Mini Cooper Countryman JCW
Connie Peters
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Popping in this Chilli Red, this JCW (John Cooper Works) is the fastest gas-powered Mini you can buy
Forget ‘mom car’ — I want the fun car that can still handle mom duties, and the Mini is capable of both!
This Countryman is the largest Mini Cooper, and when it’s the JCW edition, it’s also the fastest gas-powered Mini Cooper on the market. Let me tell you, this thing pops — not only in looks with the 2-tone black and Chili red but also the noisy exhaust sounds, go-kart-like drive feel, and all the JCW design touches.
The JCW not only means more power but badging throughout, including the door sills, two-tone paint with the black and Chilli red, chrome accents on the interior, and the Harman Kardon sound system.
The John Cooper Works badge means you get an extra cylinder with the 4-cylinder 301 horsepower with 330 lb-ft of torque on an all-wheel-drive. Loud exhaust that pops and gets you from o-60 in 4.9 seconds means you’re going to love carpool more than ever.
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Yes, it can family A-OK! Photo: Connie Peters
Is the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW Family-Friendly?
Absolutely! It’s all-wheel-drive and with enough space for a small family, and by small I mean two or three kids max. There is enough room in the trunk for 17.6 cubic feet of stuff, like a stroller or a week’s worth of groceries. If you need extra cargo room and don’t need all three seats, they are 20/40/40 split so you have ultimate flexibility. The automatic liftgate is also great to have with kids and gear to haul.
I hauled 4 teenagers around with me for an afternoon and not one of them complained about space, so it isn’t as small as you may think! It might be a little uncomfortable for long drives, but it’s going to do the job for anything else.
The dual sunroofs help lighten up the interior, and they both have sunshades, but only the front one opens, which just makes sense.
The iconic Mini lines abound. Photo: Connie Peters
Tech and unique features are all here
Mini is part of the BMW family so it also gets wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, and sits on the BMW X2 platform. The round touchscreen is unique (along with all the other round elements that are oh-so Mini) and appreciated the tech safety features like parallel parking assist, and a clear backup camera.
The start ‘button’ isn’t a button at all, but a red switch you flip to start, I think this is one of the most unique interiors I’ve seen to date!
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The ambient lighting and round elements give the Mini a truly unique vibe. Photo: Connie Peters
What We Loved
What wasn’t there to love in this cute and fund drive? I could list plenty more, but here are a few that are top of mind for me:
- The unique dinamica/leather black seat coverings
- The round elements like the screen and the door handles
- The JCW badging throughout
- The feel of the drive (popping, quick responses, fun handling, low ride)
- The super-unique start switch
- The amazing night puddle lighting and interior ambient lighting
- Wireless Apple CarPlay — so convenient!
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Who the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW is for?
- The fun mom
- The dual-income-no-kids couple living an urban lifestyle
- Single in the city, no doubt
- The empty-nester who loves to drive
@xoconniepetersOnly 8 of the MANY things I ❣️ about the Mini Countryman JCW! ##carsoftiktok ##shedrivesnow ##minicountryman ##Iwantthis♬ original sound – SkinBone
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How much is the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW?
The Mini Countryman base model starts at USD $28,400 / just under CAD $32,000, and the JCW Edition starts at USD $41,900. As tested, this Mini Countryman JCW was CAD $53,500. This is a pretty penny for a small sedan, but I’d almost compare this to a hot hatch for its fun-to-drive factor and luxury features, so I don’t want to compare this to just any other small 4-door.
The night light or ‘puddle light’ is all Mini. Photo: Connie Peters
What I listened to in the Mini Countryman JCW
To be honest, I often left the stereo off while driving alone in the Countryman JCW simply because I wanted to fully enjoy the sounds of this car. It pops, it crackles, and even though some of the sounds are faux, or piped into the car, it sounds amazing and it just added to the overall joy of the drive.
So tell me, could the Mini Cooper Countryman be your next mom car?
*Full disclosure: Mini Canada loaned me the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW for a week to review. All opinions are my own.
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