Still Small, Still Fun: 2025 MINI John Cooper Works Lineup First Drive Review

Fun. This is something sorely lacking in many vehicles. Numerous autos become driving appliances destined for soul-sucking work commutes, boring errand runs, and dull drives from point A to B. Void of personality and enthusiasm, certain blenders are more interesting than some cars.

When the modern MINI brand came to the U.S. market in 2002, it was like a vehicular superhero marque donning a winged logo with its name in ALL CAPS determined to interject fun into the market.

There have been a myriad of MINIs since ’02. Some quick, some not so much, but all entertaining in some way. The marque’s high-performance MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) iterations take the already fun MINI Cooper and crank up the boost, offering excellent performance in a Lilliputian hot-hatchback size. Heck, the original Mini Cooper may have been the first hot hatch.

In short: The latest MINI Coopers are now available in fire-breathing John Cooper Works (JCW) versions. This includes the 2-Door, Convertible, and Countryman ALL4 (with all-wheel drive). They’re small, powerful, and premium pocket rockets destined to be drivers’ cars. It’s time to inject some fun wherever you drive.

2025 MINI John Cooper Works Cars First Drive Review

MINI debuted the ’25 Cooper and Cooper S models earlier in the year, but kept the John Cooper Works cars under wraps until just recently. I drove the 2025 Cooper S 2DR Hardtop earlier in the year, and while fun, it lacked a few things the JCW cars address.

Who Was John Cooper, Anyway?

John Cooper did a lot of things with cars, including racing. He is perhaps best known for modifying the original British Motor Corporation Mini, developed by his friend Alex Issigonis.

The cars were beloved by road racers, rally drivers, and enthusiasts for their small size, admirable performance, and excellent handling. They were a David among Goliaths on racetracks, becoming some of the most successful race cars in history.

Cooper passed away in 2000 at the age of 77 but lived to see the new MINI leave the assembly line. The first JCW cars came out in 2003, honoring that legacy.

JCW: Small Car, Big Power

Like the current MINI Cooper S, all JCW cars have a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s the same block as the Cooper S, but with different internals, more boost, and different tuning. They feel sportier than the Cooper S.

The front-drive 2DR Hardtop (3,047 pounds) and Convertible (3,197 pounds) make 228 horsepower and an impressive 280 pound-feet of torque. The heftier Countryman ALL4 (3,836 pounds) with its all-wheel-drive system gets 312 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of twist to compensate for the additional mass.

While these MINIs have orders of magnitude more power than the original 34 horsepower 1959 version, all but the Countryman ALL4 retain a front-engine, front-drive powertrain layout. Kate Alini, the Department Manager of Marketing, Product, and Strategy for MINI USA, said of the all-wheel-drive Countryman ALL4, “It still drives like a MINI.”

Transmission: Now With Paddle Shifting

When I reviewed the 2025 Cooper S 2-DR Hardtop, I was appalled to discover you couldn’t shift it manually — no manual transmission option, no paddle shifters for the dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This changes with the 2025 JCW cars, as they have standard paddle shifters, but the manual transmission is kaput. FYI, Vikash Joshi, Product Manager, MINI USA, told me it’s not out of the question that the Cooper S models could get paddles, at least someday.

The JCW MINI Coopers have the same DCT as the Cooper S models, but with the paddle shifters and different software using predictive shifting based on GPS. Coming into a tight corner? The car can downshift right before getting to it for optimal in and out of corner performance.

This gearbox is performance-oriented. The shifts are smooth when you want them, but can be quick and forceful when hustling. Surprisingly, I was able to grab rubber in second gear a couple of times in the FWD models.

Pint-Sized but Powerful

Give any of these MINI John Cooper Works cars the beans, and acceleration is brisk. Zero to 60 is 5.9 seconds on the 2-Door, 6.2 on the Convertible, and 5.2 on the Countryman ALL4, according to MINI.

Under full giddy-up, there’s lots of torque steer on all models. You’ll need to hang on tight to that ultra-chunky steering wheel.

The all-wheel-drive Countryman was no exception. Mash the throttle from a roll, and you’ll have to work to keep it in a straight line. When you put this much power to the front wheels, physics usually wins.

These JCW cars have a temporary “Boost” feature. Hold the left paddle shifter down, and you’ll get up to 10 seconds of extra honest-to-God turbo boost.  

A combination of performance exhaust and piped-in audible enhancements (in Go-Kart Mode) makes these cars sound wicked. With exhaust burbles and raspy, throaty tones, even if they’re not actually made by the engine. This adds visceral excitement to these subcompact cars.

Remember that “fun” thing I talked about? While these MINIs really move, they also provide an illusion of speed; they sound and feel fast.

Notably, the Convertible is exceptionally experiential. You hear more, you feel the wind, and it’s impossible not to have a good time on a curvy road.

Hot Hatch Handling

It’s easy to toss more power into a car, but if you don’t add other performance-enhancing components, it can be half-baked. Thankfully, MINI offers performance upgrades throughout.

Throw any of these models into the twisties, and you’ll be rewarded with excellent handling. The 2-Door and Convertible ride on 215/40R18 Pirelli Cinturato P7 run-flat tires. The Countryman ALL4 gets 19” or 20” wheels, with my tester wearing 245/40R20 Vredestein Quatrac Pro grand-touring all-season tires, complete with 3PMSF designation for winter performance.

All models employ torque vectoring for better cornering. The rides are stiff, as you might expect from sporty vehicles. The Countryman is the least stiff but still taut. Even the topless Convertible feels well sorted, a trait not all convertibles can provide.

The tuned suspension and upgraded front sway bar provide flat cornering sure to please enthusiasts. These cars make highway on- and off-ramps, curves, and twisties an absolute blast, even without the full manual transmission.

When stopping, JCW models feature higher-performance brakes than Cooper S models, along with racy Chili Red-painted calipers. I had the opportunity to get hard on the brakes a couple times in the 2DR Hardtop and I was impressed.

The larger, taller, and heavier Countryman ALL4 showed its “big MINI” character in the corners. It didn’t hang on as tenaciously as the smaller, lighter two-door models. But, it wasn’t on summertime rubber. For a small SUV, it’s still an impressive handler and offers the most straight-line performance. But if you’re looking for a track toy, go right for the 2-Door hardtop.

Exterior Additions, Unique Interiors, Challenging Infotainment

Park a JCW model next to a Cooper S, and you’ll notice some exterior differences. The Mini John Cooper Works models have checkered flag graphics, unique front facias, rear diffusers (on two-door models), and different tailpipe treatments.

Both the 2-Door and Convertible have center-mounted single tips, a homage to the original Mini. Countryman ALL4 models get four exhaust tips.

There are 10 color choices, loads of customization options, and aero kits aplenty. MINI stated that about 50% of MINIs are custom-ordered, so there are plenty of personalization options.

While the overall interior is very similar to Cooper S models, JCWs get unique touches, including a signature checkerboard motif on the dashboard fabric, different seats, and badging throughout. The large, round, Samsung-made OLED center cluster looks great, and the native GPS works very well, offering augmented reality on the screen to tell you where to turn.

However, the overall infotainment/gauge interface (it’s all one display), like the Cooper S I drove previously, still has a steep learning curve. The display has a lot going on, and many of the buttons are tiny, such as the itsy-bitsy icon to select the navigation. When paired with such a stiff suspension, half the time, you end up missing the icon with your finger.

Nearly everything, including your gauges, is located on this screen. It looks great. However, its operation can be challenging.

Rear Seats Still Wishful Thinking

While the 2-Door and Convertible have back seats, no one is going to want to use them, especially with the drop-top. It’s more of a suggestion than a real place to sit. The front seatbacks nearly touch the rear “seats.”

Conversely, the not-all-that-miniature MINI Countryman ALL4 offers much more space. Plus, the rear seats fold down to offer significant cargo-carrying ability — hey, this is an SUV, right? (Uh, right?)

But the most ginormous MINI is about where most manufacturers start their small car lineups these days. If you’re still after all of the things a MINI John Cooper Works offers but need more room for people and cargo, the Countryman ALL4 is a good option.

Small but Premium

Most companies have done away with small cars altogether, but not MINI. And while most manufacturers’ smallish cars are geared toward affordability, MINIs are premium cars (with premium prices).

A JCW 2-Door starts at just under $40,000. JCW Countryman ALL4 models are nearly $50,000. But you’re also getting a lot of premium BMW engineering, performance, and design.

This generation’s interior feels better than previous models with more interesting designs, better materials, and solid build quality. You get standard heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and “vegan leather.”

There’s an excellent Harman Kardon sound system. Music sounds better in a convertible, something my father used to say. I agree, and it was a blast to have the top down and the tunes up driving around Savannah, Ga.

Almost the Last Small Game in Town

Despite a market trend towards larger cars, MINI continues forward in the small car segment. It’s the sole automaker in the U.S. offering a performance-oriented front-drive three-door hot hatch in the subcompact segment. Every other car has four passenger doors.

MINI has carved out a niche for itself that it’s committed to. Look back at 1959 and the original Mini, and you’ll see a tiny car with above-average performance. It’s an ethos the current MINI brand not only recognizes but also embraces.

2025 MINI JCW Review: Conclusions

If you want the fastest, most high-performance MINIs, the MINI John Cooper Works models are it. If you want a MINI, you can shift yourself (with paddle shifters), these are the cars you’ll want. They punch above their weight and size, and offer up an extremely high fun quotient.

Yes, you pay a lot for such a small package, but the JCW MINIs come together so well that some will find the price worth it. These small drivers’ cars offer up big performance and are loads of fun. (That’s the last size analogy. I promise.) And really, the world could use a little more fun.