The 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 deserves your respect

The accumulation of wealth and status is a driving force in everyone’s life to some degree (I fit a dad pun into the first sentence!). Anyway, because the badge on this 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 spells M-I-N-I and not B-M-W, it’s easy to dismiss it as something you may have already out-achieved. That would be a mistake.

Get ready for the Ultimate Driving Machine with a discount.

The 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 Overview

I am Italian. You probably didn’t even need to look at my last name to figure that out. In some ways, I follow the stereotype. Dark hair (and lots of it). Loves pasta. Talks with hands. Temper. But I’ve never been to Italy (it’s on the list), nor do I speak Italian. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’m American like, four times removed.

Still, I do look Italian.

The point? You guessed it – MINI isn’t British. This 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 is built in Leipzig, Germany. It has the heart of a BMW. And the part numbers too. But if you didn’t know that, it’s easy enough to be fooled by the Union Jack taillights, somewhat traditional styling cues, and funky interior style.

This Countryman stretches the gene pool even further – literally. It’s gigantic compared to an original MINI. Like Porsche nonsensically trying to apply the 911’s style throughout their lineup, MINI is kind of stuck with what they have. But what they have here is good – the engine and chassis from an X2, but lower to the ground. And the John Cooper Works name is a bit like BMW M, an in-house tuning division, so we’ve got some hot stuff going on here.

The price will either scare you or give you the “not so bad” face. Let’s see if I can provoke the latter.

Performance Score: 7. Moves like Jagger

Mic Jagger is British. So is Austin Powers. What we have here resembles neither of them.

Engine

This entire car is about perception. Place this two-liter turbocharged engine inside an X1 with an M badge, and you’ll feel slightly underwhelmed. Subtract ten grand (or more, if you skip some options), and you’ll feel better about it.

312 horsepower and 295 lb-ft pushing around 3,836 pounds is never going to induce nose bleeds, but there’s a a lot to like here, from the satisfying tug off the line to the lion cub-roar exhaust note. A boost tab on the steering wheel provides the same ten-second boost like in the Beamer. Again, just give me all the power all the time please.

From the very intruding auto start/stop to the deceptively fast pulls, it’s a BMW at heart.

Transmission

This DCT is a great transmission for a car that’s probably just a little bit lighter and smaller.

Again identical to the X bros, the Countryman features seven speeds that can sometimes feel a bit sluggish to respond and kick down. Maybe use the paddles behind the wheel. This car wants to be snappy and quick, and the use of a DCT suggests it is, but BMW tunes their ZF units better at this point. Seven speeds here too, unlike some other offerings with eight.

Want to go fast? Use Sport mode. Just don’t cruise around like that – it locks out the top gear and essentially turns the car into a buzz bomb.

Chassis and Steering

I’ve no scientific proof here. This MINI is about two inches taller, the X2 a bit longer. The wheels are the same size – actually, the MINI had winters on, while the X2 had the benefit of being driven in August. But the Countryman feels more responsive and fun overall.

There’s a normal drive mode which is very comfortable – maybe a tad harsh. Then there’s the aforementioned sport mode, which is definitely harsh but very fun. Like any SUV, it won’t beg you to take the long way home, but if you do it’ll reward you with direct and precise steering, and a balanced chassis.

Stomp on the gas, and its front-wheel origins are revealed with a firm tug at your hands, but only if you’re cracked with opposite lock in a full turn – it’s kind of charming. Right – not a BMW trait.

But this isn’t a BMW, so it’s okay.

Brakes

These are JCW Performance Brakes ($500 please) in a nice bright red, and they work wonders, with a firm and progressive pedal. More repeat from the X1 and X2, but good things because they work so well. That car does offer a larger option, but for MINI, this is the larger option.

Don’t skimp on braking hardware. Your life is in the hands of your feet. Wait…

Lifestyle Score: 9. I love a bread box

I’ve done some branding work for MINI over the years, and it was always confusing to me how they seemed to specifically market to the younger hipster family in Brooklyn. Apparently, that’s the only kind of person that buys these. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that this 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 seems to be tailor-made for the IKEA parking lot.

This kinda-sorta SUV has a juuust big enough back seat for a family of four – the kind where dad doesn’t need to scoot up his seat. There’s even an HVAC vent back there for the kids because they are always the opposite temperature of you.

The trunk is great – lift it up like any SUV, no funny double-door business like some older MINIs. And you get more room in there than the back of a Lexus GX with all the seats up.

Up front, wonderful seats. Supportive, easy to get into. Roomy. This is literally all the car you need. Including the make-believe hipster family from Brooklyn.

Fuel Economy: 8. Pew pew power

I do not drive my M3, nor any press car, like my hair is on fire all the time. I swear. Really.

But it’s pretty rare that I have a car in the garage with economy in mind. Gotta be honest, it’s refreshing. “Does the MINI need gas yet?” became a theme for the week, and the answer was usually no. How about 24.1 MPG overall? Difference is, I drove this car like my hair was on fire pretty much the entire week. It’s fun to flog and not worry about hitting Mach 10.

It might be cheating to peak at the X2 and notice pretty much identical numbers, but that car is actually very close dimensionally, including an identical wheelbase, and puts out the same power. More evidence this is a BMW is disguise.

Features and Comfort: 8. Knickers and Lederhosen

The Japanese have an overall car theme – you know it when you see it, right? Same goes for the Germans, Americans. But do the British? What does an Aston have in common with a MINI?

Maybe the theme is simply “weird”.

Third Eye Blind

The big takeaway here is that there’s really no difference at all from a BMW inside here. This is a good thing for the MINI. All the materials are high-quality, and though there’s nothing like Merino Leather inside, that’s fine for the price. Plenty to keep you smiling.

From the small flag on the seat backs to the cool pattern on the dash (with ambient light effect), nearly everything you touch is nice. But some of the things you don’t touch are pretty cheap, and it’s so dark inside – can we open that big sunroof?

The two issues here are the ergonomics and the infotainment. First, there is no dashboard instrumentation in front of you, aside from a small HUD that pops up. Just shows your speed, not even really important things like your turn signals. If you sit a certain way, the wheel blocks it. There’s quirky and there’s pointless. You know which this is.

The other part is the big circle screen in the middle. I wouldn’t know where to begin. It’s iDrive so it works, but everything is here, so unlike a BMW, there’s no secondary screen to take some of the burden off. HVAC, music, Apple CarPlay, speed, turn signals…on and on. Plus, you need to look down and away from where you’re driving to use it. Try this part before you buy.

A better box

Optioning this MINI can be a bit confusing. The Iconic trim comes with 19-inch wheels, but MINI is cool, so they added a 20-inch set for $600. It also unlocks all the colors (this is Legend Grey) aside from Midnight Black. You can have red or black mirror caps and a roof. Two-tone looks are always cool.

You get those Union Jack taillights, blacked-out trim, a quad exhaust, and LED headlights. Even the washer jets are heated. Fancy. And hey – I see you, designer that stuck the G80’s Dimples of Venus onto the nose here. Cute.

I like the overall look. The X1 and X2 are boxy in their own way, so this is really just a different take. We’ll call it handsome, but I never really got dorky or funky. Forky?

Others SUVs to consider

• BMW X2
• Volvo XC60
• Mercedes-AMG GLB35
• Audi SQ5

The 2025 MINI JCW Countryman ALL4 is a better BMW than some BMWs

Germans and Brits. Frenemies? Yea sure – but this MINI is only British because the brochure says so. Really, it speaks with a heavy Austrian accent. It’s Toto Wolf, not Lewis Hamilton. So perhaps some will need to get past the badge.

If you can, you’ll find a BMW. This is an X1/X2, but it’s more fun to drive. Somehow sharper, more tossable, even though they all weigh the same. It comes down to suspension tuning, and the MINI’s is better.

$51,995 isn’t cheap, but the X2 sent last year came in nearly 10 grand higher, so maybe this is a discount. Sure the ergonomics are weird, and you’ll you need to find a dealer to buy one from (and service, although some BMW Centers will take them). So what?

Forget the Roundel. I have your affordable German British daily SUV right here.

So says the Italian from America.