The Mini Cooper JCW gains some muscle, it looks a bit sharper, but it’s also become more expensive than ever before. So can it still compete in the extra spicy sports car segment against cars like the Civic Si, Elantra N, and Golf GTI?
Performance
Engine – The 2025 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works (JCW) is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Power remains the same as the previous model year at 228 hp (170 kW). But torque has been increased to 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) at just 1,500 rpms. Mini claims a 0-100 km/h time of 6.1 seconds which puts it in between the faster Elantra N and the slower Civic Si. Predictably this new generation JCW Cooper is heavier than the last with a curb weight of 1,405 kg (3,097 lbs).
But while it is heavier by a few hundred pounds, the extra torque of the engine gives the car a good punch in its step. It picks up speed quickly and the engine is responsive, especially in the sporty Go-Kart mode. Around town, the car quickly reaches the posted speed limits with hardly any throttle input from your right foot. On more spirited drives, the transmission can remain in one higher gear because the torque of the engine can easily pull the JCW along. The 2.0L engine does make some nice sounds but of course, being a modern day car, most of the cabin noises are enhanced by the audio system. When letting off the throttle, you can hear some pops and bangs but these are 100% fake. The real exhaust doesn’t do that.
Fuel Economy – Being a small hot hatch, the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW can achieve good fuel consumption ratings. On highways, it’s rated for 6.4 L/100km (36.7 MPG) and in a city, it’s 8.8 L/100km (26.7 MPG). During my time with the car, I averaged 8.7 L/100km (27 MPG).
The car does have an auto start/stop function which is not too obtrusive in terms of feeling the engine turning off or on. But it can get intrusive when you arrive at a stop only to have the traffic light turn green. The engine shuts off moments before the car comes to a complete stop and it can take a couple of seconds for the engine to turn back on under such quick instances. Thankfully, this system can be switched off through the infotainment system.
Transmission – Transferring the engine’s power to the ground is a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. In everyday driving situations, the DCT sets off from a stop smoothly and it changes gears without any jerkiness. In the Go-Kart mode, the gear changes are much more ferocious. You can feel each one as you pull on the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, something that is missing from the Cooper S. There is a slight delay in the paddle shifters but it’s not too bad. If you pull on the “down” paddle for a second or more, it’ll quickly downshift to the lowest possible gear and set the car to its sportiest settings for 10 seconds. Sadly, a manual transmission option is no longer available… at least for now. Perhaps that may change in the future if enough gear heads demand it from MINI.
Braking – The JCW variant receives upgraded brakes to handle the extra speed of this hot hatch. The front calipers are no longer the hot looking 4-piston type of the previous generation and instead are single piston floating calipers. Why the change? Most likely cost. It’s hard to tell a difference though in the braking performance, which is a good thing. Perhaps if I had driven the previous generation back-to-back with this new one, there might be a subtle difference in feel. But this new braking setup feels firm and has enough stopping power. To some, the brake pedal may be a tad on the sensitive side if you have a heavy foot.
Handling – With its heavier weight, the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW is surprisingly athletic through corners. It feels light and nimble. The agile steering helps hide the weight of this car as does the small foot print. It’s such a relief driving a small sports car when every other sports car has grown in size by leaps and bounds. Sadly, the 2025 JCW does not receive a limited slip differential and instead relies on the brakes to simulate the effects of an LSD. under hard acceleration out of a corner, you can feel the steering wheel tugging a bit forcing you to make small corrections in order to go in the direction you want. But otherwise, the new JCW Cooper is a blast to drive on your favourite back road.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – With its short wheelbase and sporty adaptive dampers, the ride of the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW is stiff. It’s not as rough as the ride of the BMW M2, but it’s right up there. You can feel every bump, every pebble, every change in the asphalt and you’ll most certainly want to swerve around manhole covers. The seats help mitigate the stiff ride a little bit but on longer road trips, this can become a tiring hot hatch to drive.
Interior Space – In the front seats, space is plentiful even if you are a taller individual. At 6’4”, I had no issues with legroom nor headroom. What I did notice is that the top of the windshield, where it met the roof, obscured traffic lights if I was the first one at the line. Otherwise, visibility around the car is good. In the back seats, however, it is a completely different story. They are still extremely tight for adults. Perhaps adults under 5’10” that are sitting behind another adult of that height, or less, may be able to squeeze in those back seats. But they’re meant for little kids.
In the trunk, the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW has 252 L (8.9 cu-ft) of cargo space behind the rear seats. Fold them down and cargo capacity increases to 974 L (34.4 cu-ft). There is a small compartment underneath the trunk floor that is big enough to fit a small backpack or two but you will not find a spare wheel in the new Mini.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – As mentioned earlier, the new JCW Cooper produces a pretty nice engine tone that is enhanced by the stereo system. Road noise from the tires is noticeable on highways but you don’t need to raise your voice too much to have a conversation with the person sitting next to you. This new generation Mini does seem to be a little bit quieter than before.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2025 Mini Cooper JCW now starts at $51,990 CAD ($38,900 USD). That is an increase of $3,400 CAD. In Canada, this 2025 model does not have many optional features on it so it comes as a full loaded vehicle.
Gadgets – The biggest change to the 2025 Mini Cooper, in terms of convenience features, is the new 9.4” circular touchscreen and infotainment system. It is no longer a circular trim piece with an awkward and tiny rectangular touchscreen in the middle. This infotainment system looks great with snazzy new graphics and a new menu layout. It unfortunately incorporates the climate controls along with the speed and other key driver information as there is no more driver instrumentation just behind the steering wheel. However, this new infotainment system allows a slight degree of customization by way of a favourites menu. You can select your most commonly used apps and have them displayed with just a swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Additionally, this system supports wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto but I had a difficult time connecting my Android phone to make Android Auto function. Bluetooth worked just fine. The infotainment also changes designs depending on the drive mode or as Mini calls them, experiences. Go-Kart, Core, and Eco actually change the driving dynamics of the car but the others only change the screen graphics.
Other convenience gadgets on the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW include a dual-pane sunroof (front portion opens), heated front seats and heated steering wheel, synthetic leather upholstery, a massage function for the driver’s seat, surround view cameras, a head-up display, wireless phone charging pad, a Harmon-Kardon sound system, power & memory front seats, keyless entry & start.
Speaking of the HUD, it is the type that has a piece of tinted glass which rises from the dashboard. Normally, I don’t like this type of HUD and much prefer those that project onto the windshield. But because this one is tinted, there’s more contrast between the information that is displayed and what is visible just behind the screen. But none of the drive modes show a proper tachometer. The closest is the one in Go-kart mode but it’s just on the far left side and it is really small.
Interior Design – The styling of the 2025 Mini Cooper JCW’s interior has been simplified. The new infotainment touchscreen is the most prominent feature in the cabin. The analog tachometer has been removed, the toggle switches on the roof are gone as are the climate control switches. The dashboard is covered in a fabric which has an ambient light projected onto it from behind the infotainment touchscreen. On the center console, there’s a small storage “box” for small items but the new Cooper doesn’t have a traditional center console armrest storage bin. And finally, the steering wheel is essentially a two spoke steering wheel as the “third spoke” is a piece of fabric which is there for design. In all, I like the design but I would’ve kept the climate control toggle switches and the analog tachometer.
Exterior Design – Like the interior, the exterior design has been simplified as well. It has a smooth side profile and no more hood scoop but the JCW adds large air intakes to the edges of the front bumper compared to the Cooper S. The circular headlights remain with round or horizontal LED daytime running lights. In the back, the Union Jack tail lights remain but they’ve been given a Cyberpunk 2077 look. You can also choose to change the design of said tail lights when the car is parked with the side markers turned on. Finally, the central mounted exhaust pipe is a unique feature that looks really cool. But there’s a second exhaust pipe hidden behind the bumper. The 2025 Cooper is also available with different coloured roof and exterior mirrors.
Safety – The 2025 Mini Cooper JCW is equipped with every safety & driver aid that is available on this car. Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot sensors, parking sensors, parking assist, adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, and so on are all included in the JCW Cooper.
Warranty – Mini vehicles are covered by a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle and powertrain warranty with a 12 year rust perforation warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA Warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – So although the new Mini Cooper JCW is heavier and more expensive than before, it still is a fun car to drive. But just like the Cooper S I reviewed last year, I’d still prefer to have an option for a manual transmission and a proper tachometer in front of the driver. Is the JCW worth more than the sports cars I mentioned at the start of the review? It’s hard to justify the price difference but if you’re longing for a traditional 3-door hot hatch, this is your last option.
Thank you to Mini Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Mini.ca
2025 MINI Cooper JCW Gallery
