2021 Mini Cooper JCW First Drive Review

• Thrill of driving
• Feels special

• Sporty set-up means very stiff ride quality
• Limited rear space and practicality

The Mini Cooper has pretty much been the definition of fun right since its inception. But this JCW or John Cooper Works edition is at the pinnacle of Mini’s performance front. Through the years, every Mini has had a JCW version which promises explosive performance, top notch handling and special exteriors and interiors. So does this new car follow the famed JCW legacy? Let’s take a look

Two-litre, four-cylinder, twinpower turbo with 230bhp and 320Nm of torque in a compact hatchback. Just the specs are enough to stir up the senses. But the Mini Cooper JCW is beyond that. Everything from the cold start to the way this Mini drives is a sensory overload. Hit the toggle-like starter button and the Mini lets you know its sporty intentions with a loud bassy hum.

I started off in Eco mode, and the JCW felt refined, not loud at all and surprisingly not that restrained as you feel in most cars in Eco mode. Switch to Normal or Middle mode and the response gets sharper, you can feel the car firming up and getting a little louder. Acceleration is quick and this mode will keep most happy with the way it delivers power. Nice, smooth and creamy without too much drama. But it’s the drama that makes things less mundane and that’s why you need the Sports mode. In this mode, the JCW transforms from being chilled out to being angry. Throttle response is immediate and in this mode, the JCW can go from nothing to 100kmph in a claimed 6.1 seconds flat. But it’s not just how quickly the JCW accelerates, but the way it does.

The exhaust starts spitting out an aural note that will delight most enthusiasts. With 230bhp let loose, the TC and tyres have a tough time reigning in the horses. There is a wee bit of torque steer as the speeds rise at an alarming rate.

The eight-speed steptronic transmission works well with the engine too and keeps it nicely in the powerband so the moment you need the thrust, its all there and the JCW just slingshots ahead. Overtaking or outright acceleration, the JCW has no dearth of performance anywhere and that gives a very satisfying feeling.

And it’s not just the acceleration, the JCW has fierce brakes too. The big 17-inch, four-piston fixed caliper brakes bite hard and the JCW sheds speeds very quickly which in turn helps to drive this little car fast without any fear.

The Minis are always known to be fun-to-drive cars, but this Mini gets the John Cooper Works sport suspension and just like the engine performance, the suspension has been tuned for maximum attack. The Mini JCW rides stiff right from the get go. Ride quality is acceptable over our normal bumpy city roads, but one always needs to watch out for the really bad sections and the sharp ruts. The stiff ride is further amplified thanks to the 18-inch, 40 profile tyres. The JCW does get the option of adaptive suspension which is a cool Rs 85,000 extra but we think it’s a worthy addition. The stiff suspension and the thin tyre profile means one just cannot go full send on unknown roads for the fear of cracking those expensive rims and damaging the suspension which throws practicality out of the window.

But then if you need something practical, one would be better off with the standard Mini Cooper. The JCW is not meant to be practical, it’s just meant to plaster a smile on your face and that it does. The sporty suspension gives the JCW go-kart like abilities and it’s just unreal how this Mini turns in. The steering is quick and the JCW changes direction like no one’s business. The steering has enough heft that adds confidence at higher speeds, but then it’s not as communicative as one would expect it to be. There is a hint of vagueness at the dead-centre and that’s a bit of a party pooper.

Going hard through the corners, the Mini JCW is an absolute riot. The Mini just corners flat which makes you want to push harder in the next corner till you experience the obvious understeer. With its compact dimensions, its squat stance and oodles of power, the Mini JCW is like a happy puppy that just wants to chase corners all day long.

As the name suggest, this is a ‘Mini’ so space isn’t really in abundance. But then if you need space, you’d be better off with an SUV. The Mini JCW on the other hand feels like it’s wrapped around you. The specially crafted sport seats, the dashboard, the windscreen, everything feels at close quarters. Don’t get me wrong, it does not feel claustrophobic, but it’s more about being one with the machine.

Now the Mini JCW certainly feels special on the outside, but does it feel the same on the inside? The simple answer is, it does, but not consistently. Things like the Nappa leather steering wheel, the gear lever, the fighter jet style toggle levers all around, the fantastic seats and aluminum pedals really give out the special aura. But then certain plastics like the buttons on the steering wheels, the volume knob and plastics on the door don’t really exude premium-ness.

Then of course there is the signature 8.8-inch round infotainment system. Now, it’s always been the cool factor in Minis and it still is, but then the graphics could have been better. It’s easy to use but then we have seen better, sharper graphics in Hyundais now. However, graphics on the smaller five-inch instrument display seems much better, maybe because it’s smaller.

Talking about space, this is a strict 2+2. At the back, the seating is cramped and legroom is something the Mini hasn’t heard about. But then it’s enough if you just want to cram in three passengers and give them a good laugh, but not for taking a road trip or long commutes. Even though you won’t be comfortable, they’ve tried to make it practical with a cup holder in the centre and on either sides. Boot space at 211 litres is slightly less than what you get in a Swift, but then the 60:40 split will help store more luggage.

On the features front, the Mini JCW isn’t exactly loaded, and surprisingly misses out on plenty of kit. The basic frills that you would expect come as optional extras. Standard equipment includes, automatic headlights and wiper, sun roof, cruise control with braking, automatic air conditioning and an 8.8-inch infotainment system that is hooked up with a banging Harman Kardon hi-fi system.

The optional equipment list includes some pretty important mandates that are now standard equipment in more affordable cars, like tyre pressure monitoring system, wireless phone charging, navigation, USB audio interface and surprise-surprise, Apple CarPlay too. Guess Mini just wants you to concentrate on driving hard and fast. On the safety front, the JCW gets front and passenger airbags, ABS with EBD, run-flat indicator, dynamic stability control and cornering brake control along with traction control.

The Mini Cooper JCW is a focused machine. It makes no bones about its intent. It lacks some basic features that you would expect in a Rs 46.5 lakh car. It’s basically a two-seater that just about seats four and it’s stiffly sprung which means you will have to stick to roads with a good surface. But once you get past the negatives and you get down to driving it like it’s meant to, the JCW gives you a kind of satisfaction that only a few other cars in India can. It looks fantastic, is properly quick, handles like a go-kart and does all this with a sense of drama that you expect from an expensive sportscar like this. The JCW cannot be your only car as it’s just not cut-out for the mundane things. But as a toy that you take out on weekends, or for the occasional trackdays or just for the joy of owning something so special, the Mini Cooper JCW is extremely desirable.

Pictures by Kapil Angane