Test Mini John Cooper Works: who tried it, knows it

These types of cars are chosen with the heart. They can make your current account suffer, but they assure you quality of life and happiness. The name John Cooper Works is synonymous with miles of fun behind the wheel and is only suitable for drivers looking for a bit of spice in their day to day.

Aesthetics accompany: my test unit has practically the entire list of accessories and knick-knacks that Mini offers for its JCW.

Aesthetically, it looks different from its brothers in the range: the front receives a new bumper with larger air intakes to cool the engine, while at the rear the diffuser and the entire bumper have been redesigned. The wheels are also specific (17″ as standard) and reveal the vitaminized brake system.

Test Mini John Cooper Works

Inside, I find seats that support your back well, are comfortable and look great (you’ll be able to do 500 km in one sitting with no problem). As always, the presentation letter of this cabin is very original and the quality is beyond doubt (the controls have a good touch, the plastic on the dashboard is soft and the plastic on the doors is not excessively hard).

On the other hand, the space in the front seats is positively surprising, although the instrumentation screen does not look very good (there is room for improvement). It comes with Android Auto and CarPlay as standard, as well as Connected Drive services, the browser, digital radio or several USB sockets.

But here we have come to have fun, so I don’t hesitate, and I start the engine. It’s time to unleash my instincts: a two-liter turbo block welcomes me with 231 hp and 320 Nm of torque from just 1,250 rpm, figures with which it has to deal with 1,262 kilos of weight.

The thing looks good. Enough power? I’ll give you a fact: the front wheels are not always capable of digesting the torrent of force that reaches them and the jolts in the steering wheel are appreciable. The steering has a hard feel and tells you relatively well where the front axle’s grip limit is.

It steers completely flat, although, like a good Mini, it should not be trusted, because when you play with the limits a behavior of sudden and direct reactions appears that make you have to be very quick with your hands: the rear tends to want to dance more than what what do you expect (the grip of the Pirelli P Zero certainly helps to deal with that character, as do the brakes).

Emissions in this test have been 190 g/km. No, it is not the most efficient car in the world and its real consumption is around 8.0 liters. On the other hand, the suspensions are hard, but on the open road and highway they are not torture. Front seats help increase comfort

In short, the dynamism and manners of this JCW never disappoint, whether you’re on a mountain road, a highway or through the city, its natural setting, where the hard suspensions, yes, can be quite a challenge for your back.

My opinion

The worst thing about this fun toy is its price: with a base price of just over 42,000 euros, it is a whim within the reach of few. For less money, you even jump to the upper segment: you have a 280 CV Ford Focus ST (37,800 euros) or a 245 CV Cupra León (42,600 euros).