2025 Mini John Cooper Works Review: Truly The Closest Thing To A Go-Kart

People often ask me what the most enjoyable car to drive is. Sure, exotic machines come to mind, but if we’re talking about something with a reasonable price tag, the Mazda MX-5 usually tops the list. That said, the MX-5 has always been limited by its power output. If you want driving pleasure, decent pricing, and real performance, there is one address that matters: John Cooper Works. And that’s exactly the machine I drove.

2025 Mini John Cooper Works Summary

It packs 228 hp and 280 lb-ft
It comes exclusively with a dual-clutch automatic transmission
It remains the quintessential definition of driving pleasure

2025 Mini John Cooper Works – Pros

Driving enjoyment
Well-matched power
Impeccable handling

2025 Mini John Cooper Works – Cons

Limited rear-seat and cargo space
Restricted winter usability
Limited options

If you love driving, spending a week behind the wheel of a MINI usually means a week filled with happiness. It gets even better when the badge on the hatch reads JCW, a nod to the legendary British workshop John Cooper Works. Good old John knew exactly how to tune a car to deliver the closest experience possible to a true go-kart.

Purist styling, Very, Maybe Too, Minimalist

Now in its fourth modern-era iteration under BMW’s ownership, the Cooper keeps the attributes that made it a legend. I do wish it were a bit smaller, closer in spirit to the original 1960s Mini, but its familiar proportions are intact and still perfect.

This new generation launched for 2025 arrives with a much cleaner design than before, at least for the C and S trims. Personally, I always liked MINI’s more decorative approach, with accents and quirky details scattered across the bodywork.

If you want that classic “MINI showmanship,” the JCW is the one to get. It features a completely revised grille with more personality, glossy black framing, and plenty of red accents that give it a dynamic attitude. My tester wore a gorgeous Legend Grey paint (a $700 option), complemented by $250 decorative stripes also available in grey for a louder look. The bumpers adopt a genuinely sporty appearance, including a functional air intake on the right.

Optional 18-inch wheels enhance its stance, though I actually prefer the design of the black 17-inch set. At the back, MINI stays MINI: the taillights reinterpret the British Union Jack from a fresh angle, while a large roof spoiler caps the hatch. Lower down, the diffuser integrates a simple centre-mounted exhaust. I’d like to see dual tips, but at least it’s better than the C and S models where the exhaust outlets are completely hidden.

A Simple, Modern and Minimalist Cabin

The simplification continues inside. Whereas previous generations leaned into a cockpit-like feel with countless switches, the 2025 model makes it immediately clear that MINI’s iconic toggles have left the stage, replaced by a single 9.4-inch circular central screen.

This OLED unit houses every MINI function. Its display quality is the best in the industry, and you can dive through multiple menus with impressive ease. BMW/MINI engineers managed to simplify the interface, giving this generation far better ergonomics than its predecessors. Existing MINI owners will adjust quickly.

However, my friend André, owner of a previous-generation Cooper S, was quick to criticize the overly minimalist layout. Like me, he likes the new overall design but misses the beloved switches. Fit and finish are excellent, and material quality is high. There are a few plastic elements, but they aren’t in areas you frequently touch.

The seats are simply superb. As they should be in a performance car, support is strong everywhere. A small head-up display pops up behind the steering wheel if the info on the centre screen distracts you. The steering wheel itself feels chunky and great in the hands, and I love the fabric accent at the bottom, distinctive and original.

Speaking of originality, much of the dashboard is covered in fabric, and at night it’s enhanced by a projection effect. Very cool and distinctly MINI. Front-seat space is excellent, but it won’t surprise anyone that rear access is tight and space very limited. Think of this MINI as a 2+2. If your needs are more “family-oriented,” the 5-door model is the better match. Cargo space is also modest at 252 litres.

Driving Pleasure Incarnate, Even Without A Manual

If you buy a JCW, it’s because you love driving. Not like driving, you live for it. And as always, JCW delivers in this new generation. It starts with the 2.0-litre twin-turbo 4-cylinder that now produces 228 horsepower and a very healthy 280 lb-ft of torque at just 1,500 rpm.

Once moving, power delivery is strong. However, during hard acceleration, turbo lag is noticeable and sometimes irritating. What bothers me even more and yes, I consider it pure heresy MINI no longer offers a manual transmission in its lineup. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic does a decent job, but it’s not always in the gear you want for truly spirited driving. You’ll find yourself using the paddle shifters often. It’s a decent compromise, but nowhere near the joy of a clutch pedal and a proper shifter.

There are several drive modes, including “Go-Kart,” essentially Sport mode. That’s the one you’ll want to use to unlock the JCW’s full character. It’s great, but again, it doesn’t replace a real stick.

Perfect Chassis Calibration

The rest of the chassis is flawless. Steering is sharp almost pointy, exactly what you want. MINI’s ultra-compact footprint makes it incredibly agile. You constantly feel like darting between cars in traffic just for fun.

With its low stance and firm suspension, road feel is exceptional. Aside from the Mazda MX-5, no mass-produced car offers this level of connection. The suspension work is remarkable, and since the JCW is so light, body roll is nearly nonexistent in corners. Add to that very strong brakes that require a period of adaptation because they bite so quickly, and what you get is pure driving joy.

As for fuel consumption: yes, you can lower it in “Green” mode, but that neuters the whole experience. Driving the JCW spiritedly, I averaged 7.8 L/100 km, very respectable given the nature of this spicy little MINI.

Look out:

For nearly 10 years now, new MINI models have shown steadily improving reliability. Before 2015, electronic issues were common, but today they’re far less frequent. With this JCW, some might find the suspension a bit too stiff, but in my view, that’s simply part of the equation with this performance-oriented version.

The other thing buyers should be aware of is the price. My tester came in just under $65,000. That’s a lot of money for such a small car. I understand that depreciation is slow due to rarity, but it remains an expensive vehicle. On the financial side, maintenance costs are generally reasonable at MINI, although the JCW’s performance components do add a premium. On a positive note, reliability is currently strong, both electronically and mechanically.

Conclusion:

This new JCW fits almost perfectly within the lineage of the legendary tuner that has been part of MINI’s story since the 1960s. But I keep coming back to the absence of a manual transmission. How can a brand like BMW, known for driving pleasure, make such a mistake, especially with a JCW? It’s not as if they needed to engineer a new gearbox; the old one was perfectly suited to the car.