Used 2020 MINI Countryman John Cooper Works ALL4 Consumer Reviews

Low-mileage JCW!

I recently traded in my 2019 Cooper 2-door John Cooper Works for a very lightly used 2020 Countryman JCW. As much as it saddened me to let my (real) MINI go, I simply needed more space as this is my only vehicle. I know most buyers probably aren’t cross-shopping between these two models as they are very different cars in many ways. Hopefully, this review is helpful for someone like me- who loves MINI’s and driving fun cars, perhaps owns the 2-door but needs more space and wants to stay with MINI. First, they drive very similar. My Countryman rides MUCH better overall; less stiff and more forgiving over potholes and road imperfections. The Countryman definitely feels bigger and is not as fun to throw around on a twisty road. It’s TOO stable and planted. Also, the power puts down much more stable and seamless with the Countryman. It’s still very quick! But not significantly quicker even with 70 more HP than my 2-door given all the extra weight. My 2-door was certainly more nimble overall, but also a bit flinty. Good and bad depending on the road and traffic conditions. Takeaways here: The Countryman offers a lot of the same in a more livable all-round package. It’s surprisingly spacious and still very fun to drive. I’m looking forward to seeing how it does in the winter having AWD. I live in New England and my 2-door did not feel very stable during especially slippery conditions. Cons: they’re mostly the same as my 2-door- no blind spot monitoring in city traffic is a real drawback. Apple CarPlay is finicky at times. Sometimes it connects, sometimes it chooses not to. The bottom cushion of the sports seat is not comfortable after driving more than an hour or so. The bolstering is too aggressive and cuts into my legs. I’m 6’1 but thin. I imagine this would be very uncomfortable for a heavier and/or taller person. Maintenance costs are high, but my 2-door was very reliable in the 3 years I owned it, only ever needing routine maintenance. I’m hoping my Countryman will be the same. My insurance premium almost cut in half with the Countryman, go figure. There’s another pro to the switch! Overall, I’m happy with purchase! It’s funky but premium, stands out in a crowd and ultimately is a very fun car to drive if that’s a priority for you.