Mini’s 2018 Countryman now gets the high-performance John Cooper Works treatment. As the latest entry in the burgeoning segment of mildly sporty compact crossovers, you can think of Mini’s hotter CUV as the vehicle for hot hatch fans who are growing up and now have a family to haul around.
Like other members of the JCW lineup, the spicier Countryman uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 228 horsepower (170 kilowatts) and 258 pound-feet (350 Newton-meters) of torque. The standard gearbox is a six-speed manual, but buyers can also spec an optional eight-speed automatic. Regardless of the gearbox, the power routes to an all-wheel drive system. Mini claims that this performance-oriented compact crossover can sprint to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 6.2 seconds with either transmission and can reach a top speed of 145 miles per hour (233 kilometers per hour). An exhaust with a controllable flap also lets drivers enjoy a more aggressive sound when they’re feeling rambunctious.
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