2021 Mini Countryman JCW is HUGE but does it drive like a Mini ? 

I love my Countryman and couldn’t care less if people think it’s a real Mini or not. It’s a great ride.

we own this car. my wife bough it to replace a 2002 Mini Cooper S that died finally. WE BOTH LOVE THIS NEW COUNTRYMAN JCW! She drives it like a normal car, I put it in SPORT and it is F'in Quick and the sound of the car is fun too. We love it. The size is perfect. It's not a BIG car, but it's certainly larger than her previous Mini. Don't wait, GET THIS CAR! It's worth every single penny. :)

We have two newfoundland dogs and retriever, they fit in my wife's country man.... I. Have a JCW clubman, and its plenty big enough for our retriever... I love of them..

Video/Audio spot on Pete and I like the very quick comment about the repair cost to a kerbed alloy

Totally agree with your views on Mini “growing up” and retaining its authenticity but in an updated form. Cheers from Tucson.

Hi sir pete great video and I can definitely tell audio is better! My wife and I are actually looking into buy a countrymen. We’re talking about being are first brand new car. We both are gonna watch the clubman vs countrymen video when it comes out!

Hi Pete. On the whole Mini 'size' thing.......earlier this week, we were in lane 2 of a dual carriageway behind a 'BMW Mini', who was overtaking an immaculate, original classic Mini in lane 1 and (I hate this acronym) OMG, you forget how tiny the original Mini is! When we got alongside in our Q3, the Minis' roofline just about reached our window line! What a lovely little car and, refreshingly, it was being driven by a young bloke....kudos!

I ordered my 2020 F60 JCW to spec from the factory. I love my panoramic roof, JCW sport seats, analog dials, and head up display. All were very worth it. My car had just started production when the Born plant was shutdown by BMW MINI for COVID. It was delayed a month or two, and I had the option to cancel and get the 2021 with a similar spec. That would've given me the Union flag tail lights, and the digital gauges, plus the ugly rear bumper valance you pointed out. I chose to stick with the analog dials and aero diffuser styled rear valance. I'm glad I did. All in all, this is NOT an original MINI. However, this is hands down my favorite car ever, and it is the best road trip car I've ever driven. Huge smiles per mile return on investment.

Recently went from my R60 S All4 to an F60 S All4 fully loaded and i couldnt be happier! I cant believe i own such a nice car i just cant help but randomly going to just sit in it! I was worried that it being bigger then my R60 would be a bad thing and it wouldnt feel as fun but i was wrong! MINI definitely is more lifestyle focused than utilitarian. Its not just a family A to B car, thats what the CRV is for. You just know anyone whose in a MINI CHOSE to be in a MINI and i love that!

I needed a car and I did not know Mini very well. I accidentally came across one. The garage showed me the interior. I felt in love. The next day another garage gave me a fairly new 2021 model for a 2.5 hour test drive. It was a fantastic experience and I bought it right away without price negotiations 😂

Big mini fan here. Very interesting, and honest review as always Pete 👍

Excellent review. I’m about to purchase my 3rd Mini tomorrow and my first Clubman. But we need a second car and this video made me consider a Countryman for the first time.

A very fair look and drive of the countryman you have convinced me I need one before everything goes boring electric thanks Peter.

Thumbs-up for the camera & audio, great review as my wife has ordered a Countryman and under my guidance added The Pan roof, stereo upgrade, upgraded sat nav & the bike rack preparation 👍, great minds think alike.

Lol, view of the Clubman in the background with 'Silly' mudflaps lol. Hilarious. Enjoyed this video as considering the Countryman to replace my XC40 as we dont need such a big car but then you described it as ' a big bus'. I really need to drive one when I can visit a dealership.

Very impressed with the new camera. Been toying with upgrading mine but I think you’ve just convinced me it’s worth the investment . Great review, I do love MINIs

All is good bro. Nice review.. Just sold my mk7 golf r and got a jcw countryman. Family n myself totally enjoy it.. cheers from Malaysia

I said I would never have a German car, however, my wife loves minis. She now has this very car 🚗 and she loves it

Noticed the picture quality before l thought about the sound. Great improvement, worth the investment. 👍

Wonderful review, made a huge influence on our decision for picking up the 2022 in Sage Green with Satellite Gray Interior. We absolutely love it, looks good, roomy, and has more than adequate power and torque!

Good afternoon my friend. I wholeheartedly agree with your comments regarding the fact of having to drive the Mini. As I’ve said to you before, it totally transformed my opinion.

I was one of the naysayers back when the r50 was announced, until I saw one and couldn't stop smiling at it. I think the classic being so static made it harder for people to swallow.

I drove the hybrid Countryman for a while and I love it because the battery made the center of gravity drop. It really felt like you said, a grown up Mini. I loved that I have a great view while the car is still rather compact and fun to drive. The JCW sounds like the sweet spot to me, although I really miss the crackles. Oh and apparently the Clubman is quiet a bit faster due to aerodynamics and about 50kg less weight.

My Wife and I love our Mini Countryman! Great car. Not sure if you noticed but the rear seats should be able to move forwards and backwards. So you should be able to get more legroom At the cost of some space in the boot.

I’ve never really noticed the off set digital dash until now. A good honest review PP. Looking forward to the clubman comparison.

Though long and hard about a JCW countryman. But we wanted to avoid unwanted attention. So went for a 2.0 Coopers S. It has elec sports leather seats HK stereo and a pan roof. In midnight black it’s also got JCW 18” wheels. It doesn’t have ALL4. But so far I’m falling in love with it.

I keep considering swapping to the countryman S....I have the 2015 D with the pan roof, and it does open up the car so much....i never had had mini before and you're right you never regret it... BTW you sound clear and the video is very clear too good investment 👍

Two years ago I purchased a 2015 Countryman S All4. I was looking for a car that was fun to drive and 3 minutes into the test drive that box was checked.....plus....it had 4 doors that made it easy for my two grandsons to slide in and out. The area behind the hatch accommodated all the groceries, duffel bags, and what-evers and if any more room was needed the rear seats folded down. When the weather gets dicey I have peace of mind knowing 4 wheels are gripping the road. The Countryman is an extremely practical car that goes and handles and puts a grin on my face whenever I drive and look at it.

Just ordered mine in Metallic Black with matt black decals and i cant wait! I should have it in around a week or so. Already have the 3-door facelift JCW in White Silver Metallic so this will make my two car garage a complete JCW lineup :D

Video and sound quality is spot on now 👍

Sorry I'm late but I was listening to a man called Joe talking about pinning suits and a Brompton World Championship. Outstanding.

Video and audio are great Pete. A good investment

Had fibre broadband installed yesterday so liking the new camera and sound . The fibre makes the JCW drive faster as well another great video 👍

Pops and bangs are a deal-breaker for this viewer. I had a Golf R once, and one of the contributors to why I got rid of it, was the "look at me!" grunting out the rear.

Great clarity with the new camera set up and cabin sound much clearer , great investment in new kit . As for the Countryman it seems ok but seems like Mini are filling the small family requirement as you said . Great presentation as always , thanks for the great content . Happy St George’s day , it’s raise a glass time of day . Cheers .

Tried watching at work last night but customers kept coming in haha. Just watched on the big screen the big mini and while it's obviously a good mini, for my needs it is just too big. Camera and audio are worth your investment so thanks for spending your hard earned on us Peddlers.

I would go for the Countryman Exclusive, is comfortable and smooth and quick of the mark, I would definitely go for the Countryman only because of its looks and the comfort, and especially its quick of the mark engine as well.

Definitely a great improvement over your past visual and audio quality. Even more enjoyable to watch now. Crystal clear.

Wow Ped, you look like you're from the Borrowers in that opening section! Great honest review 👍

I own a 2016 JCW Countryman. I have driven a friend’s 2019 Countryman S All4. I love my car. But the new one is a whole new world. Infinitely more practical, the new one is all BMW performance with Mini flavor. I love it and will be purchasing a used one eventually. I’m looking forward to lots of camping and road trips in a 2019 JCW if I can find one.

As the owner of a supercharged R53, I needed to find a replacement for my wife’s Corsa which she has had from new. Looked around and ended up surprising her with a MINI Cooper S Boardwalk. Not as fast as the JCW but my goodness it really does go, well for her anyway. It’s got everything except a pano and electric seats. My main gripe is that the system doesn’t display your driving history data so no Average fuel consumption, miles travelled etc etc. Otherwise a really great car and we are a two MINI household with a few other toys kept elsewhere. The video and audio are much better thanks.

Just bought a Mini Countryman R60 Cooper SD( 2015 65 reg) i bloody love it. Yes, its no mini but is a MINI :-) Ours though does not have the sat nav which is a shame, but tbh i can live without that. My wife loves driving it ( well she should as she picked it ) and she is only used to small hatchbacks. Excellent review as always mate :-)

Video and audio are much better Pete. Great car and i don't like that dash either. All the best Gus

I *think* what makes the countryman make sense as a "mini", is when its the all4. It is such a direct, point and shoot, grippy thing. We had a Cooper SD all4 and loved it (we regret selling it). Apart from being that bit higher up, everything else has that direct feel. Not sure about these bigger, newest incarnations, but by the looks they've not lost that essence either.

Firstly, thank you for a great review. I was looking at changing from my X5 to and Audi SQ5 as a performance SUV is my thing, mountain bike, beach, camping etc but I got persuaded to “try” the new JCW Countryman and to my utter surprise “I loved it” it’s everything all in one funky cool package that seems to fit everywhere without looking a nob in a big SUV… I am now sold on one and will ordering very soon… 👍

They look great. Specially when u love mini. Needed a nice big one. Cool

Great vid Ped. Finally!! Love the full screen Apple car play. Totally get what you mean about the digital dash and lack of hud. Can’t wait for the next comparison vid. I know after 18monthe I am stilling debating my preferences between the two. So similar and yet so different. Stay well. 👍👍👍

Audio and video all good from my perspective Peter. Interesting review, particularly the part about this being more 'grown-up' - I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing in any car lifecycle, one model is the basis for change for the next one, mostly in a positive way imo!

Great review and yes your camera and Mic are much better I’m a bit biased I’m on my second countryman and I have a 19 plate JCW Countryman and I love it and yes it does have stripes

I think it looks amazing, it certainly has presence, especially with the awesome looking front and rear styling!!.

Just discovered this channel and thank goodness I have! My I-Pace goes back in November and I have been considering its replacement which is out of 3 cars - Mustang Mach-E, Wrangler or the Countryman JCW, and not only have you done tests on each one over the past few weeks, but in your tests you have answered nearly all of my questions (with one exception - the depreciation, which I consider is very important in deciding which car to buy).

Great video! I bought one of these just 4 weeks ago and I do miss the pops and bangs from the one I had previously, but the new one is so much quicker (1.5s difference 0-60) so I’ll take that. Really enjoying your cycle videos too, as I’m a cyclist too. Keep the videos coming, good job!

Absolutely brilliant video, thank you. I've ordered a 2022 JCW Countryman, can't wait for it to arrive.

Love it especially when you said about scuffing the the wheels thanks again for making me laugh your voice when you said about scuffing the wheels poor Mrs P but fair does to her she told you, have a brilliant weekend enjoy the sunshine 🌞 does the countryman go back Monday take care unsure what we can do cause I don't watch the news but I'm a avid listener to radio 2 people seem to be going all over obviously not abroad or are they I don't know great review today it looks great but it's JCW and the styling is second to none I agree with you about the dash that's my only fault on my clubman I test drove one and it had the old dash not like the new digital version but

A really honest review, thanks! I like the Countryman JCW but don't think I'd swap my Clubman JCW for it. Looking forward to seeing the comparison video. Like the new camera & sound 👍👍

I would love you to review my old Mercedes ml 350. 2004 3.7 petrol v6 Pete. It makes me smile when you talk apple car play , digital heads up display ect ect. Mines got sat nav. Lol which is by cd Rom. Think it only got London addresses in it. Radio fm.mw It does have phone charger if you put an adapter into what was called in days gone by the cigarette lighter. Sport mode is when I put foot hard down. Comfort mode is tickling the accelerator pedal. It has leather, heated seats, ands a dream to plod around in and with the back seats down your bike will go in without taking the wheels off and stands up straight It’s got 131 k miles sweet as a nut and I paid £1500 , not let me down , what is it with people that need to have the newest of the new. Love my old plodder. 👍. Great vid as always. 👍

Great video. I've recently changed from an M240i to a Countryman JCW... I really miss the 240i, but the JCW is a great car in it's own right and enjoying it so far.

My 2019 Countryman S pops all over the place even just letting off the throttle, and if you hit a sporty downshift going around a corner it lets out a nice little growl on top. I think they must have tuned it out in later models because I drove a 2022 that didn’t do it. TBH I think the Clubman is probably more to my liking in terms of driving dynamics, mostly because it’s lower and you sit lower in it. But the practicality of the Countryman (I have 2 kids and 2 dogs) won out during my buying process.

Hi Pete, I have been fortunate to have owned two F54 Clubmans, a Cooper S and a JCW.. I have owned an F60 Countryman Cooper S since August 2020 and I do not regret the swop. Clubmans - More nimble, lower centre of gravity and feels lighter on turn in. Quality and interior design far superior to my previous F56. I got tired of the barn doors, not been able to reverse in a parking bay with another car or wall behind is a pain, just a novelty and a bit too much faff these double doors. Countryman - Good size, higher driving position and “feels safer” (may just be in my head) Electric hatch is brilliant and the car is much easier to get on with in everyday life than the Clubman. Sliding rear seat very useful and overall space is more family friendly, especially with my bikes and two dogs. Quality and design a match for the Clubman and in my view the proportions are better from every angle and the headlights mark out this MINI as unique and suit the car better than the round headlights of the Clubman. Having been fortunate to have owned JCWs and Cooper S models I feel the Cooper S is the sweet spot in any MINI range, good performance without the higher cost of the JCW. Just my two penny worth but I love my MINI Countryman Best wishes and stay safe everyone

Almost everything I expected. I drive a manual 2015 f56, and I’ve always been a bit unsure of the new automatics. Mainly because I’ve never driven them, so for me be it’s interesting when putting down the power and how it feels. Totally agree with the panoramic sunroof, defo would choose that option. Also having never driven an old school mini, for me this new bmw versions of minis, in my opinion are a decent bunch of cars. Defo smiles for miles as opposed to race winning. 4 years of ownership and still makes me smile 😊. Great review pp. cheers for that, relevant to me so enjoyed that one. Being constructive with feedback, the outro music sometimes drowns out your verbal outro. Apart from that, new camera setup and sound is good. 👍

Check out Car Creations RU-vidrs video, they just recently replaced their center console on the 2019 JCW Clubman (and you''ll get a grin out of what the Canadian brothers have done to the Clubman in making it a rally version, mud scoops and all!). Basically they replace the entire unit, but it doesn't look too hard to do.

Wow the ocd factor for the dash display would do my head in and cant believe a designer thought the best thing to display huge is the fuel display. Vid and sound is crystal....

Great review; you present a real world, genuine feeling to your videos; not just details and figures. Having said that, what’s your real world MPG for your Clubman JCW?

Looking forward to hearing your opinion on this car!

Audio is so much better! Great review as always 👏👍

Loved watching this & I’ve had both classic and new Mini so for me both are very much still a Mini which you feel as soon as you sit in the drivers seat. I’d love to have a classic but for weekends and shows not my “daily”. Looking forward to the comparison video. Hope we see the pups verdict hen testing the boot space 😊 . Wondering, did Mrs P comment on the “kerbing costs” comment 😂 ?

The thing that disappoints me the most about the JCW is the automatic gearbox, I have the F54 S for this reason.

We already have a MINI Cabrio F57 as our second car. Last year we sold our Ford Kuga and bought een new MINI Countryman Cooper White Silver special edition. And have I any regrets? No Way. What a fantastic car. So happy with our two MINI’s. A Countryman JCW is much more expensive in the Netherlands. It costs around 70.000 euro with al the main options. Driven it once but too expensive. We payed more than 40.000 euro’s for our Countryman. I think we will move to the UK. 😄👍🏻

Quality, I enjoyed that and eagerly await the direct comparison with Charlie. Camera and mic look to be a good investment too.

I have a countryman Cooper S 2017 & I love ❤️ her, had her 6 weeks & she’s my 1st mini & I’m hooked, love ❤️ ur videos & look forward to 2nd video x

You could park one of the old Mini's in the Countryman's boot and still have the back seats up 8-))...

Same here with stripes. Mine coupe had no stripes, so I put them back like it came out off the factory

Very infornative review - much appreciated and thank you. Would definitely get the sunroof, head up display, blind spot assist and 360 degree camera as add on features though. We currently have a E220d and the next car is quite possibly going to be this one.

We own a Paceman and love the styling of it. Particularly as its more like the hatch. Personally, I think Mini should have retained it. The Countryman and the Clubman are both great cars but very to similar to each other.

Hi Peter love the Mini and dare I say it good lookin at last, and the you new camera is good and sound very good 🤟

Love the new camera. Shot in great light and picks up light shades very well. Mics good too 🙂.

Camera and sound is great👍🎥🎙The Mini is okay but to big for me Great review as always

Hi Petrol Ped, having ordered and spec'd belt line de-chrome on my order, my Mini dealership have confirmed with many phone calls including to head office it is not an option, crazy but true. So it's either a DIY job or professionaly done. Also Harmon Harmon speaker option is currently not available across the both BMW and Mini range, apparently due to a fire and general CHIP shortages across the world. We're Doomed!!!! PS Love your Countryman video.

Man, Pete, this is why I Love your Channel! Great Vid. You told my feeling after driving the Countryman 🔥

Thank you for the video. We're collecting our Countryman Cooper S 2022 next week with analog dials, sunroof and a few other options. Trading in our 2018 Cooper. I'm disappointed about the lack of pops and bangs, partly the reason to move up to an S. But not disappointed any more about getting digital dials. The off center position would be very annoying, the sort of thing that once you see it, you cant unsee it!!

Another great video, nice 1 Pete! Lovely looking mini or not so mini

My better half traded in her BMW X1 in for the new Countryman few months back. Slightly less room and boot space but not massive difference , much nicer to drive though.

Hi Pete can you compare the road noise, comfort and quiet or loudness at the legal limit please. Keep up the good work 👍

Gday Pete. Love the new camera set up. Review was awesome as usual brother ! Matt from Australia 🇦🇺

I exchanged my BMW X3 to MINI Countryman and I never think back! Luv my MINI Countryman JCW ❤️

I have had one for three years and you are right great on your own but I can get the family and every thing in. I have got the Cooper s with all the extras was a demo car and the sun roof is a must

The audio and camera are much better, thanks. A very subjective, well balanced review, You addressed all the potential issues that the "nay sayers" will come up with. Well done, top vid

Been looking forward to this one...

I finally got to test drive one of these a few weeks back and these are a real blast to drive. I actually liked it more than the Clubman as I thought it was still plenty fast and agile but had a nicer, smoother ride than the Clubman. I was surprised in a really good way!

People completely miss the point that they are the new iteration of the brand - if you want a classic mini, probably go and buy one. If you want a super fun car with all the modern comforts, here you go.

Mmmm food for thought... will wait for next video before I decide which side of the fence to land, thanks PP 🤔🚗

Good review, We weren't impressed with our Cooper S Paceman which has put me off looking at the Countryman, but maybe I should take another look.

I had a Mini Paceman JCW the two door version of the Countryman. Once I got used to the slighter taller stance it has, I was able to throw it into corners exactly the same way I did with the two door hatch. The drive was actually better than the hatch because it wasn’t so bumpy on roads, unlike my current two year old JCW hatch, which has a very stiff suspension from factory. The Countryman exhaust won’t be popping and banging because it is a new car you’re driving and has not been properly run in yet.... trust me it will pop and bang once run in. But I have to agree the new digital Rev counter display is not good and I definitely prefer the analog display set up. So much so I am thinking of not bothering to buy the new JCW hatch that has just come into production, plus the new front grill and splitter looks terrible... Once again Pedro a good video to watch, but odd that you work for Vintage Voltage which converts cars to electric.......but you don’t have an electric mini......could it be because there is no exhaust note what so ever, so no loud pops and bangs sound track to listen to.....😱😱😱😱

I've never been a fan of the Countryman styling personally, I think they're ugly. I love Mini but if I needed something bigger than my 3 door Cooper S or a Clubby I'd get something else. You're right about "not a real Mini" bores though. What gets me is most of them have never even driven a Mini, original or new. I've had several originals and I can say from personal experience BMW have captured the essence of being in and driving a Mini. Cameras and sound came across great too :)

Evening, I agreed with you Pete mini have missed a trick with the tft display. Not a fan of it it looks like an ad on rather than factory fit also.

First! Evening all! Happy Saint George’s Day! How’s everyone doing?

Peter, if you play around with the controller in Heads Up display you can get your gear number in the center of the Heads Up. It will be the largest font size of any Mini screen. It is only shown in manual mode and you can’t miss seeing it. Bob from Oregon. 2021 Mini Countryman JCW Iconic trim. Same color scheme as Charlie (with hood and side stripes).

And unless you don't already do it you should give it the "Mrs. Petrol Ped Yea or Nay" seal of approval test with this and every car you evaluate.

Full screen Apple Carplay is simple. The Countryman never had a scoop. And switching off the ASD (the artifical engine sound) can be done in about two minutes.

Good review taking delivery of mines on 26/4 regards to extras i took the rear armrest, privacy glass and adaptive suspension agree with pan roof but I had so many issues with X5 pan roof I decided against it, as the drains are not serviced or part of service schedule