MAX MINI

The Countryman JCW is by no means a 'Mini' in terms of its size, but does it, at least, have a Mini's essence?

- WORDS SHIVANK BHATT

It's raining performance cars in India this year, isn't it? Volkswagen started the trend with the Golf GTI earlier this year, its sister brand Škoda followed with the Octavia RS, and now Mini India wants a slice of the action with the all-new Countryman JCW.

Unlike the VW Group twins, the Mini is more expensive — but it also offers more poke, more practicality, and, of course, greater snob value. It is, after all, a luxury badge. And oh, it's an SUV — the country's most-loved automotive format right now. The question is, does it live up to the promise? We had a brief interaction with the latest (and largest) Mini at the Buddh International Circuit during its launch, and here's why the Countryman JCW deserves your attention.

THE WORKS...

When John Cooper Works sprinkles its magic on a Mini, they go the whole nine yards — every component gets re-engineered to bring out the brand's sporty alter ego. Now, the current-gen Countryman isn't exactly a looker if you ask me. At 4.4 metres long, it's hardly “mini”, and it tries a bit too hard to look SUV-ish when, in essence, it's more of a jacked-up hatchback or a crossover at best.