Test-Driving The 2025 Mini Aceman John Cooper Works
I believe in the saying: 'Life's too short to drive boring cars'.
After passing my driving test, I made a beeline for a Daihatsu Copen, a tiny two-seater that looks like a Croc sandal. I didn't care that people laughed as I tootled past with the roof down, my head poking out like a protruding toe through a worn-out sock. I was driving something special.
A few years ago, I bought a Mini Paceman Cooper S, also known as the Countryman's ugly sister. It's good, but when I heard Mini was dropping the 'P' with its new model, my intrigue spiked.
I never tested the Mini Aceman. But I, of course, said yes when Mini asked if I fancied a go in its lightly spiced John Cooper Works (JCW) guise.
It doesn't take me long to become smitten with odd cars; it's usually love at first sight. Was that the case with the Mini Aceman JCW? I'm not sure, but hear me out. I like its startled face: its gawking eye-like headlights and its large mouth-esque plastic 'grille'—it's almost like it's seen John Cooper's ghost. But it didn't quite make me tingle the same way as the first JCW Countryman did.
2025 Mini Aceman JCW
From the side and rear, the Aceman JCW follows the Countryman's design cues but is smaller in size, and this got me, and many others, asking a question: Who's it for?
The answer is simple: like Mini's, but don't like the idea of cramming bags of shopping and a Great Dane in the boot of a three-door Cooper hatch? The Aceman's the one for you. Of course, you can opt for the larger Countryman with its 505-litre boot, but it's a bit more cumbersome.
The Aceman JCW shares a very similar interior with the JCW Electric three-door, but it has a loftier roofline. The pin-sharp touchscreen is filled with quirky animations and features, including a selfie camera.
Entry-level Minis are usually fun, but if you want to take pleasure to the next level, you'd usually opt for a Cooper S or the ASBO-inducing John Cooper Works (JCW). The latter's usually powered by potent and burbly engines that aid the Mini's already naughty character, but that's recently changed. You can still buy ICE versions, but Mini's upped its EV game, giving buyers a broader choice.
2025 Mini Aceman JCW
The Mini Aceman JCW shares its 254bhp motor and 54.2kWh battery with its low-slung three-door JCW sibling. This means a 242-mile combined (WLTP) range, 0-to-62 mph in 6.4 seconds and a 124mph top speed, but there's a catch. To get all 254 bhp, you pull back on an aptly named 'boost' paddle behind the steering wheel, which gives you 10 seconds of hair-on-fire mid-range madness.
Straight-line pace isn't enough for a JCW, many cars at the same price point can achieve those acceleration figures, instead, JCW's were always praised for their tight chassis and snappy brakes. But the Aceman variant has been left in the oven that little bit too long: its chassis is just too firm. A Porsche 911 GT3 almost feels Rolls-Royce-like in comparison.
The Aceman JCW is a compact electric SUV, and it should be able to traverse crumbling urban roads at 30 mph without bouncing its occupants through the sunroof. I noticed a slight improvement as speed increased, but I was always of the car fidgeting beneath me. Likewise, it doesn't like mid-corner bumps. Hitting these throws the car off course and largely dampens the fun factor.
2025 Mini Aceman JCW interior
Finding smooth tarmac drastically changes the Aceman JCW's behaviour. Its steering is tight and precise, and throwing its 1,800kg around bends is heaps of fun thanks to its grippy tyres. This, combined with snappy brakes, means it can be amusing.
Regarding range, my test car averaged 3.5mi/kWh over motorways, dual carriageways and country roads. Realistically, the Aceman JCW should return circa 180 miles in warmer weather over potholed roads and roughly 190 on slower routes.
Mini's injected the Aceman JCW with its zesty spirit. It's like a four-wheeled carnival; you'll never get bored of touching or looking at it. The Mini Aceman JCW also boasts great efficiency and has a decent range, and enough interior space, but it's simply too firm for most roads.
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