The Mini Cooper is one of the most iconic hatchbacks in automotive history and the John Cooper Works (JCW) version is currently the hottest version of this car you can get.
While the hatchback version of the Cooper may be the most iconic and true to the formula, you can’t forget Mini also offers a convertible version of this car.
The Mini JCW Convertible Favoured, as tested here, is the flagship and most expensive Cooper variant currently offered in Australia, priced at $67,990 before on-roads. Ouch…
It’s $4000 more expensive than the electric Cooper JCW E Favoured, and $7000 more than the equivalent Cooper JCW Favoured hatchback.
If this is too much, the Cooper Convertible line-up starts at $51,990 before on-roads for the entry-level C Classic trim. However, this is still around $10,000 more than an entry-level Mazda MX-5, so it’s still a stretch to call it affordable.
This aside, at the heart of the JCW Convertible is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 170kW and 380Nm.
Mini claims this car is good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.4 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds slower than the hatchback. This is due to the added weight and complexity of the convertible roof.
From the seat of the pants, the JCW Convertible is still incredibly quick, especially for such a compact car. There’s zippy acceleration from a standstill, as well as surprisingly punchy rolling acceleration. You really wouldn’t want much more given this car is only front-wheel drive.
The engine note is amplified in the cabin through the 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, making it sound sweeter and raspier. You can hear a bit more actual engine noise with the roof down, but it’s still not enough.
If it isn’t already apparent, this car is overtly sporty in nature. As a result, the suspension is firm. It’s almost too rough if you’re wanting this as an everyday commuter car.
It has adaptive suspension as standard but bigger bumps still transmit harshly into the cabin.
The steering is one of this car’s major highlights. In and around the city the Mini feels small and nimble, then once you get it out on the open road it exemplifies the classic go-kart feel with darty and precise steering.
I’m not a huge fan of the chunky steering wheel as it’s almost too thick to fully grasp, however it does make the car feel more substantial from behind the wheel.
Driving this car harder on twister roads will put a smile on your face. There’s also a feeling like the car is on train tracks because there’s that much grip.
The best part yet is you can do all of this with the roof down! The fabric soft-top roof can electrically open and close in 18 seconds and up to 30km/h.
There’s no noticeable sloppiness or body flexing/creaking like some convertibles have due to the lack of a fixed roof. You only really pick up extra road noise at higher speeds as there’s next to no sound insulation through the fabric roof.
Beyond the convertible roof, this Mini Cooper is virtually identical to the rest of the line-up in the cabin. This means a big 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen multimedia system in the middle of the dashboard that commands your attention.
It is the main touchpoint for virtually every function in the car, including climate controls, as well as serving as the main speedometer and rev gauge.
There is a small head-up display behind the steering wheel which is handy to look at a glance while driving. However, it is a flip-up perspex screen head-up display, rather than one that projects directly onto the windscreen, which does cheapen the look. This is because the windscreen is too sharply raked.
Many people may be turned off due to the lack of a proper gauge cluster or digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver, but you do get used to looking at the head-up display instead.
Elsewhere in the cabin, the JCW version of the Cooper gets sporty-looking black synthetic leather and fabric seats with red highlights. They’re also heated, which is greatly appreciated in a convertible while driving in cold weather.
Unlike lower trims of the Cooper which come with brighter or unique cabin trims, the JCW gets a smattering of black finishes. There are some small red highlights, but there’s not quite enough to create major visual appeal.
Additionally, there are a fair few scratchy plastics once you look beyond the cool woven fabric sections, which is disappointing given the high asking price of this car.
The Mini Cooper Convertible is actually a four-seater, however the rear seats are more of a formality than ones you’d actually want to use all the time. At a leggy 182cm I can fit behind the front passenger seat with it pushed far forward but it’s still squishy.
The same can be said for the boot. There’s only 215L of boot space with the roof up, though this decreases to 160L with them folded down. At the end of the day though, overall cargo capacity isn’t what this car is about.
Mini Convertible 2026: JCW Favoured
| Engine Type | Turbo 4, 2.0L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.8L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 4 |
| Price From | $67,990 |
Verdict
While the Mini JCW Convertible mightn’t make the most sense from a financial or even practical standpoint, if you’ve got the expendable cash and the urge to get something that stands out like this, do it.
This car is addictive to drive and refreshingly raw in an age when cars are becoming increasingly dull due to crunching emissions regulations. Sure the JCW hatchback is quicker and arguably the better option, but you just can’t beat the top-down thrills a car like this offers.
Pricing Guides
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