The Best MINIs and Drives of 2024 – Our Top Picks


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The past year wasn’t just a big one for MINI — it was the biggest year ever for MotoringFile. Which begs the question: what were the highlights? And, maybe more importantly, what were our favorite MINIs of the year? After reviewing our notes, we have some answers.

Our Favorite Drives

As we look back at our reviews, there were three drives that stood out as absolutely epic. The first was our initial drive in the electric MINI Countryman SE on the Portugal coast. Then there was the MINI Countryman JCW through the mountain roads of Montana. Finally F66 MINI Cooper w/JCW Trim in the Kettle Moraine region of Wisconsin was surprisingly epic.

Our Favorite Cars

We’re going to take the easy way out and name two (in no particular order).

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2024 MINI Clubman JCW

The first one you can’t buy anymore—sorry about that. It’s the 2024 MINI Clubman JCW, which we took delivery of this March. We’ve written about it several times this year, and after 9,000 miles, everything still holds up. This is the best, most versatile car MINI has ever made. It carries nearly as much as the F60 Countryman yet drives much more like a true MINI.

It helps that we added underbody bracing, a thicker sway bar, and lowered it—shrinking its size in effect by creating quicker turn-in and more feedback through the wheel. It’s been an ideal daily driver for both city and highway use, consistently exceeding our high expectations.

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2025 MINI Cooper S JCW Trim

If you’re in the US, you won’t like our second car either. It’s the F66 MINI Cooper S with JCW Trim that isn’t available in the US. If it is available in your region and you’re interested in an F66, you’ll want it with the JCW Style. It’s hands-down the best choice for an enthusiast driver unless you want to opt for the full JCW model (which wasn’t available in 2024). It adds elements to the Cooper S that not only enhance its look but also subtly improve the driving experience. It’s a surprisingly worthwhile addition to any MINI Cooper S, making it the pick of the range. With the one major caveat of course – the full JCW is now available and takes all of what the JCW Trim offers up a notch with more power, better brakes and more aggressive suspension.

MotoringFile’s 2024 Review Recap

The post The Best MINIs and Drives of 2024 – Our Top Picks appeared first on MotoringFile.

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