MINI Aceman JCW Review & Prices

The Mini Aceman JCW is a small, quick, electric SUV that’s the halo model in the Aceman range. JCW stands for John Cooper Works, and is the label Mini applies to its high-performance models - a bit like Volkswagen does with the GTI moniker.

It shares its electric powertrain with the standard Mini Cooper Electric JCW, but is a little bit taller and more practical with five doors as standard. It’s like taking your holiday in Magaluf for the party atmosphere, but getting a family hotel room so the kids can come with you.

The most obvious alternative to the Aceman JCW is the Abarth 600e - it’s another performance-focused small SUV with electric power. Other options include the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, the Volvo EX30, the Smart #1 Brabus, or the upcoming Skoda Elroq vRS.

The Aceman JCW isn’t visually distinct from the regular Aceman - in fact, in its ‘Sport’ trim there’s very little to mark it out. Different alloy wheels, red brake calipers and a red roof option are all you get, as opposed to the Abarth 600e which looks wildly different to the regular Fiat 600e.

Mini Aceman JCW: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 242 miles
Efficiency: 4.5 mi/kWh
Battery size: 54.2kWh
Max charge speed: 95kW
Charge time AC: 7.5 hrs, 0-100%, 7kW
Charge time DC: 30 minutes, 10-80%
Charge port location: Right side rear
Power outputs: 258hp

The changes come under the skin, where you get a 258hp electric motor for improved performance. It’s paired to the larger of the Aceman’s two battery packs, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds and an official range of up to 243 miles.

There’s also a more aggressive suspension set up, aimed at maximising what Mini describes as its ‘go-kart feel’. That means it’s even stiffer than the standard car over bumps, but as a result it handles corners even better too.

Inside, the Aceman JCW is identical to the standard car in Sport trim. That’s not a bad thing - it means you get high-quality fabric in place of cheap plastics, interesting styling details and an achingly cool circular infotainment screen that handles all of your driver information and car controls.

It’s a bit more practical than the Cooper hatch - not least because it comes with five doors, making access to the rear seats infinitely easier. There’s still not much room, though, and the boot is a pretty pathetic 300 litres - smaller than all of its main alternatives.

To drive, the Aceman feels a bit juvenile. It’s quick, and on the right road can be really good fun - but if you put your foot down the steering wheel squirms in your hands, and the suspension is so firm it could shake your dentures out of place.

If you’re interested, you can check out our best deals on the Mini Aceman JCW, or get a great Mini Aceman JCW leasing deal. Check out our other Mini deals, or find a used Mini for sale. And remember that Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

The Mini Aceman JCW comes in at just under £37,000, comfortably cheaper than its main alternatives. The Abarth 600e is just under £40,000, the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce considerably over. The same goes for the Smart #1 Brabus and the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance.

This makes the Aceman seem like a bit of a bargain, though it’s a slightly smaller car than those alternatives and significantly less powerful than the Smart or the Volvo.

Standard equipment is good, and all Aceman JCW models benefit from the Level 1 pack that’s usually optional on the rest of the Aceman range - bringing heated seats, a wireless phone charger and a head-up display. You don’t really need to add anything extra, though the Level 2 and 3 packs are available if you really want to kit your Aceman out.

Quick and a bit rowdy - but uncomfortable over bumps and it squirms when you put your foot down

In town

The Aceman JCW has the usual benefits of being an electric car in town - smooth, seamless acceleration and no gears to worry about means it’s very easy to drive, especially nipping into small gaps at junctions or roundabouts.

You also get better visibility than the regular Cooper Electric hatchback thanks to bigger windows at the rear and a higher-set driving position - though you certainly won’t be lording it over other traffic the way you would in a larger SUV.

The steering is very quick and accurate, but the suspension is really too firm - even moreso than the standard Aceman. You’ll feel every bump and pothole, and you’ll need to take it easy over speed bumps.

On the motorway

With a real-world range of less than 200 miles the Aceman JCW isn’t going to be the ideal motorway companion. It’s not bad at the job, though, with plenty of shove for decisive overtakes.

The assisted driving tech all works really smoothly, too. However, it is pretty annoying to have to dive into a touchscreen menu if you want to change the following distance for the adaptive cruise control.

The suspension settles down a bit at higher speeds but it’s still very bumpy - you’ll feel expansion joints and rumble strips, and potholes or other poor road surfaces.

On a twisty road

The Aceman JCW is a little slower than the regular Mini Cooper Electric JCW, because it has the same amount of power but is bigger. It’s still pretty rapid, though, with a 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds. A standard Abarth 600e does it in 6.2.

With a wheel at each corner, quick steering and a very darty setup, the Mini Aceman JCW feels eager in the bends. However, if you put your foot down the wheel squirms in your hands as the car tries to pull you to one side - this is called torque steer, and it’s quite annoying. It discourages you from making the most of the Aceman JCW’s performance, which is a shame - it’s not something that the petrol Mini Cooper JCW suffers from.

It’s quite fun, but an Abarth 600e - with its sound generator, limited-slip differential and more supple suspension - is even more of a riot in the bends, without being too uncomfortable.

Unchanged from the regular Aceman - five doors are nice to have, but the rear seats are cramped and the boot is small

You sit more upright in the Aceman than you do in the regular Cooper hatchback, but you can still set the seats quite low down and laid-back for a sportier feel to the driving position.

The seats in question are no different to the ones you get in the standard Aceman Sport, though, which is a shame. The same goes for the steering wheel, which like in the standard Aceman is far too fat - even people with large hands will struggle to grip the rim.

Storage for other items is decent with door bins that can hold a small bottle and a moderate glovebox, but an easy-to-access wireless charging pad, big cupholders and a cool-looking stowage bin between the front seats helps make up for these.

Space in the back seats

There’s more room in the back of the Aceman than there is the regular Mini Cooper hatch, and having two rear doors and proper opening windows makes it much nicer to travel in. A six-foot adult can fit snugly behind a driver of a similar size.

There’s also more room for child seats, and ISOFIX points on both outer rear seats helps to facilitate this.

Boot space

The Mini Aceman’s boot is just 300 litres in capacity - that’s small even compared to the 318-litre Volvo EX30, or 360-litre Abarth 600e. The boot opening is small, there’s a load lip, and there’s no front storage area to keep charging cables, either. It’ll accommodate a couple of carry-on suitcases or a weekly shop for two, but not much more.

The Aceman’s interior is great, but it’s a shame there’s no differentiation for the sportier JCW

JCW models of old used to get a sportier interior than the standard cars on which they were based - but the Aceman JCW’s interior is identical to the regular Aceman in its ‘Sport’ trim, which is a bit disappointing. With that being said, the interior is a highlight of the Aceman, so don’t feel like you’re being too short-changed - though a set of sportier seats wouldn’t go amiss for greater support in the corners.

The main feature is the fully circular central touchscreen. It’s 9.4 inches in diameter and contains just about all the car’s functions - the top edge has driver information, while the lower edges contain the climate controls.

It’s bright, pin-sharp and responsive. The interface can be a bit busy, though - there are some controls that are difficult to hit - and when you use the wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, they display in an awkward box in the middle of the screen rather than filling it.

The Aceman JCW gets a head-up display as standard, which is great because it brings your speed and other essential driving information into your eyeline. Without it, you have to look over to the centre of the car to find out how fast you’re going - a problem the Aceman shares with the Volvo EX30.

Elsewhere in the cabin you get really cool woven fabric in place of the plastic you find on most alternatives, and build quality feels top-notch. It’s a really nice place to spend time.

The Aceman JCW has an official range figure of 242 miles, a few less than the Aceman SE fitted with the same size battery - reflective of its higher performance. You’re more likely to be tempted to put your foot down in the JCW, though, so expect a real-world range of around 180 miles - possibly stretching to 200 if you’re very gentle with your right foot.

That’s still a fair bit better than the Abarth 600e, though a Volvo EX30, Smart #1 or Skoda Elroq vRS will all do over 250 miles on a charge without too much bother.

Still, with a small battery the Mini Aceman JCW doesn’t take very long to charge - even though its maximum charging speed is none too impressive, you can still top up from 10-80% at a suitably powerful public charger in around 30 minutes.

As an electric car, the Aceman JCW pays the lowest rates of first year road tax and company car benefit-in-kind tax - and being well under the £40,000 threshold it’s not liable for the expensive car supplement either.

The Mini Aceman hasn’t been individually tested by Euro NCAP just yet, but it’s very closely-related to the regular Mini Cooper Electric. That scored a full five stars when it was tested in 2025, with particularly impressive adult and child occupant protection scores for such a small car.

The Aceman comes as standard with all the safety kit you’d expect, and there’s a quick shortcut to turn off the annoying speed limit alerts - though if you want to alter any other settings you will have to do so in a fiddly touchscreen menu.

It’s too early to know if the Mini Aceman is a reliable car, as there’s little to no data available - the same goes for the regular Mini Cooper Electric on which it’s based.

Mini came a disappointing 20th out of 32 brands in the most recent Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but the previous-gen Mini hatch (petrol-powered) came fifth in the model rankings, so the signs aren’t all bad.

You get three years of cover, which is in line with all of its alternatives, but it is unlimited mileage which is a nice extra.