Hey all, looking for anyone with experience with these vehicles to clear something up for me.

If you take away fun factor, looks, or any of those subjective reasonings, I'd like to know what are the advantages/disadvantages of these two vehicles.
At the moment (pre 2020) the Golf R stomps the JCW in terms of raw power. I know that will change for 2020.
But looking at the 2019's, if I spec out an Iconic JCW well equipped with most stuff except the technology package (parking assistants and HU display) it comes out to over $48k.
If i spec out the Golf R, fully loaded it comes out to $42,625.
So currently, you get much less power but pay near $6k more and lesser warranty.
So what are we getting for that $6k premium?
I figure there has to be various technology things that aren't immediately apparent.

TIA!

 

When you factor in the warranty the $6K premium goes up a lot.

I've never driven the R, nor a new JCW CM. However, wife has 2019 Golf Rabbit and it is pretty comparable to a JCW HT for a lot less cash. If I was buying new now it would be the VW GTI or R. Probably a GTI and throw on a tune. Performance wise the only area lacking in the GTI is the initial hesitation which a piggyback or ecu tune could get rid of. Otherwise it is fast and handles well, has the big brakes. 6 year warranty.

Recent out of warranty service issues have soured me on the premium prices paid for MINI.

 

A car that doesn't look like a boring econobox.

Dollar for dollar, the Golf R is the better purchase, but not all of life's choices should be based on facts and figures.

 

Performance, value, and longer warranty - a big VW win here.

Countryman advantages - not as common, more customizable, increased ride height (for those that care), better fit and finish.

If I had a tighter budget, I would happily get the GTI and save $10k. But I wanted something different -I have only seen 3 JCW Countrymans driving around in the last 6 months, so it is definitely different.

 

Really?
Last i checked the gti was at Audi level in terms of fit/finish.
I know MINI has improved since then but my 2004 HT was horrendous in comparison.

The countryman is definitely more rare. I totally agree. I see very few of them driving around. It definitely wins for uniqueness, customizability, fun looks, etc.
But I wanted to keep that out of the convo because I was hoping to find more physical (not emotional) reasons there is such a gap in price.
And don't get me wrong, I always follow my heart in the end, but we're not talking chump change here either.

 

Okay, I came from a MK7 GTI just last year to a CM S. It can be a tricky decision between the R and JCW. Ill
break it down into pros and cons since I am a huge VW guy and have driven nearly every hot one at some point.

Countryman
Pros:
- Stunning interior when well optioned, even nicer than the X1 and X2
-Bigger back seat than the Golf
-Out there styling
-Great factory parts catalog
-Excellent to drive
-It never gets boring

Cons:
-Main gauge cluster looks funny when it isn’t optioned with the HUD
-Manual seats on a car sometimes reaching $50k
-Out there styling (not everyone gets it)
-Manual is getting killed off

Golf R
Pros:
-Excellent interior on all trims from base GTI to R
-One of the best handling FWD based cars ever made, seriously these things are great
-The best 4 pot on sale today
-One of the best cars money can buy period
-Instant classic
-One of the best aftermarket tuning communities out there

Cons:
-Other than digital cockpit, this is largely the same
Interior as a $22k Golf, which does have a great interior
-It doesn’t feel special
-Cold and distant demeanor
-Too good at blending in

If I had to recommend one of these to a friend, it would come down to their reaction about my car, Minis aren’t for everyone, but those who get it are in for something a little bit more special than a Golf.

 

Thanks, great post.

What are your thoughts on the power diff between the GTI and S?

And back to the interior quality... how do you feel about the fit/finish between the two? Creaks/Rattles, sound when closing the doors, that kind of thing. And road noise?

So far it sounds like the difference really does just come down to an emotional one. And frills like fun interior lighting options.
And if the 2020 JCW goes up in price more than a few Benji's... that's going to be an even bigger pill to swallow.

 

No question that the GTI is way faster than the S or the current JCW. The R will be faster than the JCW Clubman and Countryman as well. The fit and finish in the VWs is just fantastic, just not as nice as the Mini. I had minor rattles here and there with my GTI, but nothing terrible.

Again, the Golf R is helping to redefine the hot hatch with the Focus RS and Civic Type R. That said, the VWs are a bit soulless. I felt the upgrade in my CM for sure, it is in the entry luxury segment whereas the Golf is pushing the economy segment.

You buy the Mini because it is the happiest car in the world, you buy the Golf R because it is fast.

 

I have my doubts the Golf R will be much faster than the new JCWs. VW states 4.8s 0-60 for the R and the X2 M35i is listed at 4.9s and the X2 weighs 3713 lbs. The Clubman and Countryman should both weigh less than the X2.

 

The 2020 Countryman JCW All4 is rated at 5.1s 0-62 mph. Clubman is 4.9.
Speed is not the issue.
The issue is that you have two cars, both have AWD, both are speed demons, both are small and tossable, both are high quality german machines (the R is made in Wolfsburg), both have a slew of upgraded internals compared to their slower siblings. But one costs farrrrr more than the other and that's at 2019 prices. With that bump in hp on the MINI, I would expect that gap to widen further.
So taking emotion out of the equation... it's just not making any sense. Is emotion worth $6k or more? I dunno.... I just don't know.

 

The Golf R and new M135i are the same price in Germany when spec'd the same. Your same question could be, why would anyone spend as much money on a Golf R as the M135i? It comes down to the specific markets and how manufacturers choose to price their vehicles. You can pay $56k for an S3 built on the exact same platform and using the same drivetrain as the Golf R, somehow Audi is making that work.

 

The Golf R is AWD. Isn't the M135i FW?
I don't really know anything about the bmw, but you are correct. That could be a serious question. In this case you are looking at entry level bwm vs a more top tier vw.

Pretty much. haha

A lot of it is the badge.
But an Audi S3 (compared to R) for instance, will have some slight diffs in materials, sound insulation, etc.
That's part of what I was wondering as far as diffs between the R and JCW.
This isn't a vw vs bmw question... it's vw vs mini... a much more level playing field. Two top-tier vehicles in their segment.
The difference is all in personality it seems.

And my original question wasn't "why would anyone spend that much on a JCW?" I buy a new car every few years. I'm one of the last people to ask such a question. I'm currently driving a Wrangler JK for gods sake. 10 year old tech with prices in the 40k range! LOL!
The question was "what is on the JCW that creates the difference in price".
I was hoping for answers like higher grade materials, better sound insulation, more robust engine, higher safety rating, more tech and gizmos, anything like that.
But surprisingly the only answer I've gotten so far is "more smiles". And that's great to hear... was just hoping for more.

I appreciate all the comments so far. It's a good discussion!

 

I have seen Golf Rs clocking 4.6 0-60. My DCT 135is was barely able to edge the Golf R at the drags for an example. The Golf R is going to be faster by a not insignificant amount, that DSG transmission is a beast. Couple it with the EA888 found in the R and not much south of 400hp is going to be able to touch it. The Golf R with DSG is faster than the Focus RS in a straight line for instance. The R is simply one of the best cars on the road, fullstop.

Would I buy one over the CM? I already made that choice and I don’t regret it one bit. As a side note, the CM winning Consumer Report’s best entry level luxury crossover really should tell you everything you need to know about the CM. The fact is that the CM will have 90% of the performance with a nicer interior and more usability. Think of the CM as a rally Mini vs the VWs hot hatch.

 

According to an IIHS study, VW Golf occupants had 63 fatalities per million cars registered while the Mini Countryman had 10 fatalities per million registered. You could argue that VW Golf drivers take more risks, but maybe the Countryman protects occupants better.
I believe the model years 2012-2015 were included, so the newer models could be different.

 

The MK7 Golf is really safe, watch the crash tests. I don’t think one is safer than the other, but have you ever seen how young GTI drivers drive? That is probably why.

 

LOL, true... true.
At almost 46, am I too old? At least the R (and for sure the JCW) would put me in a higher price bracket.

 

No, it's the X2 M35i's drivetrain in the new FAAR platform 1er.

Mini is still a premium brand, at least that's the way they view themselves. And their customers seem to agree and are willing pay more for their vehicles than a VW.

You're paying a premium for the brand and what it offers. Just like people will pay a premium for an A3/S3 hatch over a Golf. Or Q2/Q3 over a T-Roc/Tiguan.

Sure, real world versus manufacturers claims. BMW is sandbagging with their 0-60 listings too, look what just happened with the Z4 and Supra 0-60 times. The point is, that B48 is almost guaranteed to be putting out the rated 302/332 to the wheels like all of their B series have done in the past. The M135i is listed at 4.7s 0-62, if C&D were to test it, you know they'd knock 3 or 4 tenths off of that.

Getting the launch right with the E82 135i could be tough. Although I've never driven the DCT version, I had an N54/6MT combo and could roast the rear tires at will, it really should have had an lsd from the factory.

 

Launch was easy, but the AWD on the R just had me beaten off the line. It was once things passed 60 that I reeled him in. The R is for sure underrated as well. Real world the R is still going to be the faster car. That isn’t a knock to the Mini, but it is going to be the JCW GP that knocks the R off.

 

I was looking at used Golf Rs when shopping for a replacement for my 06 WRX wagon. Once I drove the countryman, the interior space sold me. I never got to drive one of the Rs because I just didn't believe the interior could feel as spacious and comfortable. My perception is probably skewed since I drove a Corrado 16V turbo for a lot of years. 350whp in a mk2 chassis with a peloquin diff sure was fun, though.

 

The interior in the Golf is perfect up front, plenty of leg, hip, and headroom... it’s just not as good as the CM. The CM punches above its weight for sure. That’s what sold me on mine over the R when I was replacing my GTI.

 

Tons of responses here already...
But my $0.02

We considered both Golf R and Countryman.

Hands down - the Golf R is the better machine for performance, quality, curb appeal, re-sale, fun factor, uniqueness and bang for buck quality/performance.
The reason we bought the Countryman was due to the rear seat size and trunk size. The CM also has a small trunk but it's bigger than the R and the rear seats slide forward and back which help.
We bought this because we were expecting our 1st baby. Had we not been buying this vehicle as a family hauler it would have been an obvious Golf R win with no hesitation.

If you're looking for something fun to drive with a TON of tuning potential, all weather capabilities and top quality fit and finish - the golf R is right there.

 

That's how I felt too, save for fit and finish. We had a baby on the way when we ordered the CM and unfortunately it ended in a miscarriage. We kept the order and grabbed the car, I don't regret it one bit and it will be ready once we do have a baby.

Fun fact, the CM and Golf R have the same size trunk.

 

Sorry to hear that man, the Countryman is a great family CUV. I ordered ours when the 3rd one came along, switched my order from the M2 Competition to it since I wanted something that could fit all three in the back seat.

 

Sorry to hear that man. We've been there a few times also.
With the seats bottom slid all the way forward and the seat back all the way vertical I felt like the CM trunk was bigger than the VW's. The rear seat room is for sure bigger in the CM with the seats all the way back too - just more versatile. I have a friend with a late model 4 door GTI and he said it sucked with a rear facing seat installed.

Good luck with the pregnancy!

 

My friend just took delivery of an M2 Comp. Nice car but the engine already failed on him!! 2k miles on it! YIKES! They are trying to replace the motor but he's fighting for a buy back. I've heard of quite a few of them having some motor issues causing mis-fires?