Complete configuration comparison
DG Motors puts the Mini Cooper JCW's starting price at nearly $39,000, close to the Subaru BRZ's $37,055 MSRP, so this comes down to character rather than price. Car and Driver says the JCW is not the most well-rounded sport compact out there, but whether you choose the hatchback or convertible body style, it's still a hoot, and it is rated 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, well ahead of the BRZ's 20 city/27 highway. Choose the BRZ for rear-wheel-drive sports-car handling; choose the JCW for a more efficient, more practical hot hatch with a similar price.
DG Motors puts the Mini Cooper JCW's starting price at nearly $39,000, close to the Subaru BRZ's $37,055 MSRP, so this comes down to character rather than price. Car and Driver says the JCW is not the most well-rounded sport compact out there, but whether you choose the hatchback or convertible body style, it's still a hoot, and it is rated 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, well ahead of the BRZ's 20 city/27 highway. Choose the BRZ for rear-wheel-drive sports-car handling; choose the JCW for a more efficient, more practical hot hatch with a similar price.
DG Motors (opens in a new tab) says the 2026 Mini Cooper JCW's starting price is nearly $39,000. Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the John Cooper Works variant of the Mini Cooper is not the most well-rounded sport compact out there, but whether you choose the hatchback or convertible body style, it's still a hoot, and that the EPA rates it at 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.
TrueCar (opens in a new tab) puts the base Subaru BRZ's MSRP at $37,055, with EPA ratings of 20 city and 27 highway mpg, well behind the Mini's 27 and 37. The JCW's roughly $39,000 starting price sits close to the BRZ's, so the real trade-off between them is the BRZ's rear-wheel-drive sports-car layout against the JCW's more efficient, more practical hot-hatch format.
DG Motors (opens in a new tab) puts its starting price at nearly $39,000.
The Mini JCW, rated 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway by the EPA per Car and Driver (opens in a new tab), against the BRZ's 20 city and 27 highway.
Side-by-side matrix
| Decision field | MINI John Cooper Works | Subaru BRZ |
|---|---|---|
| Exact EPA records | 2 | 2 |
| Model / option labels | 2 | 1 |
| Drive layouts | Front-Wheel Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Engines / propulsion | 2L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI | 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI |
| Transmissions | Automatic (AM-S7) | Automatic (S6), Manual 6-spd |
| Fuel types | Premium | Premium |
| EPA classes | Minicompact Cars, Subcompact Cars | Minicompact Cars |
| Combined efficiency | 30 MPG/MPGe | 22–25 MPG/MPGe |
| Electric range | Not listed | Not listed |
| Annual fuel / energy estimate | $2650 per year | $3200–3650 per year |
Head to head
| Measure | MINI John Cooper Works | Subaru BRZ |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 161 hp | 228 hp |
| Torque | 184 lb-ft | 184 lb-ft |
| 0 to 60 mph | 5.9 sec | n/a |
| Curb weight | 3,047 lb | 2,855-2,886 lb |
| Length | 152.6 in | 167.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 98.2 in | 101.4 in |
| Cargo volume | 8.9 cu ft | 6.3 cu ft |
| Seating | 4 seats | 4 seats |
| Basic warranty | 4 years | 3 years |
Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2026 and 2027 model years); prices are KBB base prices.
Background on each vehicle
John Cooper Works (JCW) is a British car marque for in-house tuning, development, and international automotive racing division of Mini vehicles, based in Farnbororugh, Hampshire, England. It was founded in 2002 by Michael Cooper, son of John Cooper, the racing car maker and tuner responsible for the original Mini Cooper. In 2007, German automaker BMW acquired the rights to the name, and it bought out the company in 2008.
Source: John Cooper Works (Wikipedia)
The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ are 2+2 sports cars jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, manufactured at Subaru's Ōta, Gunma assembly plant. The 2+2 fastback coupé has a naturally aspirated boxer engine, front-engined, rear-wheel-drive configuration, 53/47 front/rear weight balance and low centre of gravity; it was inspired by Toyota's earlier AE86, a small, light, front-engine/rear-drive Corolla variant widely popular for Showroom Stock, Group A, Group N, Rally, Club and drift racing.
Source: Toyota 86 (Wikipedia)
Open both dossiers
Comparison answer desk
The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (30 vs. the 2027 Subaru BRZ's 23.5 MPG/MPGe).
6.5 combined MPG/MPGe separates the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works from the 2027 Subaru BRZ at the midpoint, a relative difference of 27.7%.
No. The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works lists Front-Wheel Drive while the 2027 Subaru BRZ lists Rear-Wheel Drive: no drive designation appears on both current lineups.
No. Their current engine or propulsion descriptions do not overlap. The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works lists 2L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI. The 2027 Subaru BRZ lists 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI.
No shared transmission description between the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works and the 2027 Subaru BRZ in this snapshot. 2027 MINI John Cooper Works: Automatic (AM-S7). 2027 Subaru BRZ: Automatic (S6), Manual 6-spd.
Yes, entirely: the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works and the 2027 Subaru BRZ both run on Premium and nothing else in this snapshot.
Yes, at least partly: the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works and the 2027 Subaru BRZ are both categorized under Conventional in this snapshot.
The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works lists the lower annual-cost estimate midpoint than the 2027 Subaru BRZ ($2,650 vs. $3,425).
$775 per year separates the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works from the 2027 Subaru BRZ at the midpoint under EPA's standardized assumptions.
The 2027 Subaru BRZ spans a wider combined-MPG range across its own current configurations than the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works does (3 points vs. 0).
Partly. The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works and the 2027 Subaru BRZ overlap on Minicompact Cars, but the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works also carries Subcompact Cars.
Neither: the 2027 MINI John Cooper Works and the 2027 Subaru BRZ both carry 2 certification records in this snapshot, across 2 and 1 distinct label respectively.
The 2027 MINI John Cooper Works, at a 9 cubic-foot midpoint against the other's 6.
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