So I've had the new JCW countryman on a long term loaner. It's such a hoot to drive and very comfortable especially if you have kids!

My first impressions are the brakes - these are so good, instant stopping power. The ride and power is incredible especially with the all4 it really puts the power down and I really struggled to get it to slip.

The only thing I didn't like was the gearbox and I think this is a huge problem for me to get one with an auto. The gears are very slow to change, it seems to take a split second before the gears engage. Now I've come from a m135i zf8 gearbox and also M4 dct and this is miles behind. Can someone confirm if this is also the same zf8 in the BMWs as this feels way worse.

Overall, for £40k I couldn't justify the price for slightly better braking, increased power and a dreadful gearbox. If the price was lower then this would be a fantastic family car with power on tap!