Is a Mini Clubman just a stretched Mini hatchback?
No, the two cars actually sit on different underpinnings, with the Clubman closely related to the BMW X1 and X2 under the skin – BMW owns the Mini brand, remember. That’s why the Clubman is wider, and the distance between the front and rear wheels is longer than a regular Mini, all of which frees up more elbow room and more space in the rear seats. There is decent room back there, with six-feet tall adults being able to sit behind similarly large adults.
The boot is also larger, if far from huge at 360 litres. Dropping the rear seats frees up 1250 litres of luggage space – both figures are 20 litres down on the VW Golf. You’ll also find a handy hidden storage layer under the boot floor, as well as some storage areas in the double-hinged ‘barn-style’ rear doors (which look quite cool but do block your view of following traffic)
What’s the big news with the facelift?
It’s a pretty gentle refresh, and includes a new grille, revised LED lights front and rear (the rears feature the Union Jack), and a couple of new colours and alloy wheel designs (including another Union Jack reference), plus some new leather and trim options.
Classic trim is the entry-level specification, and includes 16-inch alloys, sat-nav with real-time traffic information, Apple CarPlay and Mini Connected Services. The latter lets you send a sat-nav address from your smartphone to the car’s navigation system via a Mini Connected app.
Sport trim adds sportier John Cooper Works upgrades, including a sports steering wheel, sports seats and 17-inch alloy wheels. Our Exclusive-spec test car was marked out by its Mini Yours leather steering wheel and Leather Lounge seats.
What’s it like inside?
It’s quite a mature feel with our Exclusive-spec car’s leather (entry-level models get ‘Firework Cloth’ for a funkier look) and soft-touch plastics, and perhaps a little sombre in black, but it certainly looks well finished.
The Mini’s sense of fun and quirkiness might be muted, but it’s still evident, most obviously with the huge circular infotainment screen at the centre of the dash, which glows as you select different functions like a beating heart.
It’s not the very latest BMW infotainment system, but it’s still one of the very best, with clear graphics and a highly intuitive operating logic. Just remember that a pretty small 6.5-inch screen is standard, and you’ll pay extra for the 8.8-inch touch option.
What’s the Clubman Cooper like to drive?
The three-cylinder motor could never be described as quick, and you need to stir the gears regularly to get a move on (our test car got the optional seven-speed auto, which we’d have preferred with optional paddleshift controls), but there’s adequate performance here for normal driving. A perky chassis and keen steering helps keep up the momentum too, and while the Clubman isn’t as agile as smaller Minis, there’s still a chuckable, fun feel – as well as more supple suspension than the shorter, choppier-riding hatchbacks.
In a nutshell
The Clubman isn’t as fun to drive or cutely designed as the smaller Minis, but it does offer some welcome extra practicality with its larger boot and more generous rear-seat legroom, and it’s still an enjoyable, comfortable drive. It’s also a unique offering in this segment, with far more character than a VW Golf and it makes for a welcome alternative to the ever-growing list of crossover SUVs . Factor in affordable running costs thanks to the frugal three-cylinder engine and an excellent infotainment system, investing in a used Mini Clubman makes a great case for themselves.
Similar car reviews
If you like the Clubman, but want that extra power, then the Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is the one for you. JCW is the name given to the most powerful minis available.
If the Clubman’s larger ‘estate’ feel isn’t for you, we’ve also reviewed the Mini Cooper S which still retains its iconic British Mini Hatchback style and is available as a hatch, hot hatch, electric, SUV, estate, and convertible!
Moving away from the Mini, you cannot really go wrong with VW’s baby hatchback, the VW Polo. The latest model has sharp looks and a generous amount of space inside.
We then have the immensely stylish, upmarket Mercedes A Class is possibly the ultimate family hatchback, and comes in Petrol, Diesel, and Hybrid options.
Finally, the Ford Fiesta is consistently one of the best selling cars in the UK and is known as a great to drive good value car.
Specs
| Price | £24,695 |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | 1499cc 12v three-cylinder turbo, seven-speed auto, front-wheel drive |
| Performance | 134bhp @ 4400rpm, 162lb ft @ 1480rpm |
| 0-62mph | 9.2sec |
| Top speed | 127mph |
| Efficiency | 39.8-42.8mpg, 120-122g/km CO2 |
| Weight | 1425kg |
| Length/width/height | 4266/2018/1441mm |
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