If you’re in the market for a premium small car that looks a bit different, feels good to drive and is reasonably practical, the Mini Clubman could be a great choice for you. It’s also well-equipped, fuel-efficient and offers you a variety of models to choose from.
The current version of the Mini Clubman has been sold new in the UK since 2015. It was updated in 2019 with Mini’s latest tech and fresh styling details, including a Union Jack flag motif in the LED rear lights.
Although Mini calls it an estate, it’s perhaps better to think of the Clubman as a mid-size hatchback when it comes to size and interior space. It’s actually shorter and has less boot space than cars such as the Ford Focus or the Volkswagen Golf.
The range of Clubman models mirrors that of the smaller Mini Hatch. It’s available in four trim levels – One, Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works (JCW). The amount of features and engine power increases with each level – the top-of-the-range JCW is quite luxurious and seriously fast.
There are many limited–run special edition models as well and each has a unique package of styling details. You can choose between petrol or diesel engines, manual or automatic gearboxes and some models even have four-wheel drive.
Every Clubman model comes with lots of features as standard including sat nav, air con, cruise control, parking sensors, DAB radio and Bluetooth. An update in 2019 added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity to the infotainment system. Some models also have extra luxuries like heated leather seats and a panoramic roof that opens.
The Clubman is at its most efficient with a diesel engine. According to official figures, diesel models can give you an average fuel economy of 57mpg to 74mpg, depending on the model. Petrol models can average 37mpg to 55mpg. The annual Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) charges are low for most models.
Although it’s an estate, the Clubman’s compact size means its main rivals are premium-brand hatchbacks such as the Audi A3, the BMW 1 Series and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The Audi is a bit more spacious, the BMW is more fun to drive and the Mercedes has some impressive tech. But the Mini is an engaging, characterful car that’s still usefully practical, well-equipped and costs little to run.
In the Clubman’s front seats, you’ll find generous head, leg and shoulder room, so it’s easy to get comfortable. Likewise, there’s space in the back for two six-foot passengers to sit behind people of similar height in the front. However, getting into the back requires squeezing through small door openings, which can also make it tricky to install a child seat on either of the two sets of Isofix mounts.
Unusually, access to the Clubman’s boot is through a pair of side-hinged doors (like you get on a van). It’s a quirky feature that means you don’t need to reach up to pull down a heavy boot lid as you do with many cars but it does mean there’s a blindspot in the centre of the rear-view mirror when you’re driving.
The 350-litre boot space is in the same ballpark as hatchbacks of similar size. It’s enough to cover most everyday needs and there’s a useful extra storage compartment under the boot floor. Or you can remove the floor entirely and use the additional space for carrying bigger loads. The back seats fold down if you need to load anything really long, like flatpack furniture.
The Clubman sits in the middle of the Mini range, between the smaller Hatch and the bigger Countryman SUV. The Countryman is marketed as the most family-friendly Mini, while the Clubman is intended for those who find the Hatch too small but don’t need a car as big as the Countryman.
The safety organisation Euro NCAP gave the Clubman four stars out of five when the car was tested in 2015. The methods Euro NCAP uses to assess a car’s safety make it quite difficult for smaller cars to score a full five-star rating, so the Clubman’s four stars are actually a pretty good showing. Driver-safety features packaged as standard include automatic emergency braking and collision warning.
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