MINI Clubman 2019

Body, cabin and cargo space

Mini lengthened the Clubman by 31 cm in a remake four years ago. For those of us who are older, that’s a full foot more in one fell swoop! It also gained 12 cm in wheelbase and width. Despite the totally different proportions, the bulging headlights, flat roof and wide, black pillars ensure an immediate filiation with the brand’s other products.

The current Mini Clubman keeps the side-hinged split cargo doors traditional to the Mini. With the optional hands-free access, you simply stand behind the car to motion the doors open completely, one after the other. It is as practical as it can be surprising in a tight parking spot.

The trunk is amply sufficient for a weekend getaway for two. It is easy to load a stroller and a few travel bags, thanks to the very large trunk opening. The rear seatbacks fold flat to the trunk floor. The lack of a traditional spare makes replacing a flat tire more complicated, since run-flat tires are difficult to repair. However, it frees up space for a huge underfloor storage compartment.

Because of the wide-edged roof and very low sill, getting inside is not an easy task for tall people. After dropping into the front seats, they should find sufficient leg room, thanks to the long seat sliders.

The seats are almost excessively firm, in typical German fashion (remember, Mini is a division of BMW). The long range of the telescoping steering wheel, another German tradition, ensures an excellent driving position.

The curvy dashboard is characteristic of Mini. For a few years now, the speedometer and other dials have been positioned in front of the driver in a round cluster that follows the wheel when adjusted for height. The dials are on the small size but easier to read than in their former location in the middle of the dash.

The center stack still houses a round, oversized display that now includes a multimedia screen and several quick-access buttons. In BMW style, the system is navigated via a knob controller and a handful of buttons placed between the seats, but with Mini, the screen is also touch operated.

Other functions including engine start are activated by toggle switches, with separate controls for climate control. Along with the pulse levers on the steering column, this unusual environment requires a good period of adaptation.

Other highlights

Rear seats: enough room to install children in large booster seats with the front seats adjusted for average-sized (1.78 m/5 ft. 10 in.) passengers. Zero legroom when the front seats are pushed completely back. Bench seat is low and very firm.

Convenience: you must choose a trim, to which you can add packages or individual options, when you purchase a Clubman. The least expensive, Classic trim includes a panoramic sunroof, alloy wheels and heated seats and costs $1,300, which puts the real starting price at $32,235, including an exorbitant destination fee of $2,245. Just to get Apple CarPlay preparation, you have to select Premium+ trim, which tacks on an additional $4,550.

Instrumentation: head-up system optional on all models ($750). Very practical, such systems project basic driving information on the base of the windshield.

Finish: contemporary ambiance and technology replicate the quirky exterior styling. Meticulous attention to detail. Precise fit. Not quite luxurious, but good quality, materials.

Storage: very small cubbies in front of the shifter and under the centre armrest. Adequate door pockets. Front cup holders placed in front of the shifter where they get less in the way.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist and automatic brake drying
• Stability and traction control
• Hill hold
• Front airbags
• Driver and passenger knee airbags
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Four adjustable head restraints
• Rearview camera
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Parking sensors, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control (included in optional driver assist package)

Visibility

Low driving position, wide and closely spaced roof pillars, limited window height, small mirrors, split rear window all hamper visibility. No blind-spot monitoring system available, to facilitate lane changes.

Headlights: Clubman headlights not yet tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The halogen headlights of the Mini hatchback and Countryman received a poor rating because of overall weak luminosity; equipped with LED projectors, these models did better, though not rated among the best.

Mechanical overview

The Mini Clubman uses the same platform as the Mini Countryman and several small BMWs including the X1 SUV. This architecture can accommodate front- or all-wheel drive; the latter is fitted to all Clubman models sold in Canada since 2018.

In normal driving, the AWD system calls on the rear wheels only when front-wheel slippage is detected, when starting off or in certain fast turns. Otherwise, it is front-wheel drive assisted by a limited-slip differential with traction going to the wheel with the most grip in turns.

The three turbo engines listed for the Clubman are the same as for all the other Minis in Canada. The Cooper gets a 1.5‑litre 3‑cylinder that makes 134 hp and up to 162 lb ft of torque starting at only 1,250 rpm.

The Mini Cooper S provides 189 hp and 207 lb‑ft with its 2.0‑litre 4‑cylinder. More permissive tunings boost the output of the sporty John Cooper Works (JCW) to 228 hp and 258 lb‑ft with the same 2.0‑litre engine, exactly like the BMW X1.

All of these engines are paired with a six-speed manual transmission, the Clubman being one of the rare four-wheel-drive vehicles that still have three pedals. An automatic transmission is listed, of course; supplied by Japanese transmission specialist Aisin, it has eight gears and a manual mode, with wheel-mounted paddles for the JCW.

Strangely enough, the most powerful Clubman is also the most fuel efficient, according to Natural Resources Canada. Our test of the JCW yielded an average of 7.3 L/100 km, or 0.1 L/100 km less than the Cooper S in similar conditions (80 percent highway, in mid-summer). It should be noted that both these results beat the official rating!

The three‑cylinder Cooper required 10.3 L/100 km in a shorter test conducted in mid-January.

Driving impressions

We have had the opportunity to test drive three versions of the Mini Clubman since its 2015 remake, all with an automatic transmission. Naturally, the JCW stood out for its vitality and the added grip provided by wider tires mounted on 18‑in. wheels. In sport mode, it’s the JCW that excels the most in curves and delivers the best road feel.

However, the fastest Clubman also proves to be the least comfortable. The combination of a firm suspension and low-profile, rigid-sidewall run flat tires delivers a stiff and taut ride, even on the highway. The JCW is clearly also the noisiest Clubman, especially in sport mode, which accentuates the already loud exhaust note.

At the other end of the lineup, the three-cylinder Cooper showed to be perfectly at ease in urban situations thanks to more reasonable tires and more compliant suspension. It is the most comfortable of the Clubman models, but its steering is still lively enough to distance it from the average subcompact.

The eight-speed transmission works marvels with the generous engine torque, providing a driving experience that is almost too calm for a Mini. The small mill displays its limits in a car of this weight when merging onto the highway; you have to be patient.

Our winter test of this model highlighted the efficiency of the all-wheel-drive system. It kept the car on the straight and narrow despite the performance-oriented tires, which displayed a clear lack of traction and grip.

Of the three models, the mid-range Cooper S represents the best buy overall. It avoids the harshness of the JCW while delivering the verve expected of a Mini. As a more-exclusive alternative to a Volkswagen Golf GTI, the S does a good job... if you’re willing to pay the price, and especially if you get carried away by the options list.