Review
MINI Clubman
The MINI Clubman is the practical one within the MINI family. The new Clubman continues this and has become even wider and longer than the previous generation. This results in five full-sized seats with sufficient legroom for all passengers and a spacious suitcase. We went out with the Cooper S.
Six variants
The MINI Clubman is available in six variants, three petrol versions and three diesels. The MINI One Clubman is the basic version with a petrol engine. The price is 21,940 euros and you get a 1.5 three-cylinder with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology. This has a power of 102 hp and a max. torque of 180 Nm. Acceleration from 0-100 takes 11.1 seconds and the top speed is 185 km/h. Then you have a Cooper from 23,790 euros. This also has a 1.5 three-cylinder under the hood. However, you get a pretty smooth 136 hp and a max. torque of 220 Nm. The MINI reaches 100 km/h in 9.1 seconds and its top speed is 205 km/h.
We drove the top version within the petrol range, the MINI Cooper S Clubman. This spicy Clubman is available from 28,140 euros. You then get a four-cylinder with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology. It concerns a block with a capacity of 1,998cc. This produces a power of 192 hp and a max. torque of 280 Nm. The Clubman sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 228 km/h. You can opt for a six-speed manual transmission or, for the first time in a MINI, there is now also the 8-speed automatic steptronic. For the sporty ones there is even a sport steptronic. With this you can, among other things, shift gears yourself with paddles on the steering wheel and you even have a launch control function. The Cooper S also moves smoothly in the Clubman version and also makes a very nice and sporty sound.
For diesel drivers, the One D is the entry-level version and this for a budget of just under 22,000 euros. This has a 1.5 three-cylinder with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology. You then get 116 hp and a max. torque of 270 Nm. You can go from 0-100 km/h in 10.4 seconds and the top speed is 192 km/h. The Cooper D (25,790 euros) already has a four-cylinder with 150 hp and a maximum torque of 330 Nm. The top is 212 km/h and 0-100 km/h takes 8.6 seconds. If you want maximum sporty driving pleasure, there is the MINI Cooper SD Clubman. This sturdy Clubman also has a four-cylinder 2.0 with 190 hp and a generous max. torque of 400 Nm. This allows the MINI to sprint to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 225 km/h. For the latter you have to pay just under 30,000 euros.
Grand
The new Clubman has become bigger in every possible direction. This makes him the largest in the family. Even compared to, for example, the MINI 5-door, the Clubman is 27 cm longer and 9 cm wider. The trunk has a volume of 360 liters and this can even be expanded to 1250 liters if you fold down the rear seat.
Nice options
On the new Clubman you can also find a number of options that are now available for the first time on a MINI. You get an electronic handbrake and you can optionally opt for electric front seats, cool “ambient” backlighting in the interior and the projection of the MINI logo on the ground when you open the driver’s door.
There is also the option to choose, among other things, LED headlights or comfort access for the double tailgate. So you can also extensively personalize the Clubman. Personally, we would certainly opt for the optional MINI Driving Modes. Via a rotary knob at the base of the gear lever you can choose a standard setting (MID Mode), a sporty setting (SPORT MODE) or an economical setting (GREEN MODE). This then influences the setting of the response to the accelerator pedal, the steering and also the shift times of the optional steptronic transmission. This gives your MINI much more flexibility and certainly seems worth considering.
Conclusion
The latest generation of the MINI Clubman has become even more practical with, among other things, even more space for the occupants and practical usability in everyday life for both short and long journeys. We were also impressed by the beautiful interior with nice optional mood lighting and the sporty sound that the Cooper S makes is the ideal background music in our opinion.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
