Auto Trader’s long-term loan Mini Cooper Clubman has hit the end of the road.

We’ve marvelled at its quirky design, argued about the controversial rear-door, frowned at the fuel consumption – and had a whole heap of fun driving it over the past nine months.

Read on for the team’s final thoughts on the Mini Cooper Clubman

Web Editor: Adrian Higgins
Miles behind the wheel: 3,200

I think the best gauge of a car’s impact is how you feel when its gone.

Like the end of any relationship there has to be a period of grieving, sometimes sprinkled with a helping of celebration.

And I was sad to give the Clubman a final wash and brush-up before sending it back to Mini to sell it on for a decent-sized chunk of the original asking price (the cars hold on to their value well).

Character

The one thing you are guaranteed with a Mini is bags of character. From the giant speedometer to the aircraft-style toggle switches to the different-coloured ambient light settings, its a car which has design running through it.

But that is true of any Mini.

What sets the Clubman apart is the attempt to deliver a more practical car without compromising the looks and driving experience which have made it an icon.

Practical

And on that basis it scored highly with me. People in the office and people we met blew hot and cold on that rear door and the barn-style boot doors – but you can make your own minds up on the looks.

I found both the side rear door and the barn doors practical for stowing luggage and, the other big bonus of the Clubman, it can seat adult passengers in the rear in comfort.

Plus if you like a little novelty value you’re going to turn more heads in the estate than in the regular car.

The fuel story

If the car’s got a weak spot it has to be fuel economy.

I never got close to the manufacturer's claimed 51.4mpg in my 1.6-litre petrol model. My usual driving style generated around 38mpg and a conscious effort to drive ‘green’ pushed this up to the mid-40s at best.

But estate or not it’s still a Mini and a lot of people, myself included, are looking for some fun out of driving it. The fuel return is definitely worth taking into account when you’re weighing up the cost of ownership, especially in these credit crunch times.

I will miss the Mini Cooper Clubman. It’s fun to drive, practical enough for most needs, comfortable on long drives and, to my mind, an even better looking car than the regular model.

Read on for my colleagues’ thoughts...

Deputy Web Editor: Stuart Milne
Miles behind the wheel: 1,200

Most of my time with the Clubman was spent driving on the other side of the road on our way to the Paris motor show. Despite its small dimensions, it proved a relaxing maching to hack through northern France, for both me and senior scribe, Adrian Hearn.

Less impressive was the car's boot. Although it’s never overtly been billed as the practical Mini, the fact it’s an estate will attract buyers.

We tried to squeeze in a pair of overnight bags and some baggage containing laptops and cameras, but that proved too much for the Clubman’s boot. We carried some of the less valuble gear on the back seat, but its a recipe for disaster in crime-ridden service stations.

I like the barn-style rear doors. As a piece of design, they're particularly eye-catching, but tricky to use in a tight carpark – you need a lot of space to swing the doors open sufficiently to get anything in the boot. The side door is great too; many moan that its on the wrong side for kids to climb out safely, but they're missing the point – the front door needs to be opened first, so its no less safe than a standard four-door.

While editor Higgins liked the centre-mounted speedo unit, I'm not a fan as it’s positioned too low to quickly glance at and looks contrived.

For all its faults, its a corking car to drive. In Cooper guise, it’s no rocketship, but its handling is first-rate. With its slightly longer wheelbase, it’s an even more exciting steer than the hatchback – and that's no mean feat.

Senior Web Journalist: Adrian Hearn
Miles behind the wheel: 500

I only spent about 500 miles behind the wheel of the Clubman but I was the passenger of Milne’s on our (not-so-romantic) road trip to Paris and I share his feelings regarding space – it’s simply not enough for the more practical model of an unpractical range.

I’m actually quite disapointed with the Mini Clubman overall. The rear visibilty is poor, it’s expensive and standard equipment levels are not great either. I didn’t particularly like the frameless windows as well which didn’t fill me with confidence when I shut the door.

Despite my quibbles, it’s a great thing to drive. The engine doesn’t offer that much but the gearbox is slick and it goes through corners like a genuine hot hatch.

But if I wanted a cool car which handled well and had a novelty value I’d save £2,500 and get the Suzuki Swift Sport I’ve got on long term at the moment.

Check out the video of of our Mini being built: