MINI Clubman Cooper S estate (2007 – ) expert review

From the front, the Clubman looks like any other MINI – curvy and cheeky, but on the driver’s side and rear, it’s all about those doors. The rear ‘barn-style’ doors are real headturners, while the Clubman’s other party piece – the rear opening ’suicide door’ gets overlooked – until it’s opened. The Clubman is evocative of the classic Mini Traveller, with its flat side window line, and boxy rear end and takes retro-cool to a new level.

The Clubman’s interior is largely the same as the hatchback MINI – with features inspired by the original Mini. The chrome toggle switches at the bottom of the centre console look fantastic, if awkward to use and the huge speedo in the centre of the dash become a talking point. Some love it, while others think it’s badly positioned and difficult to read. The radio is also fiddly to use, with controls positioned poorly. The MINI’s airvents are also inspired by the original Mini, so there’s a real sense the designers really understood what made this car’s predecessor so popular.

The Clubman isn’t a proper estate, so don’t expect a massive boot. The barn doors make loading objects very easy and there’s a large pocket in each to store loose items. The boot also has a false floor to hide rarely-used items and the seats both fold almost flat. Space varies between 260 and 930 litres, which is more than enough for most. In the back, there’s enough space for two adults and should prove sufficiently roomy for three kids. The biggest issues are the awkwardly positioned speedo and a huge rear view mirror which hampers forward visibility.

The MINI has plenty of admirers when it comes to handling, and if anything the Clubman is even better. It feels less prone to skipping across the road with its longer wheelbase and additional weight. The steering is sharp and responsive and is huge fun to drive. Our Cooper S test car also featured a ‘Sport Button’, which adds weight to the steering and sharpens up the throttle response and suspension for even better handling.

The Cooper S packs a revvy 175bhp, 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, which helps it go from 0-62mph in just 7.6 seconds, before heading to a top speed of 139mph. The 143bhp 2-litre Cooper SD diesel produces 225lb/ft of pulling power to provide a top speed of 134mph and a 0-62mph time of 8.6 seconds. There’s a pleasant thrum through the MINI’s twin tailpipe exhaust system which is fun, but never intrusive. Other models in the Clubman range include the 120bhp Cooper and frugal Cooper D.

The Cooper S model we drove sits in insurance group 15, which is average for this kind of car. It returns 47.9mpg fuel economy while emitting 137g/km of CO2. The diesel SD option is the most efficient, with average fuel economy of 64.2mpg and CO2 emissions of just 115g/km of CO2, thanks to standard stop and start, brake energy regeneration and a gear shift indicator. Also worth buying is MINI’s TLC package – the £150 policy pays for the MINI’s first two services up to 50,000 miles.

The MINI has been a reliable car since its 2001 launch, and the revisions in 2006 are unlikely to change this drastically. The car feels solid inside and out and up to BMW’s usual standards.

The Clubman’s safety kit is based on the hatchback version which scored a full five stars in the EuroNCAP crash test programme. Front and side airbags come as standard, as do curtain airbags which extend further back in the Clubman. In the event of a collision, the car’s central safety electronics deactivate the central locking, switch on the hazard warning lights and interior lighting, and deactivate the electric fuel pump. Anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, dynamic stability and traction control and cornering brake control are standard on all models.

Despite MINI’s emphasis on personalisation from the extensive options list, there’s a decent amount of standard kit, including remote central locking, alloys, electric windows and mirrors, a six-speed gearbox and MP3-compatible CD player. The Cooper S adds larger alloys and the sport button. There’s also a number of packs to choose from, all adding different bits.

It’s a MINI, but not as we know it. The Clubman takes all the standard MINI is loved for, but adds more practicality wrapped up in some truly head-turning looks. Go for the diesel and it’ll cover plenty of miles between fill-ups, while the Cooper S is a real fireball.