Test drive MINI Cooper Clubman: expect the unexpected

Test of a small station wagon with a three-cylinder gasoline engine

In fact, the current edition of the MINI Clubman is more of a car than you would expect from a brand like MINI. While previous editions of the small station wagon were a prime example of British eccentricity, distinct personality and, if you like, an English sense of humour, the new model has become almost serious. Which, objectively speaking, is good news for many, since there has never been a better van with the MINI brand. The Clubman has grown in both external size and internal volume, but mostly in character. The old model, with its unique design cues, incomparable charisma and kart-like feel behind the wheel, is already part of the story – now we have a relatively compact but fairly large car for MINI tradition that does the job equally well. nimble city car and comfortable family car. And because a MINI can't be a real MINI without at least a little bit of styling, design continues to be one of the model's hallmarks, and the double-leaf tailgate sets it apart from all its competitors.

Charming and spacious

At the first contact with the second row of seats and the trunk of the model, it turns out that if until now the Clubman was a station wagon by definition, and not a real vehicle, now the picture has changed radically. With this car, four adults can travel without worries, even over long distances. Using the Clubman for longer family vacations is no problem. There is enough space, comfort is at least at the level of an elite compact class model. The nice thing is that practicality isn't at the expense of the brand's typical hilarious moments – the styling inside the car has retained its unrivaled style, and the position behind the near-vertical windshield and distinctive A-pillars is still only found in MINI.

Comfortable and economical

It's true that the overactive handling of the previous generation has evolved into pleasant agility, but there's no shortage of driving pleasure - the MINI continues to be one of the most enjoyable cars in its segment. What's new, however, is the extremely balanced driving comfort - the Clubman negotiates potholes with typical upper-class sophistication. Noise reduction is also one of the model's major advantages, including when traveling long distances on the highway.

The Cooper version is powered by a 1,5-liter three-cylinder petrol turbo engine with 136 horsepower, which seems to be a surprisingly good choice for the power plant of this car. I use the word "unexpected" because, given the excellent performance of the Cooper S, my expectations were pretty low. True, you won’t get the acceleration reminiscent of a racing sports car here, typical of a two-liter four-cylinder unit, but the dynamics are enough - both for city driving and for country roads and highways. The small, gurgling engine revs up willingly, has enough low-end torque to run at optimum levels most of the time, and its mannerisms are more than satisfying. Depending on how much you drive on the highway and, of course, on your ability to control your right foot, the average fuel consumption is in the range of six to seven liters per hundred kilometers.

CONCLUSION

The Clubman combines the characteristic MINI charisma with the practicality of a compact estate and turns out to be an unexpectedly good family companion. As expected, the Cooper version does not have the hot temper of the Cooper S, but its dynamics and manners are more than good, and in terms of fuel consumption and price, this is a really reasonable proposition in the MINI Clubman range.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov

Photo: Melania Iosifova, MINI