2016 Mini Clubman S

 

Who says a MINI has to be… well… mini?

Sure, purists moaned and groaned with each new, bigger iteration of the iconic people’s car. But in the age of the SUV, nobody can be expected to drive such a small car in most settings.

So MINIs continued to grow, and so did their sales numbers. Now, we’ve got the biggest MINI of all – so far, at least – and it’s still smaller than a Mazda3 hatchback. How’s that for small, purists?

The Clubman sits on an elongated version of the Cooper’s platform, though it's just 0.3-inches longer than the Volkswagen GTI.

 

 For the latest version of the Clubman wagon, MINI ditched the split doors on the side in favor of a traditional setup. While we’ll miss the unique character, it’s not exactly a detriment to have easier access to the rear seat.

Thankfully, the barn-style rear doors remain, and though I’m not sure they’re any more practical than a traditional hatch, opening them felt special every time… just make sure you close them in the right order, though!

The Clubman sits on an elongated version of the Cooper’s platform, and while it certainly looks a lot lengthier than the model it’s based on, looks can be deceiving. In fact, the Clubman is only 0.3-inches longer than a Volkswagen GTI, one of its chief competitors in the segment, and only 0.2-inches wider.

MINI ditched the split side doors for the new Clubman, but thankfully the barn-style rear doors remain intact.

  

That gives the Clubman a surprising amount of interior space, perfectly suitable for four adults (and one smaller adult, if need be) and in direct contrast with the synonym on which the brand’s name is based.

But you’re not buying a MINI for the cargo room, are you?

 If that was the case, a Kia Soul or Ford Focus hatchback would do the trick, but neither of those is quite as fun as the peppy British (by way of Germany) bulldog.

Bearing that in mind, MINI has rewarded Clubman buyers with a slew of unique styling cues, interior options, and fun quirks. A plane-like toggle switch behind the gearshift is used to turn the car on and off, and there are more toggles overhead for the cabin lights. The center-mounted speedometer of MINIs past has been ditched for an LED color ring around a wide (if not always highly visible) infotainment screen.

Cute animations and graphics pop up when you switch from “Mid” mode to either “Sport” or “Green,” with the former activating the famous “Go-Kart Handling.”

 

Speaking of handling, a go-kart, this is not. While the standard Cooper Hardtop is much closer to the descriptor, the Clubman loses some of its moves by gaining room. Don’t get me wrong, this little wagon still more fun and better-handling than most cars you can buy today, but it does feel a bit more cumbersome than its little sibling.
The powertrain leaves a bit to be desired as well, but I have a feeling all will be well if MINI opts to produce a hotter John Cooper Works model. The 189-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder never felt overtaxed unless I was really wringing it out, but it did feel a bit undeserving of the “S” badge on the grille. Coupled with an 8-speed automatic sourced from BMW, the Clubman returned an average fuel economy of over 30-mpg over many miles of mixed driving conditions, a relief when you add in the added cost of premium fuel. Hey, at least gas is cheap as I type this.
My tester for the week was armed to the teeth with all sorts of luxury and technology options. Eighteen-inch cone spoke wheels, a gorgeous burgundy paint job, and the achingly-cool blue leather seats helped push the price all the way up to $39,550.

Yes, I have to concede that $40-large is way too much to pay for a car the size of a Golf with less than 200-horsepower, but when you look closer at just why it costs that much, it starts to make a lot more sense.
A fully-loaded Clubman has material and build quality on par with any model from its parent company BMW, and all sorts of options that you normally can’t find this side of a luxury badge. Heck, the leather seats are even sourced from the same supplier that BMW uses for Rolls-Royce models.
And not only does the Clubman feel well built, I couldn’t help but think that I was driving a truly special car every time I got behind the wheel. So many people complain that all cars are starting to look the same, but here’s one that can’t really be mistaken for anything else on the road – except maybe another MINI.

 So if you live in a city and want BMW quality, but don’t want to be just another 3 Series driver, MINI has the car for you. Sure, the wannabe race car driver in me may opt for the Volkswagen Golf R or Ford Focus RS instead, except lap times aren’t paramount in every buyer’s eyes.

Have some fun. Buy a weird British wagon. Life is too short to worry about MSRPs.

  

Facebook Fan Page: All About Car's & Bike's 

Instagram: newcnb0010