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MINI Clubman - What the Auto Press Says

The 2009 MINI Clubman ranks 2 out of 5 Affordable Compact Wagons. This ranking is based on our analysis of 18 published reviews and test drives of the MINI Clubman, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2009 MINI Clubman takes the formula that the MINI Cooper used to achieve worldwide popularity and expands on it, literally and figuratively. The Clubman has all of the style of its cousin, but throws a dose of function into the mix with its added passenger and cargo room.

While the MINI Clubman is no doubt a quirky-looking piece of machinery, it delivers lively performance and excellent fuel economy. There's also the added satisfaction of driving a car with a deliberate sense of style. However, some feel the Clubman's backseat is best avoided by adults and that the interior layout could use some work.

While the Clubman falls into our Affordable Compact Wagon class, many will still cross-shop it with cars in other classes like the Honda Fit (more practical) and the Volkswagen GTI (more performance). In many ways, this difficulty in classifying the MINI Clubman is what makes it so appealing to its notoriously devout fans.

The Clubman is available in three trims: the base, the S, and the John Cooper Works.

• "The 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman keeps all the goodness of the original Cooper formula and throws in a liberal dash of practicality." -- Edmunds
• "I've never been all that much of Mini fanboy, but I think I've just become a card carrying member of the Clubman cult." -- Motor Trend
• "The addition of the Clubman to the Mini lineup will give more buyers the opportunity to experience a Mini. With more cargo and passenger room, and as much fun-to-drive factor as its little brother, the Mini Cooper Clubman is easier to live with and may actually be a better value." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Still, I wouldn't call the Clubman family-friendly -- not when there are so many small cars more deserving of that title, including the roomy Scion xB, the inexpensive Nissan Versa, and the super-frugal Honda Fit."  -- About.com
• "But if the urban hipsters who've adopted the Mini can afford $300 dinners and $3,000-a-month apartments, they can handle a $30,000 subcompact. Especially one that can swallow a designer stroller and its squirmy cargo, too." -- New York Times
• "There are few cars that you can hop into and find they match perfectly your wants and needs - even ones you didn't know you had. Despite the gripes, Clubman is one." -- USA Today
• "I really wanted to like the MINI Clubman S. It has enough room to tempt me away from my Euro cruiser, enough panache to satisfy my brand awareness and cute enough to make my mother happy. But at the end of the day, the Clubman is deeply conflicted and hugely expensive." -- The Truth About Cars
• "It's still a second or even third vehicle for most people. But if that's what you're looking for, and you've rejected the MINI so far for being just too small, put the Clubman on your list of test drives and go find some twisty roads. You won't regret it." -- BusinessWeek
• "The Clubman, says Mini, 'is the oddball member of an already slightly eccentric family.' Really? I think it's the most sane, makes-sense member yet." -- Orlando Sentinel

Clubman Performance - 8.2 (Very Good)

Edmunds puts it best, saying "the Clubman retains all the inherent goodness of the standard Mini, including quick steering, nimble handling, peppy performance and impressive fuel mileage." Read More

Clubman Exterior - 8.1 (Very Good)

Auto critics are split on the MINI Clubman's exterior styling. While some appreciate the British throwback design, others don't. About.com says, "Between the silly paint scheme and the cargo bay's double barn doors ... the Clubman has the ugliest rear end I've laid eyes on since the last time I caught sight of my own caboose in the bathroom mirror." Read More

Clubman Interior - 6.3 (Mediocre)

Critics admire the Clubman's style, but are bewildered by the impractical layout of the controls and wish there was a little more room for passengers in the backseat. USA Today says that it's "still a stretch to call Clubman a family car, or to say it's spacious. It remains a little car with all that implies." Read More

Clubman Safety - NA

The 2009 MINI Clubman comes standard with a wide array of passive and active safety features. Read More

Clubman Reliability - 5.0 (Mediocre)

The 2009 MINI Clubman reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The MINI Clubman is covered by a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty. Read More