MPG-o-Matic Mini Cooper Clubman Review Summary: It’s really not fair to compare Mini Coopers with other hatchbacks, as the Minis are in a class of their own, packing a fantastic level of performance in a small package that cannot be fully appreciated until driven.
Great things come in slightly larger packages, too. The Mini Cooper Clubman is the stretched version of the highly popular Mini Coupe. The Clubman model provides the same slot-car-like handling with an increased amount of interior space.
All Mini Coopers are fitted with a 1.6 liter inline four cylinder engine, with the state of tune dependent on the model. The engine in our pepper white base Clubman was rated at 118 horsepower and 114 foot pounds of torque.
The official gas mileage estimates for the 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman are 28 city / 37 highway miles per gallon (MPG) with the six-speed manual transmission.
We pulverized the official highway estimate, scoring a remarkable 44.7 MPG on the highway in well over four hundred miles of Interstate travel.
In combined testing, our Mini Clubman delivered 36.4 MPG. Dual on-board computer displays help you make the most out of every gallon with a simultaneous display of both real-time and average gas mileage.
The base 1.6 liter engine provides a highly adequate level of performance, given the superb gas mileage. 118 horsepower might not seem like much, but it’s quite enjoyable when stirred through the six-speed manual Getrag transmission.
Minis are notoriously wonderful through the twisty bits, no matter the level of tune. Off the line, they’ll all squeal the tires if you’re not careful.
Whether you’re out for a weekend jaunt in the countryside or headed out to the shops for the afternoon, a Mini turns your drive into something more.
No doubt about it, the Clubman is the Mini you’ll want to take shopping, with more room in the back seat and versatile storage space inside the rear barn doors. The third door on the passenger side allows ready access to the back seat, whether you’re hauling groceries or people.
The split fold flat rear seat provides a relatively cavernous storage space for a tiny car. (Okay, so the space might not compare with that of a mini van, but the Clubman is way cooler. Take two trips!)
The Clubman’s boot, as they call it across the pond, is quite flexible. The unique dual barn doors open with pneumatic struts and offer additional storage cubbies. Spiderweb netting and an underfloor storage compartment keep your goodies from flying about the cabin while you autocross in the parking lot.
With fantastic gas mileage, one-of-kind love-or-hate-it styling, and legendary handling, the Clubman’s extra storage space is the icing on the cake of this scrumptious little treat. MPGomatic gives the Mini Cooper Clubman not just one, but two thumbs up.
– by Daniel Gray
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