First Drive: Mini raises bar with four-door Clubman

Mini has been on a model assault of late. From Hatch to Countryman with a Coupé, Convertible and Paceman in between, there's a Mini variant available to suit most tastes and needs. Following on from the newly launched five-door hatch, Mini has just launched its new Clubman model across Europe.

The Clubman will have its official Irish launch on the October 31st coinciding with the car’s arrival in showrooms around the country. The original Mini Clubman first appeared in 1969, with a production run to 1982. There was a lengthy period until 2007 when Mini, under BMW’s stewardship, produced a modern Clubman. They have sold in excess of 200,000 units, with Mini’s worldwide sales increasing by 20 per cent this year.

It wasn’t without its flaws, however. For all its funky looks, it wasn’t particularly practical, and with just one rear door it was also a pain for family users, particularly as it opened on the driver’s side, thereby making passengers get out on the traffic side of the car when you pulled up.

This new Clubman is larger and more spacious than its predecessor. It is 270mm longer, with a 100mm longer wheelbase, and it is 90mm wider. It shares the same platform as the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer.

Thankfully, Mini’s design team has replaced the awkward rear-hinged single side rear door with a pair of conventional front-hinged doors. The new Clubman now has a symmetrical appearance with its full complement of four doors. The rear vertically- split doors remain and can now be opened automatically using the key fob or optional comfort access, whereby you simply place your foot under the rear bumper which opens the boot door. The boot floor can be raised or lowered to accommodate 360 litres of luggage, which expands to 1,250 litres when the rear seats are folded down.

Aesthetically pleasing

The exterior design is typical Mini, albeit slightly longer than you would envisage a typical Mini to be. The rear of the car has the best proportions with the vertically split boot doors and horizontal rear tail lights. It’s just a shame that these aesthetically pleasing doors hinder rear visibility when driving.

The traditional circular air vents have been replaced by square ones. There is a good sense of space in the cabin with generous headroom for all occupants. The driving position is low, close to the car’s centre of gravity.

The driving experience is typical Mini: fun and rewarding. Once off the motorway, the Clubman’s Mini genes kick in along twisty sections of rural roads. The steering is precise and accurately weighted when you select Sport mode, along with a more responsive throttle. We drove the Cooper S variant with a six-speed manual transmission and a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is our preferred option, especially for city driving. There’s sufficient power throughout the rev range in the Cooper S Clubman, with an abundance of roll-on power in top gear on the motorway.

Initially, there will be three Mini Clubman models on offer to Irish motorists – the Cooper Clubman, Cooper D Clubman and the Cooper S Clubman. With only the Cooper S variant available for test we didn’t have the opportunity to drive the Cooper D Clubman (priced from €32,570) which will no doubt account for the majority of Irish sales.

It is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, complete with Mini TwinPower turbo technology to deliver 150hp and 330Nm of torque.

With CO2 emissions of 109g/km, it is seated in tax band A3 with an annual road tax fee of €190. Official fuel consumption figures show a combined 4.1L/100km (68.9mpg). A Cooper SD variant will join the range in the coming months.

It’s arguably a superior purchase. With just two horsepower less yet boasting an impressive 400Nm of torque, it’s set to offer notable performance combined with decent fuel economy and low road tax. The only problem I can envisage with this much torque going through the front wheels is the inevitable torque steer. There was some torque steer felt under hard acceleration in first and second gear on our Cooper S test car.

In terms of competitors for this Mini Clubman, there is an abundance of opponents lined up, including the Audi A3, Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Pricing for the new Mini Clubman starts from €29,560 for the Cooper variant.

Satellite

The standard level of equipment has increased over its predecessor, with satellite navigation now incorporated along with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, 16-inch alloy wheels and a centre armrest.

Mini Ireland expects more than 50 per cent of Clubman customers to select the Chili pack, which adds cloth/leather upholstery with heated sports seats, comfort access, park distance control, automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and LED fog lights.

With five new models coming on stream by 2020, it seems Mini’s expansion is set to continue. This Mini Clubman is a practical means to begin your Mini ownership.

Lowdown: Mini Clubman Cooper S Engine size: 1998cc
Fuel type: Petrol
Power: 192hp
Torque: 280Nm
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 7.2 seconds
Top Speed: 142mph
Consumption (combined): 6.2L/100km (45.6mpg)
CO2 emissions: 144g/km
Road tax: Band C €390
Base price: €29,560
Price as tested: €35,760