2023 MINI Clubman

Mini calls the Clubman “Six-Door Sophistication.” It’s true: There’s a sextet of handles on this little Mini that open six separate doors. In the past, automakers defined station wagons as “five doors,” although a top-hinged tailgate isn’t anyone’s traditional definition of a “door.” We call the Clubman an extended Cooper and the only new compact wagon in the U.S. It’s very much not a hatchback. Whatever the definition, the Clubman’s basic format and pair of side-hinged cargo doors make this Mini unlike any other car on sale.

The Clubman came out in 2008 as a stretched version of the two-door Mini. Technically that first generation was a four-door with rear-hinged side doors to access the back seat, but the brand expanded the car’s format (and appeal) with its second generation in 2016. This new design added two rear passenger doors which from the front three-quarters make the Clubman indistinguishable from the four-door Cooper Hardtop. Look closer, and you’ll notice the Clubman’s 10 extra inches of length and four-inch longer wheelbase. That extra length makes a world of difference inside, and the Clubman is considerably roomier than the four-door Hardtop.

While the Cooper models received a facelift and extra features for 2022, nothing changed for the Clubman then or now except a new special edition that adds Sage Green paint, Bronze accents and unique trim pieces. Two trims have starting prices of $35,495 for the Cooper S and $44,245 for the John Cooper Works. A new wave of fully-electric Minis is expected for 2025, but it’s not yet certain whether an electric Clubman will be among them.

Aside from other Minis, the Clubman has few direct competitors. The Mazda3, Honda Civic Hatchback and Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R are the closest in spirit (and all offer manual transmissions). When the Clubman flirts with a $40k or $50k sticker, sedan alternatives like the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe or Mercedes-Benz CLA look attractive. None offer the Clubman’s utility or colorful, oddball personality, which is what attracts Mini owners and keeps them coming back. 

Turbocharged engines and nimble handling are Mini hallmarks, as are the build and materials quality, which help justify its high price vis-à-vis other compact cars. Mini is a BMW brand, and sophistication indeed shows. It’s certainly more comfortable than a two- or four-door Cooper, neither of which have the Clubman’s optional all-wheel drive. But since the current Clubman (like the Hardtop) dates back to 2014 when it launched in Europe, many driver assists and tech features like Android Auto are unavailable. 

Next to the chunkier and taller Countryman, the Clubman strikes a balance between that wannabe SUV and the two-door Cooper. It’s the best compromise for Mini customers who want more space and a larger back seat but prefer to keep the driving experience intact. Ultimately, the Clubman is not a car that people cross-shop all that often. You’re either in the Mini camp or far, far away—and that’s part of this car’s charm.

Performance: 12/15

Minis are fun to drive. They’re zippy, light, stiff and narrow enough to slink through tight streets and feel at home on back roads. All of that applies to the Clubman—and most of its satisfying performance comes from BMW engineers. The chassis, shared with the 2 Series Gran Coupe and previous-gen X1 and X2, feels solid and delivers agile handling. Brake pedal feel on either Clubman is firm and secure. 

The turbocharged four-cylinder engines are perfection. These 2.0-liters are smooth, responsive, and punch above their weight class. The Cooper S has 189 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough yet doesn’t overwhelm the front tires with sudden onslaughts of boost. The John Cooper Works (JCW) is potent, with 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet sent to all four wheels. It’s quick, loud and raw. 

Mini is the only automaker truly committed to manual transmissions on nearly every model, but supply chain shortages have killed Mini’s manuals on all but the two-door Hardtop, so the six-speed Clubman Cooper S is unavailable for the time being. In its place is a quick-shifting seven-speed automatic that is similar to a manual, in that operates with a system of two automated clutches (hence the name “dual-clutch). 

Clubman models with ALL4 all-wheel drive (AWD) come with eight-speed conventional automatics (ALL4 is standard on the JCW and optional on the Cooper S). Luckily, Mini’s automatics are nearly as good as its engines, especially in the JCW when engaging Sport mode and the transmission’s “S” mode turn the car into a hooligan that makes it too easy to weave in and out of traffic. 

The tradeoff is a rough ride which, combined with run-flat tires, makes longer trips noisy and uncomfortable. Another letdown on all Clubman trims is the steering, which feels a little distant and slow to react. This is at odds with the Clubman’s chassis and powertrain.

Fuel Economy: 9/15 

Fuel economy for the Clubman Cooper S with front-wheel drive and the automatic is EPA-rated at 25 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined. The manual is unavailable to buy, but loses 2 to 3 mpg in most measures. The Cooper S All4 is rated at 23 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined. 

The high-strung JCW hardly fares worse on the EPA cycle at just 1 mpg less on the highway and combined. In real-world driving, where the JCW’s 301 horsepower will tempt many a driver to floor it, expect much worse.

The Mazda3 is slightly better at a combined 29 mpg across all hatchback models, while the Golf GTI and Golf R together average 26 mpg. The real gains are in the lighter Cooper 4 Door, which averages 32 mpg combined since it comes only in front-wheel drive and has a smaller three-cylinder engine for the base model. 

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 7/15

The 2023 Mini Clubman hasn’t been evaluated by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which holds back its safety score. The car also earned only four stars (back in 2015) from the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP), an EU agency similar to IIHS and NHTSA. 

The Clubman shares some structural elements with the regular Mini Hardtops, which earn good but not great evaluations from both agencies. Like the other Minis, the aging Clubman loses a bunch of points for its lack of active-safety technology. 

Lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings and automatic emergency braking are standard but not much more. Features like adaptive cruise control and parking assist require adding a driver assist package and blind spot monitoring isn’t available at all. Most competitors offer more standard or available active-safety gear.

Comfort & Room: 12/15

Mini’s premium pricing shows up in the interior, where materials and assembly are of high quality. Money is well-spent on the seats, which are supportive in front and cushy enough in the back. There are 34.3 inches of rear legroom, which is a two-inch gain over the Hardtop 4 Door. It’s considerably roomier than the GTI or Mazda3, especially in headroom. That’s the real benefit of Mini’s charming box-top style. 

The larger rear doors also make fitting a child seat much easier in the Clubman than in the four-door Mini Hardtop or Mazda3. The rear seat is also roomier than the Toyota Corolla Hatchback and small crossovers like the Lexus UX. The Golf GTI and R have slightly more legroom and shoulder room in back, but none of the cars in this group are limousines.

Infotainment: 9/15

An 8.8-inch touchscreen comes standard in the grandfather clock tower that acts as the Clubman’s center stack. It’s surrounded by an LED ring that changes color and mimics your inputs. If you raise the volume or the temperature, the ring will indicate the relative amount across half of its band, just like a manual dial would. It can flash the entire ring yellow when the parking sensors detect an obstacle or act like a secondary tachometer. It sounds cheesy, but it works as a complimentary visual aid.

The actual infotainment software, derived from BMW’s iDrive, is many beats behind the latest BMW version. It’s simple to use and change settings, though using the rotary dial and shortcut buttons on the lower console is tough since they’re too close to the armrest. The half-digital instrument panel tries to cram too much information into a little square, and it has a matte-finish cover that blurs the text underneath. 

Navigation is standard, plus a six-speaker no-name stereo with SiriusXM. Apple CarPlay is wired, while Android Auto is unsupported. Power front seats, wireless phone charging, a Harman/Kardon stereo, head-up display, and a parking assistant are available on the Iconic Trim 2.0 which commands more than $5,000. Heated seats, heated steering wheel, proximity key, and dual-zone climate are standard.

Cargo Space & Storage: 15/15

Cargo space is the Clubman’s calling card. Behind the rear seats are 17 cubic feet, which is a few cubes behind the GTI and Mazda3 (20 each) but well above the Hardtop 4 Door (13). When folded, the Clubman’s 48 cubic feet (47.9) eclipse all of those cars. And let’s not forget what makes the Clubman special: Two side-hinged doors that open on either side. 

Side-hinged doors may get in the way when unloading curbside, but you also won’t bang a tailgate on a garage door. These rear doors make the Clubman like a delivery van. And, if you have a long piece of wood or furniture that doesn’t take up the entire cargo space, you can crack one door open instead of having the entire tailgate ajar. Interior storage is otherwise at a premium: the door pockets are small and shallow and the center console bin is very tight.

Style & Design: 10/10

No other car looks like the Clubman unless it’s another Mini. That in itself is a testament to Mini’s classic and distinctive design. The flat roof, very short overhangs, bug-eyed headlights and squat stance look great now as they did decades ago. By stretching the Hardtop’s length while keeping it low to the ground, the Clubman looks sportier and altogether more pleasing than the taller Countryman or the shorter Hardtop 4 Door. 

The Ultimate Edition’s colors are a matter of subjective taste, but the automaker offers lots of different combinations. When combined with contrasting roof colors, mirrors, decals and stripes, the Clubman stays cute without overdoing it. Order the saddle-colored Chesterfield leather for a classy English look. 

It’s refreshing to see toggle switches, half-circle door pulls, and a circular dash inside the Clubman, even if they look kind of crazy next to competitors’ very conventional fittings. But unique style is the reason Mini exists. It’s the type of car that puts a smile on your face even if it’s compromised in practicality, price, and reliability.

Is the 2023 Mini Clubman Worth it? Which Mini Clubman is the Best Value? 

The 2023 Clubman starts at $35,495* for the Cooper S, including a $995 destination fee. Adding all-wheel drive costs $2,100 on the regular models but is standard on the $44,245 John Cooper Works. Mini prices become maxi in a few clicks, so we can’t recommend a JCW when other faster, high-performance cars like the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N, or even a BMW M240i cost roughly the same with options. Of course, tight inventories and dealer markups might make a JCW the most attractive option among those in-demand models. 

We recommend a Cooper S All4 in the base Signature package. Our ideal spec: British Racing Green IV over Chesterfield leather, black wheels, black (or white or gray) roof and mirror caps. Only the leather is $1000 extra. Total outlay: $38,595. That’s right in line with a loaded Mazda3 Turbo (which is quicker) and a loaded Volkswagen GTI. Both those cars offer more convenience features and tech. With the Clubman, the utility and style may be a reason to justify the sparser content inside.

*Editors Note: Mini has raised prices several times since the 2023 models were announced, so this price reflects the cost at the time of this writing in January, 2023.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Mini Clubman?

The Mini Clubman is generally less expensive to insure than its competitors. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,116 though this averages all 50 states. JCW buyers can expect an annual premium of around $250 more. That compares to $2,650 for the Mercedes-Benz CLA, $2,560 for BMW’s 228i Gran Coupe and $2,217 for the Golf GTI and $2,170 for the Mazda3 Turbo. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.