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TheCarConnection.com's editors researched a wide range of road tests of the 2009 MINI Cooper to write this definitive review. TheCarConnection.com's resident experts also drove the MINI Cooper to help you decide which reviews to trust where opinions differ, to add more impressions and details, and to provide you with the best information.
Likes:
- Decent ride quality
- Maneuverability
- Sharp responses
- Turbo thrust (S)
Dislikes:
- Electric power steering
- Options add up quickly
The 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman made its debut for 2008 essentially as a new body style of the MINI Cooper, with dual swing-out rear doors, that coincided with a redesign of the MINI Cooper line. With the new design come new engines, a better ride, and a richer interior.
In the tradition of the MINI Traveller, the MINI Cooper Clubman is a roomier MINI that maintains the personality of the original, with more cargo space and easier access to the backseats. The added passenger-side mini-door (similar to those in the Mazda RX-8 and now discontinued Saturn Ion) is undoubtedly one of its most important features. So is expanded rear legroom; backseat passengers will enjoy vastly more space (an additional 3.2 inches), thanks to a wheelbase that picks up 9.5 inches. Twin cargo doors replace the hatch found in regular Coopers, and they open up to a larger cargo area: 32.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, 9.1 with them still up.
The Clubman is the choice for those who plan to have backseat passengers; adults can ride willingly in back, though all is not perfect inside. The instrument panel is just plain wacky, glare off the central speedometer is distracting, controls can’t be used with gloves on, and the switchgear feels flimsy. Also, the half back door on the driver’s side of the Clubman isn’t all that useful; getting in still requires some contortion for tall folks.
