By
LATEST ARTICLE
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars
For now, they're the only two mass-market electric vehicles on the road. So, which one should you... Read More
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars
For now, they're the only two mass-market electric vehicles on the road. So, which one should you... Read More
- #12LEADERBOARD RANK
- 4885ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 96COMMENTS POSTED
10,409 views
TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the MINI Cooper Clubman to bring you this hands-on road test. Editors also studied reviews from other respected Web sites and have compiled a companion full review that brings you the best observations from around the Web. TheCarConnection.com also compared the MINI Clubman to similar vehicles to help you make an informed car-buying decision.
Likes:
- Go-kart handling is preserved
- Clubman S' turbo power
- Good ride quality for its size
- Added cargo space
Dislikes:
- Electric power steering feels electric
- Easy to pump up the price tag
- Access to backseats still tricky
The 2010 MINI Cooper Clubman is pulled from the same taffy as the MINI Cooper hatchback and convertible, but it's stretched out and adds doors in an attempt to make the endearing MINI Cooper a little more practical. With a base price of $19,105 for the Clubman and $22,545 for the Clubman S, the prime competition for the MINI wagon includes the likes of the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, the 2010 Audi A3, and the 2010 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3.
All the styling hallmarks of the Cooper hatchback carry over on the 2010 MINI Cooper Clubman, with a few more cutlines and a more vertical rear end. The classic pop-eyed headlamps, the chromed grille's "smile," the vertical windshield, and low, flat roof of the vintage Mini Coopers are here. The Clubman's elongated body stays true to form even in back, where the doors and tail are modeled after 1960s wagons like the Mini Countryman and Traveller. A few cues separate the base Clubman from the S, most visibly the subtly domed hood over the S' turbocharger. The homage to the MINI's past is less accurate inside the Clubman, where a duplicate of the current Cooper's dash hangs. In some ways, it's just plain wacky. The big, optimistic 160-mph speedometer in the middle of the dash is lifted from old Minis, but it's just plain distracting there, with a sharp glare and lots of embedded displays out of the driver's sight lines. The dash also has lots of small toggle switches, buttons, and levers rendered in chrome, as well as some plasticky, flimsy-feeling switchgear. It's chaotic-but it's somehow unified around a circles-and-wings theme that charms away its major ergonomic and quality shortcomings.
