2023 Mini Clubman Overview

What’s New?

  • Updates at the middle of the year improve both regular and extra features.
  • A new set of Untold Edition books
  • A part of the second version of Clubmans, which came out in 2015.

The 2023 Mini Clubman is a small wagon with a lot of the fun of the old Mini roof cars. The Clubman differs from most of its rivals because it has no back hatch that opens from the top. Instead, it has barn-style doors that extend from the side. It has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 189 or 301 horsepower. All-wheel drive is a choice on the Cooper S trim and comes standard on the John Cooper Works trim, which is the most expensive.

If you research, you’ll find that the Clubman costs more than a Mazda 3 or another popular small hatchback. But in trade, it has a more elegant interior and powerful performance. If you want to preserve the Mini brand but require ideal space and power, the Mini Hardtop 2-Door type is another solid choice. The Clubman stands out because of its size, how it fits, and how well it works.

Pros

  • Even with the base model, the way it handles is excellent.
  • Lovely things for the cabin
  • There are many ways to change things.
  • From the John Cooper Works version, speed up quickly.

Cons

  • More expensive than small hatchbacks with the same features
  • A very bad-looking John Cooper Works bike

How do you get around in the Clubman? The Clubman JCW has a 301-horsepower four-cylinder engine that is 2.0 liters and is turbocharged. On our test track, it took our test car 4.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. With launch control, the Clubman JCW gets off to a fast start, changing quickly and making some tire noise on the upshift from 1 to 2. It has much low-end power and a responsive gas pedal, so it feels fast when you drive it often.

The Clubman JCW doesn’t feel like a go-kart-like other Minis and is more stable when spinning. Even though the steering is more complicated than expected, it works well and feels good. There is some torque steer even with all-wheel drive. Overall, the driving could be better and more fun than that of a Cooper Clubman S.

What about the Clubman’s comfort? Mini spent much time and effort getting the driving and suspension right. Unfortunately, the speed has been improved without considering the car’s comfort or elegance. The Clubman JCW needs to be more flexible. Not good at all. Potholes and bumps in the road will make your teeth rattle. The seat is also rough and padded oddly, which doesn’t help. Even though the bolsters are great for keeping you in place on roads with turns, they make the ride even worse.

Inside, only some things are terrible. When the Clubman JCW isn’t shaking your spine, it’s pretty polished and quiet. Even though much of the noise from the turbocharged engine is pre-recorded and played through the speakers, it still sounds great. Back passenger air vents help keep the temperature just right.

How does the inside look? Even though the Mini Clubman JCW is small, it has a lot of room inside. Because it has a straight, semi-boxy shape, there is much room for the head and shoulders. Even though the basic Hardtop has less width than competitors, it has enough space. Also, the high windows make it easier to see out. Every point of view is easy to see.

This is a great way to drive. Because it’s so tiny, the controls are easy to reach, and finding a comfy driving position is simple. It’s easy to get in and out through the square doors. Even though it doesn’t have as much space as a Honda Civic or VW Golf, the Clubman JCW is impressive for how small it looks.

How good is the tech? The most significant effect of the leading company, BMW, can be seen here. Most of the technology in the Clubman JCW comes straight from BMW. The infotainment system is a BMW but has a bright and lively user interface. It’s easy to use and looks more high-end than other tools that do the same thing. Our test car had an optional head-up display that showed good turn-by-turn directions. The mapping and voice commands also worked well. The Iconic level of our tester’s car had Apple CarPlay, but it did not have Android Auto.

BMW has also affected tools that help drivers. The adaptive cruise control works well. It keeps the car close to the vehicle in front of it and keeps the same speed whether you are going up or down a hill. Most of the Clubman’s driving assistance features are very advanced, but the lane-keeping system sometimes causes the car to go outside of its lane.

What about putting things away? The trunk of a Hyundai Veloster N, Honda Civic Type R, or VW Golf R is 17.5 cubic feet bigger than that of a Clubman JCW. But because the room is low and square, it can be used more than it looks. Storage space is plentiful, including under the floor. The back doors, which look like split barn doors, make getting things in and out accessible. When the seats are folded down, the space for goods grows to 47.9 cubic feet, much more than most cars have.

There are a few small bins and door pockets that are a good size up front for your things. A young child with you? When a child safety seat is put on, the back seat isn’t as big as in a different car in the same class.

How well does it use gasoline? The Clubman JCW is one of the cars in its class that gets the best gas mileage. The EPA says that in a mix of city and highway driving, it will get 26 mpg. That does better than the combined 25 mpg of the Civic Type R and Veloster N. On our 115-mile test route, we got 28.5 mpg, which shows that the EPA’s predictions are correct.

Is it a good idea to buy a Clubman? How much of a Mini fan you are can help you decide whether the Clubman JCW is a good buy. Even though adaptive cruise control, leather seating, and Apple CarPlay can be added to the more expensive models, the base Clubman JCW starts at more than $40,000. Our test car was fully loaded and cost $48,100, much more than any other hot hatch. Even so, it seems more luxurious than most competitors, and a big part of the budget goes toward making the JCW more sporty. Also, Mini has offered excellent roadside help and planned maintenance for three and four years.

Even though it has all-wheel drive, a powerful turbocharged engine, and quick handling, the Clubman JCW isn’t as fun to drive as other hot hatchbacks. Most roads are so bad that you spend more time dodging potholes than taking advantage of the engine’s wide range of torque.

It has the same attitude as the other Minis, which is good. It has a unique look inside and out, and the small details, like the two-tone paint, color-changing ambient lighting, and Union Jack shapes in the taillights, show that a lot of care was put into them.

Even though we like the John Cooper Works Clubman’s quick pace and ability to react at the moment, it gets boring on any trip that could be more exciting. Because of this, most people will go with the Clubman’s Cooper S trim.

MINI Clubman model

The 2023 Mini Clubman is a small hatchback/wagon with three primary trim levels: the Cooper S Clubman, the Cooper S Clubman All4 with all-wheel drive, and the John Cooper Works All4. Then, each is broken down into three sub-trims: Classic, Signature, and Iconic. The features that are offered depend on which sub-trim you choose. Read about the Clubman’s engines, essential elements, and extra choices.

2023 Mini Clubman Video Review

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