2019-04-01 CAR UK (1)

APRIL 2019 | GET TWO YEARS OF CAR FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! WWW.GREATMAGAZINES.CO.UK 139

wheelbase and extra 185kg of heft
versus a three-door Mini, but it
feels pointy and poised and the
ride is good. While the 134bhp 1.5
is no powerhouse, it’s fairly light
on lag and torquey. A good thing,
as the gearchange is notchier
than Russell Brand’s bedpost.
Other gripes include numerous
buttons mounted too low on
the centre console, a stop-start
system that sends so much judder
through the car I always deac-
tivated it, and the woeful rear
visibility caused by those special
back doors. They just seemed like
a gimmick too far.
But the Clubman is no
gimmick. Underneath that Mini
mask is a proper family car that’s
great to drive and just about
sensible enough to work as family
wheels. Perfect for grown-ups
who don’t want to.
@chrischiltoncar

Cowley makes

200,00-plus cars a

year, 80 per cent of

them for export

Mini Clubman Cooper

Month 7

The story so far

Previous Clubbie was an

oddball. This one’s gone

straight to take on the Golf.

Can it cut it as family wheels?

+Mini character intact;

surprisingly practical; good

ride; quiet

• Rear visibility; jerky
  stop-start; ergonomics;
  gearchange

Price £21,085 (£29,805 as

tested) Performance 1499cc

turbo triple, 134bhp, 9.2sec

0-62mph, 127mph Efficiency

40.9mpg (official), 37.7mpg

(tested), 131g/km C02 Energy

cost 15p per mile Miles this

month 1556 Total miles 10,524

Logbook

Hatch, cabrio

and Clubman

are made in

the same plant;

Mini EV joins

them soon

Our cars

Count the cost

Cost new £29,085 Private sale
£16,586 Part-exchange £15,756
Cost per mile 15.3p Cost per mile
including depreciation £1.55

Hit the extras and

your Cooper will

cost more than a

Cooper S – by £5k

in our case

Simon Thompson