Name: Mini Clubman (2015 - present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Mini Clubman
Rating: 59.0

Summary

The Mini Clubman was a small estate based on the Mini hatch. This model was the second (and possibly last) generation that was launched in early 2015. As of 2024, the Clubman has been removed from sales and essentially replaced by the brand’s newer Aceman crossover.

The second-generation Clubman was significantly larger and more practical than the original generation, and had conventional rear doors (instead of the original’s reverse-opening rear door but only on the driver’s side…) for easier access to the back seats. The model had unusual van-style doors at the back. They certainly look distinctive but were not as practical as a conventional tailgate.

Like the also now retired Mini hatch, the Clubman models were built here in the UK at Mini’s factory in Cowley, Oxfordshire. It was originally available with both petrol and diesel engines, but the diesel units were dropped across the whole Mini range during the Clubman’s lifespan.

As an estate version of the five-door Mini hatch, the Mini Clubman didn’t really have any direct competitors. Exterior size was comparable to a Volkswagen Golf but interior space falls somewhere between a Golf and the smaller Polo and similar cars. The Clubman was also available in a high-performance John Cooper Works (JCW) specification.

The Mini Clubman received generally positive scores from the UK motoring media, with fairly similar scoring for the top-spec JCW model. It received particular praise for its high level of personalisation and overall comfort. However, it was also criticised for numerous styling clichés that compromise its functionality, as well as being relatively expensive. The JCW version was also criticised for not being as good to drive as similarly-priced rivals.

In its 2021 owners’ survey, What Car? rated the Mini Clubman in a very creditable fifth place on its list of the most reliable family cars. No longer in production, the Mini Clubman currently holds a Used Car Expert Rating of D with a score of 59%.

More Mini Expert Ratings, reviews, news and features

The Car Expert Best of British horizontal banner

Key specifications

Body style: Small estate
Engines: petrol
Price when new: From £27,440 on-road

Launched: Autumn 2015
Last updated: Spring 2019
Discontinued: 2024

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert+

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
Score: 9 / 10
“The Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is a unique proposition — a small family car with estate-like looks, genuine character and hot hatch performance. However, if the driving experience is key you might be left wanting.”
Read review

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Mini Clubman is a fun, small estate that’s well-built and powered by a great range of engines – but it’s not that practical.” (Shane Wilkinson)
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol automatic Cooper
Score: 7 / 10
“While the Clubman has always tried to be slightly more comfortable than the Hatch, it still has a chassis that’s typically MINI.”
Read review

Model reviewed: JCW
Score: 8 / 10
“Fast, fun and full of character, the MINI Clubman John Cooper Works finally offers buyers a unique take on the fast estate car theme.”
Read review

Autocar+

Model reviewed: Cooper
Score: 7 / 10
“Of course, the ability to personalise your Clubman is seemingly endless, so it’s no surprise to find there are now a few more options.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 7 / 10
“As an extension of the Mini brand, the Clubman is a good car but not a great one.”
Read review

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
Score: 7 / 10
“More than your usual facelift, that’s for sure.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
Score: 6 / 10
“How to celebrate the innovative front-wheel-drive Mini’s 60th birthday? By giving the biggest all-wheel drive John Cooper Works derivatives a 74bhp power boost.”
Read review

Car Keys+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Next to a conventional family hatchback, the Mini Clubman offers a dash of spark that you just don’t get from rivals – with a fun driving experience accompanied by a stylish look inside and out.”
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“With its unconventional styling and twin boot doors, the Mini Clubman offers an appealingly left-field alternative to the traditional family hatchback.”
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Mini Clubman is the British brand’s take on the hum-drum estate car. It looks great and comes with plenty of kit, but more traditional alternatives are cheaper and more practical.”
Read review

Company Car Today+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“Very minor updates don’t make a massive difference to the Mini Clubman’s appeal. It’s still a neat and slightly compromised alternative that hasn’t quite yet gained the mass appeal of rivals.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual City
“A useful addition, and a fairly cost-efficient way into a fun little hatchback with all the essential equipment and a premium badge.”
Read review

Evo+

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
“Rarely has a small car of this power felt so toothless, whether it’s in the initial response to the throttle, hauling through the mid-range, or revving at the top end.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Cooper S
Score: 8 / 10
“In Cooper S spec the Mini Clubman is an interesting, enjoyable alternative to the hatchback and small-estate norm. Just make sure the first thing you do is switch the tyres.”
Read review

Green Car Guide+

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel Cooper D
Score: 10 / 10
“The Mini Clubman Cooper D, now with a decent amount of space for rear passengers and luggage, offers a good all-round package, with a major focus on character and driving fun.”
Read review

Heycar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“There are plenty of cars on the market that are dependable and capable but without much in the way of character, so the Mini Clubman is a welcome change.”
Read review

Honest John+

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’ve always wanted a Mini and found the rest of the range a little too tight for space, the Clubman is perfect. It competes well with the competition on price and standard equipment, plus it’s good to drive, comfortable and practical enough for a family.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic Cooper SD All4
“Do you need All4? The answer is probably not. The purer, lighter and more cost-effective setup in any Mini is front-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and a petrol engine. The All4 diesel combo is both inferior and pricier.”
Read review

Motors.co.uk+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Mini Clubman is a stylish and well-finished small estate car. Offering better levels of practicality than the hatch upon which it is based, the Clubman addresses many issues that people have with the standard car’s levels of space.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 9 / 10
“It might not be as sharp as the hatchback but the Clubman has inherited all of the smaller car’s character, offering agile handling and strong levels of grip.”
Read review

The Sun+

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic Cooper SD All4
“The Mini Cooper SD Clubman All4 is the longest, lardiest Mini ever. It’s longer than Kanye West’s list of things Kanye West likes about Kanye West.”
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic Cooper SD All4
Score: 8 / 10
“There are not many desirable, sporty family cars with four-wheel drive, in this price range, that live up to expectations by proving to be a jolly good romp on a nice stretch of road.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel manual Cooper D
Score: 8 / 10
“Yes, it’s put on weight and length, but it still runs tight through corners, sweeps bends aside and seems firm in the hands and under the feet. It’s still a Mini, in other words. But a practical and comfortable one.”
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
Score: 4 / 10
“Sounds like faint praise, but this is quite a likeable vehicle as long as you don’t drive it hard. At that point it gets untidy and the brakes are truly awful. Clubman JCW tests the limits of what Mini can be and ends up feeling outgunned and expensive.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“In most ways the Clubman does a successful job of expanding the Mini’s appeal into a bigger, more family-oriented car that’s still fun and frugal to drive. However, those unconventional boot doors are a gimmick, and it’s expensive compared with many rivals.”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Mini Clubman has charm but, although roomier, it’s not as fun to drive as it was.”
Read review

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
Score: 6 / 10
“Now very much on the same page as the Merc, Audi or VW. Just a pity it isn’t as playful or interactive to drive as you’d hope a JCW would be.”
Read review

What Car?+

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
The Mini Clubman’s an entertaining car for those looking for cutsie looks, lots of customisation, and a smart, funky interior. It’s also reasonably practical. If you value tidy handling then choose an Audi A3 instead, or if a smooth ride is your thing, a Volkswagen Golf or Mercedes A-Class.”
Read review

Model reviewed: John Cooper Works
“There’s a charm to the Mini Clubman JCW for something quick and quirky, but at more than £35,000, it’s playing with the big boys. Does it deliver? If interior quality and designer looks are your thing, yes, but not if you’re a keen driver looking for real thrills.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: December 2015
Date expired: January 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 90%
Child protection: 68%
Vulnerable road users: 68%
Safety assist: 67%

Note on safety rating

The Mini Clubman was originally crash tested by Euro NCAP back in 2015 and awarded a four-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2022 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.

However, if you are comparing a used Mini Clubman to vehicles of similar age, whose ratings will have probably also expired, its safety rating score is still useful.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Mini Clubman was not lab tested by Green NCAP during its production life.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 27
Average repair cost: £580.26
Last updated: March 2023

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The Mini Clubman has a reliability score that’s slightly higher average, according to extended warranty data provided to us by our commercial partner, MotorEasy. This applies to both the current-generation Clubman and the previous model, and is certainly worth bearing in mind if you are looking at buying a used Clubman.

Unfortunately, the most common problem area is also the most expensive – the engine, with an average repair bill of more than £1,000. If you’re buying (or have already bought) a Mini Clubman, you should probably consider an extended warranty to cover you once the factory new car warranty runs out.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	44 mpg	C	40 – 48 mpg	C – D

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	143 g/km	B	135 – 160 g/km	A – C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	25	B	20 – 50	A – F

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£158	A
Year 2	£446	A
Year 3	£711	A
Year 4	£961	A
Year 5	£1,273	A
Overall	£3,549	A

Running costs for the Mini Clubman are a bit of a mixed bag, according to data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our commercial partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Most importantly in terms of your monthly budget, fuel consumption is only average. That’s fairly unimpressive given that the Clubman is not a large car.

The good news is that your annual road tax and insurance bills should be good, while scheduled servicing costs over the first five years are excellent.