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The 2009 MINI Clubman has been ranked 2nd of 5 Affordable Compact Wagons and this ranking is basically done based on 18 published reviews by reviewers and car experts. The 2009 MINI Clubman takes the formula that the MINI Cooper used to achieve worldwide popularity and expands on it, literally and figuratively. The Clubman has all of the style of its cousin, but throws a dose of function into the mix with its added passenger and cargo room.
“I’ve never been all that much of Mini fanboy, but I think I’ve just become a card carrying member of the Clubman cult,” Motor Trend. While
While the MINI Clubman is no doubt a quirky-looking piece of machinery, it delivers lively performance and excellent fuel economy. There’s also the added satisfaction of driving a car with a deliberate sense of style. However, some feel the Clubman’s backseat is best avoided by adults and that the interior layout could use some work. “The 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman keeps all the goodness of the original Cooper formula and throws in a liberal dash of practicality.” — Edmunds
While the Clubman falls into our Affordable Compact Wagon class, many will still cross-shop it with cars in other classes like the Honda Fit (more practical) and the Volkswagen GTI (more performance). In many ways, this difficulty in classifying the MINI Clubman is what makes it so appealing to its notoriously devout fans. About.com writes, “Still, I wouldn’t call the Clubman family-friendly — not when there are so many small cars more deserving of that title, including the roomy Scion xB, the inexpensive Nissan Versa, and the super-frugal Honda Fit.”
The Clubman is available in three trims: the base, the S, and the John Cooper Works. “The addition of the Clubman to the Mini lineup will give more buyers the opportunity to experience a Mini. With more cargo and passenger room, and as much fun-to-drive factor as its little brother, the Mini Cooper Clubman is easier to live with and may actually be a better value.” — New Car Test Drive
There are few cars that you can hop into and find they match perfectly your wants and needs – even ones you didn’t know you had. Despite the gripes, Clubman is one. The consensus opinion is that the Clubman is a blast to drive. Between the zippy acceleration (especially on the more powerful S and John Cooper Works trims) and the sharp handling, critics feel the Clubman’s performance gives it an edge over most of its rivals.
“The 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman may be longer than the regular Mini but it retains the phenomenally fun driving experience associated with its smaller brethren. Responses to driver inputs are cat-quick, and the Cooper Clubman delivers lots of feedback through the steering wheel, driver seat and pedals,” Edmunds.
The base Clubman and the S produce 118 and 172 horsepower, respectively. The John Cooper Works variant steps it up even more, making 208 horsepower. The Environmental Protection Agency gives the base 2009 MINI Clubman with an automatic transmission an estimated 25 miles per gallon in the city and 34 miles per gallon on the highway. The manual transmission model gets an estimated 28 city / 37 highway. The S trim doesn’t fare as well, with the automatic getting an estimated 23 city / 32 highway and the manual getting an estimated 26 city /34 highway.
