Used Mini Clubman 2007- 2014 review

The problem with a used second-generation Mini hatchback is that it’s no good for those who need a car that can carry rear passengers and luggage at the same time.

This was a problem when it was new, too, since there wasn’t a more practical Mini at the time. Or there wasn’t until the Clubman name was dusted off and grafted onto an elongated Mini, creating an estate car. Question is, does this make the used Mini Clubman a better buy than the hatchback?

In terms of usability, the answer is yes, because it actually has a boot, rather than a tiny space behind the rear seats that struggles to beat a small overnight bag for volume.

You also get a couple of extra doors – but not in the places you were expecting. That’s because you get two van-style doors at the rear and one rear-hinged door behind the driver’s one. That’s right, one side has a single door while the other has two.

Is this a good thing? Well, it does allow the driver to more easily hang their jacket up in the back (if that’s still a thing) quite easily, but because it’s not on the kerb side, you can’t drop children off at school without getting out yourself first. The twin doors at the back will also flummox you if the car behind parks too close. Plus, you have to close them in a certain order or they won’t latch correctly.

However, there are still some good things about the Clubman. Firstly, it drives just as well as the Mini hatchback thanks to quick steering, lots of grip and tight body control. The chassis is immensely capable and so can cope with the power of even the most potent John Cooper Works (JCW) version.

The second good point is the engine range, because even the mid-range 1.6-litre diesel and petrol versions offer sprightly performance along with respectable fuel economy. If you fancy something faster, go for either the 173bhp (later upgraded to 184bhp) Cooper S or 208bhp JCW. Both use the same turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, but the JCW has a few performance upgrades.

Early models are really rather cheap these days; they go for as little as £2500. Trouble is, you’ll be getting a car that’s often covered over 100,000 miles and possibly has patchy service history, so instead spend upwards of £5000 to find a tidy One or Cooper model from 2009-2010 that will have covered about 75,000 miles.

Increasing your budget to £7500 will enable you to find a 2011 or 2012 car, while £9000 should get you into a mint 2012 or 2013 Clubman. Spend more than £10,000 for the very last vehicles of this generation from 2014 with below-average mileage.

Check the value of a used Mini Clubman with What Car? Valuations

The sole 1.6-litre petrol engine actually has slight variations depending upon which version you go for. In 98bhp One guise, it gets NEDC average fuel economy of 51.4mpg and costs £120 per year to tax. The more powerful 122bhp Cooper actually achieves an identical economy figure but costs slightly more to tax, at £140. The 184bhp Cooper S is a bit thirstier, at 44.8mpg, and costs £155 to tax, while the high-performance (208bhp) JCW gets 39.2mpg and cost £230 per year in tax.

Diesel models are much more frugal, as you’d expect. The 89bhp One achieves the highest economy number of 74.3mpg, while the 109bhp Cooper D is only slightly behind, on 68.9mpg. Both cost £20 per year to tax. Even the larger 2.0-litre Cooper SD model is pretty frugal, at 64.2mpg and £30 in road tax.

Mini main dealer servicing costs should be quite reasonable for the class with a simple oil change service starting from just £80, or £120 if you want the interior pollen filter (called Microfilter) changing at the same time.

Unless you need cheaper insurance, you’re better off going for the 122bhp 1.6-litre petrol Cooper over the 98bhp 1.6-litre One. It will give you similar fuel economy, will only cost slightly more for road tax and gives you much better performance. The 184bhp 1.6-litre Cooper S is fun but costs more to run, while the 208bhp JCW cars are very rare.

If you really need the economy of a diesel, look for a more powerful 109bhp 1.6-litre Cooper D from 2008 onwards, because modified parts prevent the turbo problems of earlier examples. The 2.0-litre is stronger still, but the added expense isn’t worth it unless you really want the most powerful version.

The One gets a CD player, electric windows and mirrors and remote central locking, while the Cooper gets alloy wheels and a sportier interior trim. Air conditioning wasn’t standard on early cars but was made standard from 2009.

Clubman buyers were encouraged to specify option packs when the car was new, so it's worth highlighting the content of the more popular choices. Salt is something to look for on the One because it adds front foglights, an onboard computer and extra storage compartments. Pepper is also desirable, because it includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated mirrors and windscreen washer jets (and Bluetooth on later models).

The Chili pack on Cooper models adds a three-spoke steering wheel. While some packs are quite useful, don't feel you need to pay over the odds for a Mini with lots of options, because most would have had a few fitted to them when new.

Our favourite Mini Clubman: 1.6 Cooper manual

If you’re a fan of weird door layouts, check out the Hyundai Veloster coupé. It too had one door on one side and two on the other, except Hyundai had the decency to arrange them so that two of them were on the kerb side. It’s not exciting to drive, though, even in Turbo form.

Perhaps those looking for a more practical Mini would be better suited going for the Countryman SUV. It still has all the styling motifs of a Mini, but it has five doors in the usual places and a big boot.

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