2017 MINI Clubman Cooper S Test Drive Review

Performance – Offered in only variant, the MINI Clubman Cooper S is powered by a 2.0-litre, four cylinder, turbo petrol engine which produces a solid 192 BHP of power and 280 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 8-speed Steptronic gearbox which gives the car good cruising capability. 0-100 km/hr comes up in 7.2 seconds, just half a second slower than the 3-Door Cooper S. Even after the Clubman being almost 300 kgs heavier than the regular Cooper S, performance hasn’t been hampered by a lot. Globally, the car can be specced with AWD, but it only comes with a FWD for the Indian market to keep costs in check, funny considering the car isn’t particularly affordable as it is.

The engine is such a bomb that you will barely miss the smaller Cooper S

When I started driving the Clubman, it felt just like any other MINI when within the city traffic. On to some open roads, I didn’t expect it be too quick as it is a heavy car. But boy! I floored the throttle and it picked up pace real quick. It felt as quick as its smaller siblings which was a revelation. The added practicality hasn’t hampered the performance a MINI, especially one with a S badge is known for. When in the mood for cruising, the 8-speed transmission kept things calm with the engine spinning at very low RPMs. This helps the car return a respectable fuel efficiency of 9 km/l when driven sedately. Drive it hard and the number quickly drops to as low as 6 km/l.

Driving Dynamics – Dynamics are the biggest selling point for any MINI. But with length on the wrong side of 4-metres, it is expected that the Clubman Cooper S wouldn’t be as engaging to drive as its siblings. The additional length and weight has hampered the handling by a fair bit, which is still not bad for a hatchback this big. The long wheelbase has increased body roll but this can be felt only while pushing the car around corners. In normal driving conditions, one would be hard pressed to notice the increase in body roll over the smaller MINIs. Similarly, the additional length is felt only when pushing the car real hard or while parking it.

The stiffness can be felt but overall, the ride and handling balance is quite good

Ride quality of the MINI Clubman Cooper S is surprisingly good even on bad roads. But, the low-profile rubber mounted on 18-inch rims gets one worried. Bubbles on tyres would not be uncommon unless one is careful to go slow over speed bumps and potholes. Since the suspension is on the stiffer side, it does thud over bad roads. Moving on to the brakes, they work really well and help shed speed quickly without any drama. However, with under 6000 kms on the odometer of our test car, the brakes were producing a screeching sound. This may be due to a small pebble in between the brake pad and disc or due to brake pads being worn out.

Safety and After Sales Service – The MINI Clubman Cooper S comes with the usual safety features like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, etc. However, you also get advanced technology like Cornering Braking Control and Dynamic Traction Control. The build quality of the car is very good too and it scored 4 stars in the Euro NCAP test. With very few showrooms across India, the sales and after sales reach of MINI is limited which is worrisome for owners if something goes wrong.