MINI Clubman (2007 – 2014) Review

MINI Clubman (2007 – 2014) At A Glance

3/5

+More practical alternative to the standard MINI. Five useable seats and neat extra rear door to make getting into the back easier. Cooper D is the pick of the range.

-Extra side door wrong side for loading kids into the back but right side for the driver to load a briefcase or coat into the back.

Insurance Groups are between 13–34
On average it achieves 80% of the official MPG figure

If you're looking for the newer version, you need our MINI Clubman review

No doubt about it the MINI is the biggest motoring marketing success Britain has ever seen. The Oxford factory is turning them out in huge numbers and we still can't get enough of them.

But there was a limit to how many buyers there could be for a car that, however much fun it was to drive, could only take four at a pinch. Even totally besotted MINI lovers were having to look for something else once the Clear-Blue strip gave them the good news. What they really wanted was a stretched MINI, with a bit more room in the back seat, and a bit better access to it.

And that's exactly what BMW now gives them in a charmingly retro recreation of the original Mini Traveller. Except it can't be called a ‘Traveller', for copyright reasons. So it's actually named from another Mini ancestor, the ‘Clubman'.

Real MPG average for a MINI Clubman (2007 – 2014)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

80%

Real MPG

28–68 mpg

MPGs submitted

434

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

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Ask Honest John

What would have caused the fire in my MINI?

"I was driving recently when my 2007 MINI Clubman caught fire. It had had a new diesel engine fitted over the summer after the previous engine suffered a persistent oil leak. It had also had a recent service. Any idea what the cause of the fire may have been? The insurance company will not investigate as the damage is too severe."
Probably the oil feed pipe to the turbo bearing came off because the oil return pipe was blocked with carbon. Hot oil spraying onto a red hot turbo is the most likely reason for the fire.
Answered by Honest John

Buying used car with cracked tyres

"I'm in the process of buying a six year old MINI Cooper. The car has its original tyres, which are badly cracked on the sidewalls, although there is plenty of tread. The MINI dealer state this is normal. I think this is unacceptable and think they should replace before I accept delivery, what do you think?"
Three options here: 1: You refuse the car and demand your money back. 2: The dealer replaces all the tyres (but that means you have no choice of tyre). 3: Or they drop the price by £300 as a contribution to you to replace the tyres with tyres of your choice.
Answered by Honest John

Can you recommend a dog friendly hatchback?

"I need to replace my Mini One with a hatchback/small estate that Labradors can jump into comfortably. The car must also have space for them for long car journeys (three hours plus). Where can I locate information on ground to boot sill heights in a useable format please? "
Maybe a dog magazine has compiled this data. But surely a MINI Clubman would do the job?
Answered by Honest John

What can we replace our 1971 Morris Minor Traveller with?

"My wife owns a 1971 Morris Minor Traveller with just over 100,000 miles on the clock, which she has enjoyed over many years. However, with ageing bones (mine too), she feels she needs something slightly more up-to-date, now that both of us are well into our eighties, as well as owning an ageing Labrador. So far, we have only looked at a MINI Clubman, with which we were greatly impressed, but she was over-awed by what seemed like an overly complicated dashboard layout. Are all modern vehicles the same? Our needs are for an estate, with/or low level rear access for the dog and a simple dash, as well as good reliability. Most of the journeys are local, with around an annual mileage of 3000 miles. "
A basic MINI One 1.6 petrol Clubman will probably suit. The one you saw is likely to have been 'loaded' with extras because they usually are. I like Clubmans. Note that the rear hinged extra side door is on the driver's side. Not good for unloading children, but excellent for drivers who want to chuck a briefcase or a coat into the back. The perfect car for you: a 30,000 mile 2007/57 MINI Clubman automatic with leather seats sold at auction on 7 August for £5700, suggesting a retail price of £6500 - £7000. To dispose of the 1971 Morris Minor Traveller, try www.historics.co.uk. Classics buyers like a car like this that has the provenance of having been owned and driven regularly by the same person for a very long time.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a MINI Clubman (2007 – 2014) cost?