2022 MINI Clubman

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Review

The exact etymology of the MINI Clubman is a little convoluted, but those with a strong enough memory (who were around at the time) will remember that the original classic Mini did come in a form reminiscent to a wagon – known as a Traveller, Countryman, or Van variant at the time. The Clubman name itself refers to a facelifted or slightly different variant of the original Mini hatchback – and interestingly enough, they were actually made locally for a while which is the reason classic Mini Clubman models are relatively plentiful here.

That aside, the re-introduction of a wagon-esque MINI product wasn’t the smoothest of sailing. The first generation raised a few eyebrows – not merely with its cupboard style rear split hatch, but also the fact that it had an access door for the second row of seats only on the right hand side of the car – regardless of whether the market was right or left-hand drive. This naturally meant that passengers couldn’t really use this door in right hand drive markets as they would be getting out into the path of traffic.

Things settled down a little more for the second and current generation – the boot remained split opening (which is still a fairly nice feature to have), but MINI instead decided to provide four usable doors for entry and egress instead of trying to be Incredibly Different. The result is a compact wagon-eseque MINI that makes a little more sense than the five-door MINI hatch that was just stretched to accommodate more people comfortably without practical increases in storage space.

In local terms, this second generation MINI Clubman was launched back in 2016 with two variants on offer: the Cooper and the Cooper S. Pricing back then was in the RM 200,000 to RM 250,000 range, with an additional John Cooper Works variant coming a year later at RM 328,888. Since then, however, a facelift was introduced in 2019 and the Cooper variant was dropped – leaving just the Cooper S and John Cooper Works models.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Specifications

There are no surprises when it comes to modern MINI products. Being part of the BMW group means that MINI models share components with BMW products, and in the case of the 2021-2022 MINI Clubman variants this comes in the form of the UKL2 platform (underpinning most MINI models as well as the BMW 1 Series), and the powertrain and transmission package itself.

The engine in question is a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine for both variants of the MINI Clubman – essentially being variants of the BMW B48 that’s found in their 20i and 30i models. For the MINI Clubman Cooper S, the engine produces a healthy 192 PS and 280 Nm of torque, while the MINI Clubman John Cooper Works bumps this figure up to a healthy 306 PS and 450 Nm of torque.

For the MINI Clubman Cooper S, drive is delivered to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch type automatic transmission, whereas the MINI Clubman John Cooper Works splits the power delivery across the front and rear axles through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.

Dimensionally, all variants of the MINI Clubman are fairly similar with a wheelbase of 2,670 mm, a length of 4,275 mm, a width of 1,801 mm, and a height of 1,440 mm. The kerb weight varies between 1200 kg and 1450 kg – naturally the powertrain weight and all-wheel drive system plays a fairly large role in the kerb weight hikes for the John Cooper Works variant, despite it being the highest performance model.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Exterior

Externally, there are some pretty minor differences between the two variants of the MINI Clubman available in Malaysia – but both models feature the signature four doors plus cabinet rear hatch setup, as well as plenty of Union Jack motifs to emphasize that British heritage. The Cooper S model gets 18-inch wheels, while the John Cooper Works uprates these to 19-inch units. The front and rear bumpers are also different, with the John Cooper Works looking naturally more aggressive.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Interior

Just like the exterior, the interior of the MINI Clubman sports minor differences between the two variants but the broad strokes are the same. The head unit for the Cooper S variant is a 6.5-inch touch-screen unit, compared to the larger 8.8-inch unit in the John Cooper Works model. On the whole, the dashboard layout is an evolution of older MINI products as the central speedometer has progressed into a touch-screen binnacle, and of course there is an additional tachometer and speedometer sitting central on the steering column. The shifter has become a monostatic unit much like BMW’s products, though the toggle switches remain fashionably in place.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Safety Features

The most recent facelift of the MINI Clubman doesn’t have quite the most updated safety systems and functionality that other MINI models have started to include, although you could probably expect these changes with a minor update in the coming year. This means there are no autonomous emergency braking systems or lane keep assist systems, but the usual assortment of stability and traction control systems are provided as part of the purchase price.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

Like all MINI products, the 2021-2022 MINI Clubman is a quirky product from whichever angle you consider it from – but it is also arguably the most practical MINI product you can currently buy. It’s not necessarily as large as other cars on the market, both in terms of interior space and cargo carrying capacity, but it is more than adequate for the urban dweller with the occasional weekend trip.

But this is when you consider it as a purchase decision based purely on metrics and dimensions – which has never really been the point of the MINI model range. There is a premium that you pay for these products, and that premium shows itself in the form of that quirkiness and character – sharp, responsive steering, an agile chassis, and an interior that bucks the trend.

The strength of the MINI Clubman is that you aren’t just buying another car – you’re buying a MINI. You may not have the ultra-compact city car that is the classic Mini, but you have something that’s going to add joy into your life on every commute and road trip. There’s no real need to go for the full-fat John Cooper Works variant unless you really want that additional performance, but if you did you would have a hot hatchback that can also ferry the kids to school and back with ease.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Price

The years haven’t been great for MINI Clubman pricing, as both a slowing economy and a weakening exchange rate resulted in a rather significant price hike for the prices between the pre-facelift and facelift models. As mentioned earlier, pricing for the pre-facelift MINI Clubman Cooper S used to sit around RM 250,000, but with the facelift the price was raised to RM 298,888. Similarly, the MINI Clubman John Cooper Works saw a price bump from RM 328,888 to RM 358,888. All prices are inclusive of a four-year unlimited mileage warranty and scheduled servicing.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Features

Besides the aforementioned touch screen head units, the MINI Clubman also gets items like a Harmon Kardon sound system, as well as MINI Connected with concierge service, Apple CarPlay, and MINI Online in addition to MINI Navigation. Keyless entry and start are expected standard features.

MINI Clubman 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption figure for the MINI Clubman depends on the variant you choose, of course. While there are no local quoted figures, testing according to European regulations sees the MINI Cooper S Clubman returning 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres, or 19.2 kilometres per litre. The MINI John Cooper Works Clubman, on the other hand, returns 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres, or 14.3 kilometres per litre.