THOROUGHLY MODERN MINI
THE Clubman has always had a place in the hearts of old Mini lovers with its bat-wing rear doors. And BMW has done much to retain that styling with this latest MINI which now features a revised grille with hexagonal contours, familiar domed bonnet and the circular LED headlamps with chrome surrounds. The optional British Spoke two-tone 18-inch alloys on this model add that little bit of extra class.
It also has LED rear lights, with chrome surround integrated in the wings of the split door. There’s also the Union flag tail lights option, harking back to the days of Swinging Sixties Minis with the flag on the roof.
Like all BMW brands, it is not cheap and the base price can be considerably increased with added options, like in this case the upgraded navigation system and comfort pack. In fact the options on this model bumped the price up by around £8,000.
Featuring diesel and petrol engines, it is of course miles bigger than the original, a crossover almost, with estate-like capacity, high roofline and six doors.
Standard kit is still pretty good, but sometimes it’s the little things which attract you to a car. I loved the puddle lights displaying the MINI logo. Alright, it’s not new, but it adds a touch of class, and in practical terms light a path in the dark. The subtle ambient lighting is another neat touch.
Of course it’s practical, the boot holds 360 litres, which can be extended to 1,250 litres by folding the rear seats flat and for extra practicality the large glove box and door compartments can all hold one-litre drink bottles.
The two rear doors can be opened individually by the key fob, or by kicking a foot under the boot to activate a sensor for the same purpose. Novel, but the rear doors opening outwards does create a problem when parking too close to a wall or other objects.
A storage package is available, featuring a variable load compartment floor, additional storage, lashing eyes, attachment nets and a cargo positioning feature.
The interior is high quality with robust fixtures and the now-familiar rocker switches, including the red starter switch, while the leather sport seats are comfortable and supportive.
The dash is dominated by the dinner-plate-sized central dial with a full-colour 6.5inch, or 8.8-inch screen on the upgraded Navigation Plus Pack here, which displays infotainment, phone and navigation functions.
Standard kit includes rain sensors and automatic headlight activation, the interior lights package and the Excitement pack which includes that excellent logo projection, illuminated door handles and the mood lighting.
MINI Connected Services are also standard, as well as Intelligent Emergency Call (E-Call) and Bluetooth.
The MINI Connected App can send navigation destinations from smartphone to vehicle. Selection of all functions is via a controller in the centre console.
If you still have cash to spare the Harmon Kardon Hi-Fi System and a MINI Head-up Display are available as optional upgrades
The model here features a feisty 1.5 litre, 136bhp three-cylinder petrol engine that is both pacey and pretty frugal.
It is a sweet-sounding unit with the familiar three pot thrum and propels the car to 60mph in just over nine seconds, which is probably quick enough for most. Mated to an optional sevenspeed Steptronic dual clutch gearbox, gearshifts are slick and seamless. It is pleasant to drive, though not maybe as sharphandling as some of the more compact MINIs. It feels well planted on corners however, and the steering gives good feedback.
Otherwise, solid soundproofing keep wind and noise from the large tyres out. The ride is more comfortable than sporting, after all this is a family sized motor with only the roughest of roads unsettling the ride.
Retro in some respects it may be, but this hi-tech MINI is very much of the 21st century.