ROB’S VERDICT

 Since all of the major jobs have been fixed on the Clubman Cooper S, I’ve spent several weeks driving the

MINI to ensure there’s nothing else wrong with it. My initial impressions were disappointing. The front tyres occasionally tramline with the undulations in the road and more so under braking, which is sometimes disturbing. I double-checked the tyre pressures and found no issues, and also inspected the treads of the tyres, but couldn’t find any problems. Mad4mini did warn me that this is a problem on such cars. In my opinion, the choice of tyres and suspension don’t help the car’s handling. It feels skittish on rough surfaces, especially under cornering, and the suspension crashes into potholes and sunken manhole covers.

Hard acceleration initially didn’t inspire much confidence in me, with a feeling of torque steer and a vagueness of the steering, especially on country lanes that aren’t as smooth as a dual carriageway or major A-road. When the turbo kicks in, the power delivery is addictive, but

I wanted to be certain I wasn’t going to drive into a ditch. I eventually became more familiar with this Clubman and my confidence grew, so I could push it harder under acceleration and cornering. On smooth surfaces, it performs impeccably, but on rougher roads, the harshness of the suspension and the low-profile tyres lets it down.

I really like the look of the Clubman, but I can’t think of a use for it as either a family car or a sports car – two categories of a car I look for. It’s by no means a family car due to the boot space, although it’s bigger than a hatchback model and the rear seats offer more legroom, but it’s still limited. As for a sports car, it’s more fitting here, but my MX-5 for instance, is much more

fun to drive, despite being slower.

You may think I’ve hated every minute of having this Clubman Cooper S in my possession, but that’s not the case. I’ve owned and driven classic Minis and BMW MINIS for 30 years, so I feel qualified to be critical. This Clubman has more good points than bad points, and for a 12-year-old car, it’s in good shape for its age.