New cars: What the critics say

AutoWeek

Why not just call it the, er, Mini Van? Almost 9.5 inches longer than the standard Mini, the Clubman offers plenty of headroom in the back seats. Access to the back seats is made easier by a unique rear-hinged Clubdoor on the passenger side, though “it ain’t like getting into a Buick.” The four-cylinder engine may be the greatest “ever put in a car.”

Car & Driver

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That passenger-side door is “quite

a marvel” and matched by the “equally signature” split doors at the rear. Braking and shifting are “respectably quick” and sports-car-like, though it takes 7.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. We didn’t like the dash’s toggle switches and enormous speedometer, nor “the flimsy sunroof shade.”

Road & Track

Yes, four adults can sit in reasonable comfort in the Clubman, though maybe not with luggage. The keen-eyed “will notice the absence of a roof rack.” What the Clubman lacks in performance when compared to the sportier Mini, it makes up for in practicality. A shift indicator even tells the driver “which manual-transmission gear would optimize fuel economy.”