2018 (18) MINI Cooper 2.0 John Cooper Works ALL4 6dr Auto

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Back in 2015, MINI suggested that family hatchback buyers wanting something a little different at the upper end of the Focus and Golf segment should 'go with their gut' and choose this second generation F54-era Clubman model. Drawing inspiration from the MINI estates of the 1960s, it was the most accessible car the brand had ever produced and also the largest. Unique twin rear doors added a dash of uniqueness too. How does it rate as a used car?

History

This second generation F54-era MINI Clubman model, launched late in 2015, was the company's first serious attempt at a volume market segment, in this case that for Focus-class family hatchbacks. It was a very significant car. If you happen to be familiar with the previous modern-era Clubman, the R55 design which sold for seven years from 2007, you'll see immediately that this is a much more serious and credible piece of design. Where that original model was effectively a stretched supermini estate with a silly single side door that forced you to stand in the middle of the road to get your kids out, this car grew up and stopped messing around. In terms of size, price, performance and practicality, it seems directly comparable to that Golf or Focus you might have been thinking about, yet claims to deliver sense and sensibility with more than a dash of MINI joie de vivre. If at this point, you're thinking that you've heard this kind of claim before from this brand, then you're right, you have. In 2010, the company launched its very first slightly larger model, the five-door Countryman, a car that MINI eventually ended up targeting at the growing Crossover segment as the original version wasn't quite big enough to compete head-on with conventional family hatchbacks. A slightly more compact stab at the five-door body style was provided by the MINI 5 Door Hatch that was first launched here in the Autumn of 2014 and has since proved to be a credible car - provided your point of comparison is with similarly configured superminis. You've got the idea then: the concept of a slightly more spacious MINI is nothing new. But back in 2015, the delivery of one with the practicality and sophistication to directly take on the Focus fraternity very definitely was. This Clubman model could offer this because by 2015, BMW itself had also entered this market with its 2 Series Active Tourer, which was the company's first front-driven design. The two cars share the same engines and underpinnings - which means that Clubman buyers got more sophisticated mechanicals than they might have expected from a MINI: an engine as large as 2.0-litres in size, for example, in the volume Cooper D diesel variant (which lasted only until 2019). And the option of an automatic gearbox with as many as eight speeds. Of course, this Clubman tried to retain its own individual appeal, most notably through a unique twin-door tailgate that rather irrelevantly positioned it as the market's very first six-door car. Overall, it's a model that aimed to open up the MINI Adventure to more people than ever before. It sold until mid-2024 - but wasn't replaced. Does it make sense as a used buy? Time to find out.

What You Get

There's no disputing that from the outside, this F54-era Clubman still looks like a MINI, even though it's quite a substantial thing, almost identical in height and width to a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus. If you're comparing against MINI's 5 Door Hatch from this period, this car is 270mm longer and 73mm wider, which makes the difference in size between the two models as great as it is between a Focus and a Fiesta. As for the styling, well most seem to think that, if anything, this Clubman's stretched dimensions actually improve the slightly awkward aesthetics that you get on smaller MINI Hatch models. See if you agree. Inevitably, it's impossible with this car to discuss that subject without mentioning doors - specifically the twin-door arrangement at the rear that's supposed to hark back to the Austin Seven Countryman. The distinctive side-hinged split rear so-called 'Club doors' mark this model out from any other on the road. They open via a dual-section chrome handle or, with the optional 'Comfort Access' feature fitted, by waving your foot beneath the bumper if, key in pocket, you approach the car, laden down with bags. Inside, you'll find 360-litres of luggage space. If that's not enough, then flattening the rear bench frees up more space than any MINI model prior to 2015 had ever provided - 1,250-litres. Behind the wheel, there'll be a conflicting mix of impressions for those familiar with modern MINIs thanks to design that's different, yet somehow still the same. Features like decent door armrests and a centre console that extends up to the instrument panel make it feel more grown-up. In fact, you might even talk of a BMW-style feel were it not for familiar MINI touches like the column-mounted dials, the row of toggle switches below the ventilation controls, the personalisable interior light colours and, most familiar of all, the huge circular display that crowns the centre stack. The rear is an area of the car you can access from either side of the car (unlike with the previous generation model). You have to watch your head getting in as the angle of the door aperture intrudes a little, but once inside, it's very un-MINI like and a big improvement on the rather cramped conditions offered by both the previous generation version and the brand's 5 Door Hatch. The fact that a six-footer can easily sit behind a front seat passenger of the same height seems revolutionary in a MINI.

What to Look For

Generally, the MINI Clubman R54 owners we came across in our buyers' survey were pretty satisfied but inevitably, we did come across a few issues. Look out for sticking rear doors: make sure they can pop open freely using the key fob. Sometimes the right hand door won't latch either without many attempts. It was easy for original owners to forget how far back the rear doors extended when opening, so inspect the inner door edges to make sure they haven't been scuffed. Apparently, the upper engine mount is a common issue. It can crack as it's rubber and suffers from the relatively high torque of the engines. What else? Obviously go through the infotainment system to make sure everything is working as it should - including the Bluetooth linking and the navigation. Check the big wheels for kerbing damage. Inspect the interior for signs of child and loading damage. And obviously insist on a fully stamped up service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2019 MINI Clubman Cooper excl. VAT - autopartspro.co.uk ) Front brake pads start at around £30 and run up to around £41 if you want an expensive make. Rear pads are in the £16-£39 bracket. Front brake discs are in the £37 to £48 bracket. Rear discs sell at around £25-£48. An alternator is in the £200-£400 bracket. Air filters sit in the £12-£18 bracket. Oil filters cost between £3 and £14 depending on brand. A fuel filter starts from around £3.

On the Road

So what's it like on the road? A little different from the MINI norm is the answer - but thankfully, not too different. No, it doesn't feel quite as sharp and frisky as the 5 Door Hatch model to drive, but then this is a larger, heavier car. Anyway, compensation comes with better refinement and far superior ride quality thanks to a purpose-designed multi-link rear suspension system. If you want to tweak the damping, then hope that the original owner specified the optional 'Variable Damper Control' control system that allows you to do it, working through the 'Green', 'MID' and 'Sport' settings of the 'MINI Driving Modes' system, which was another extra-cost feature. Engine-wise, the range starts with a three cylinder 1.5-litre 136bhp petrol unit that can return over 55mpg on the combined cycle and 118g/km of CO2, even if you get your car with 6-speed Steptronic auto transmission. The bulk of the range though, is based around 2.0-litre power that gives buyers the option of an 8-speed auto 'box as an alternative to the standard 6-speed manual. There's a 192bhp Cooper S petrol model, but most buyers will want the 150bhp Cooper D diesel that makes 62mph from rest in around 8.5s but can still approach 70mpg in regular use. A pokier 190bhp Cooper SD variant was also offered. An ALL4 4WD system was available with the 2.0-litre models; including the top John Cooper Works fast variant.

Overall

In summary, if you need a practical car from this brand and find the Hatch 5 Door model too small and the Countryman Crossover too quirky, then Clubman ownership could be tempting, particularly with this F54-era model. Forget the compromised and poorly executed first generation version of this car: this MK2 design was a very different proposition. Some other family hatches from the 2015-2024 period still offer a little more practicality, but there's no doubt that the prospect of going Club-class and enjoying this car's eager uniqueness will seem very appealing to many of the new buyers MINI is seeking to target. Of course, Clubman customers must still be people unafraid to fly in the face of convention. If that's you though, then a bigger MINI adventure beckons.