All-new MINI Clubman S

228 KPH all day is no problem.

A few years ago, I was tasked to send off Mum to the airport. Like all moms, she wanted to be early so she could be on time, and relaxed as she passed through check-in, immigration and final security check.

I was on my way home as I had just picked up the then all-new MINi Clubman S. When she got down to the garage, she saw the cute MINI Clubman and started laughing. She asked me quite incredulously, “Will you bring me to the airport in that?”

Obviously, Mum hadn’t seen any other MINI variant in her life. She quickly dubbed it “The Hearse” because, well, honestly, the boxier old-new (or is it new-old?) MINI Clubman did resemble a small hearse for hobbits, midgets and the like.

Anyway, fast-forward a few years and I find myself in married bliss. This time, the missus sees the all-new second-generation Clubman S and utters the something similar: “If it were black, it would look like a mini (pardon the pun) hearse.”

Hearse jokes aside, the Clubman has grown quite generously. The added width (118 mm), height (7.6 mm) and length (305 mm) first and foremost, makes the Clubman a far more relaxing long-distance cruiser.

We took the Clubman S on a 600-kilometer drive up north to Pangasinan a few months back, and my colleagues all admired the surprising ease and comfort which the Clubman S provides, something quite missing in the previous model—and MINIs in general.

Unfortunately progress has made the MINI heavier: 1524 kg, which is 188 kg heavier than its predecessor.

I have been critical of how tiring a MINI can be as a daily driver, and as a long-distance tourer: The suspension is hard as nails, which leaves you very tired, or very energized and excited, depending on your mood.

The short wheelbase means the car bucks and buckles to-and-fro on uneven roads, and the small interior feels cramped.

On a spirited drive, the rear can get very lively as well, which is worrisome for the uninitiated.

THE multimedia control system has five easy-access buttons with a central multidirection knob.

Get in, and overcome the low roofline: The MINI’s lowness gives an exotic aura because well, it’s about as  low as a typical supercar.

Fix your bum on the firm sporty bucket seats, and the MINI’s various details enchant you. From the toggle switches, the round instrumentation and center display, and the mood lighting, the MINI is truly unique.

And yet, it doesn’t feel that it’s trying too hard by being too gimmicky. Look past the obvious design cues, and you find a truly functional, well-thought and well-laid out, and very ergonomic interior that has everything in easy reach.

The multimedia control system (dubbed MINI Connected, essentially a rebadged BMW iDrive system) features five easy-access buttons with a big central multidirection knob to allow you to operate the infotainment system, HVAC controls, navigation system (in markets where it is available), the vehicle trip computer, and the fuel efficiency monitor on the 6.5-inch LCD display on the center of the dashboard.

This takes some getting used to, but is decently intuitive and should you have you mastering it in a few hours of use.

There’s a very useful rear seat, thanks to the four regular-sized doors, which means you can carry three full-size adult passengers for a night out on town, and you get 360 liters of cargo space in the boot.

Drop the second-row seats, and that space expands to a voluminous 1,250 liters. Handily, the rear seats fold 40:20:40 so you can carry a combination of long/tall/bulky objects while still allowing a passenger or two at the rear seats.

The rear doors also open by swiping your feet underneath the rear bumper.

Power comes from a new family of 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines that deliver 192 horsepower and 280 Newton-meters of torque code-named the B48.

It’s an aluminum alloy engine which features direct fuel injection, dual VANOS (BMW’s variable valve timing and cam phasing technology) on both the intake and exhaust sides and equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger for greater top-end pull matched with impressive midrange grunt.

Peak torque is available for as low as 2000 revolutions per minute all the way to 5,000 rpm.

LOOK past the obvious design cues, and you will find a truly functional, well-thought and well-laid out, and very ergonomic interior that has everything in easy reach.

As with most turbocharged performance cars, an over-boost function is available, briefly raising torque output to 300 Nm for 20 seconds, perfect when you find that slingshot maneuver on the main straight or the corner exit prior.

The bigger engine gives the Clubman S a different demeanor: It’s easier, more refined and more relaxed when you want it to be, and the eight-speed automatic transmission on the Clubman S means you will always find the right efficient gear when you’re cruising, but quickly drops down a few cogs when you decide to hammer it and explore the MINI’s limits.

The MINI has a new full electric power steering assist system. It is very slightly down on feel compared to the older electro-hydraulic setup, but has a very quick 2.5 turns lock-to-lock.

The upside of the EPAS system is that it filters out more of the nuances and imperfections on the road, again making long drives a relaxing experience yet retaining that manic feeling in full-on sports mode.

On winding roads, the MINI Clubman S can still hang with the very best: The MacPherson front strut and multi-link rear suspension, though softer, has gained that all-important compliance.

It might be a tad less precise on surfaces as smooth as a baby’s bottom, but the added compliance means you can keep going flat-out fast and fun even when the road becomes less than perfect, particularly through the bends—less go-kart/cuircuit feel, more rally-car experience if you will.

This added compliance, along with the longer wheelbase has made the MINI easier on the highway, and if you have the courage (to evade speed cops), 228 kilometers per hour all day is no problem, plus a sprint to 100 kph at 6.6 seconds is seriously quick for this segment.

Handily, a launch control helps you achieve the perfect start each time.

The brakes remain as impressive as ever, hauling down the MINI to sane speeds repeatedly but seem to have become softer and slightly over-assisted versus previous generations. So again, some getting used to is required.

Whilst the MINI has grown and gotten portlier, driving experience remains very close to what MINI describes as “go-kart like.” It’s definitely still there, but offers a true dual-persona when you’re not in the mood.

It’s also as safe as ever: 5-Star NCAP crash safety rating, ABS-EBD brakes, traction and stability control, a plethora of airbags, LED daytime running lights, an optional reverse camera, park distance control, and an optional camera-based intelligent cruise control that keeps your distance at a safe and steady length away from the car ahead of you.

All this means one thing: You can enjoy your MINI Clubman S in more conditions, and with a far greater range of moods (your own, that is), and with more people in tow.

Great times ahead for MINI.