[Grenadiers]

Will the Clubman serve a small much better than a regular MINI?

We got our MINI Cooper just a couple of months ago, and now it turns out we will be parents by the end of the year!

Fantastic news, of course, but now I have to make some tough decisions. Will we keep the MINI, or will we move up?

From what others write, it looks like it is possible but not ideal having a baby and a pram in a Mini. I'm also a bit worried about the lack of deformation-zone in the back, due to the short length of the car.

We would like to continue driving a MINI, though, so now we're thinking about the Clubman. But will the longer car really mean that much difference? 260 ltrs. luggage space is of course bigger than the smaller MINI, but compared to a (boring) Golf or A3, it's still small...

So the question is: Is there any logic in moving up from a MINI to a MINI Clubman for familiy life? Or would the difference not be that great?

Thanks!

[dlpruk]

I think you'll find a Clubman is much better for family life. Why not try one for yourself?

Your dealer will be delighted to see you again so soon!

[Grenadiers]

Yes, I guess the dealer will clap his hands when we come back....

I understand a Clubman will be better than the MINI we have, but the question is really if the Clubman is a sensible choice as a small family-car?

Will the Clubman have space for a regular pram, for example, without putting down the rear seats?

[billy.batson]

I think you will be much better off with the Clubman. In fact, having owned one, I would never buy a hatchback. The Clubman is a full four seater with lots of space for all your baggage.

We have successfully carried our grandchild's pram (collapsed of course) plus all the other gear. And with the rear doors it is so easy to load and unload. Order the flat floor option though.

[minimummy]

Don't sell you Mini for a Audi etc. When I had my little girl we sold our mini and bought an Astra. We hated it and sold it six months later for another mini. We have a mini cooper and you just need to be careful how you pack , pushchair you buy etc. There are posts in this forum which give you ideas on pushchairs which fit.

[Paul]

We went from birth to four with the hatch, no problem at all, ever.

So a Clubman will make life even easier (if you're after a really easy life, get a Volvo estate or something! )

[RooniusMaximus]

I had the chance to poke around a Clubman at the weekend and while I'm sure it's a little more practical, I can't see that it would be SO much more practical than the hatch.

The only additional feature that I liked was the sucide door as I reckon it would make putting a baby (especially newborn) in a lot easier.

Aside from that, I guess it would be a much more comfortable place to travel with the extra room.

However, and I'm sorry to those with Clubmans, I really don't like the shape. Maybe they'll grow on me.