So how big is ‘big’ in the inimitable world of Mini, and how practical and usable does that make the Clubman?
Lower yourself into any of the five seats and, if you’re even remotely familiar with a normal family hatch’s interior, you’ll see the compromise here – and simultaneously, that the Clubman probably couldn’t at once be a true Mini and offer all the comfort, space and convenience of a Volkswagen Golf or Audi A3 Sportback.
Still, the car offers more than you expect it to. Long doors grant relatively easy access, and although you sit on slightly short, hard seat cushions and have to bend lower than usual to get to them, there’s good leg, knee and head room in both rows, with enough in the back even for two larger adults.
The driving position is low and straight-legged. The seat lacks the cushioning you’d want for prolonged daily driving, but it’s adjustable and comfy enough. The dashboard is more formal-looking than that of the Mini hatch, with neater and more understated air vents and more discreet and refined decorative elements.
But the main features are familiar, from the column-mounted dials to the circular pod crowning the centre stack and housing the large infotainment display.
There’s no shortage of charm – that could be depended upon – but there are more practical touches than you’ll find in smaller Minis. The Clubman has bigger door bins and better cupholders than its siblings and a proper armrest cubby.