I occasionally buy large, bulky items on impulse, and the most common thing I hear once the seller sees what I’m driving is, “You sure that’ll fit?” So far, the Mini Clubman has been able to handle everything I’ve tossed in it. The cargo space has also proven useful to other staffers, who’ve been able to fit some things you wouldn’t expect.
The Clubman offers 17.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, which is fine for a trip to the grocery store. With the seats folded down, that space expands to 47.9 cubic feet. That’s still not much compared to the current crop of small crossovers, but anyone expecting the Mini’s cargo area to live up to the name on the badge should be pleasantly surprised. The seats fold relatively flat, which makes sliding in longer items easier. A rug about as tall as me (5’7”) had to be turned diagonally but fit between the front seat and the cargo threshold. A pair of vintage speakers and a waist-high tool chest also fit with no problem.
If you want to get something longer inside the Mini, you could always do as associate editor Scott Evans did and leave one of the barn doors open. “I had to move some 8-foot poles for an event this weekend and being able to leave a door open and hang them out the back was a lifesaver,” Evans said. “I especially appreciated that the car only dinged once and just left up a visual warning. More importantly, the struts on the doors themselves are very strong, so they don’t swing around or try to close while you’re driving.”
Stiff struts means those doors require some force to shut fully. Every so often I have to reopen and close the passenger-side door because I didn’t shut it hard enough the first time. The struts also make the doors spring out one at a time when you press the cargo door button on the key fob. They won’t knock you over if you’re standing behind then, but don’t try it if you’re backed in close to a wall. Having barn doors also impedes rear visibility slightly because there’s always a vertical bar down the middle of your back window. You get used to it, though, and soon enough you hardly notice it at all.
The Clubman also has a large storage area under the floor. Our tester came with the optional cargo cover, but for extra peace of mind I’ll hide valuables beneath the cargo floor for total concealment. Purses and thin backpacks can be hidden out of sight or just out of the way to make room for bulkier things up top.
The Clubman might not be the most utilitarian option out there, but it offers decent storage room as a bonus to being a fun-to-drive runabout.
More on the Mini Clubman Cooper S ALL4 here:
The post 2017 Mini Clubman Cooper S ALL4 Update 3: Yes, it’ll Fit appeared first on Motor Trend.
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