The MINI Clubman is the latest entrant to the Mini family in India. It is in its second generation and is available in the Cooper S variant. It is a large car for a Mini and is lot more practical and spacious. The Clubman being a niche product needed another niche product to compare with, so we brought it together with the Volvo V40 Cross Country. Here is how they compare:
Exterior:
Both the cars wears their family face and instantly stand out in the crowd with unconventional size and shape in our country. The Volvo is the bigger of the two and is curvier in its design than the square(ish) approach of the Mini. The Clubman comes with a unique rear barn doors that open up to reveal a boot capacity of 360 litres which increases considerably when the rear seats are folded flat. At 4370mm the Cross Country is longer than the Clubman which measures 4253mm. The Volvo stands 1458mm tall while the Mini measures 1441mm in height. The Mini, however, is wider at 1800mm as the Volvo’s width is 1783mm, and also has a longer wheelbase of 2670mm as compared to 2646mm of the Volvo.
Interior:
Both the cars are loaded in terms of features and comfort. They also have all the bells and whistle as far as infotainment and safety are concerned. In the Mini, the 8.8-inch infotainment screen, the dials, the switches, knobs and everything else is in the centre console. It gets automatic climate control, rear AC vents, cruise control, smartphone connectivity, steering mounted audio controls and other creature comforts befitting a premium car. Being a Volvo, the V40 scores very well on safety as it has seven airbags in the cabin, more than any of its rivals, pedestrian airbags and also a City Safe function for assisted braking in the city.
Both the car carry a different approach to the interiors. The Clubman’s interior looks fairly flamboyant, flashy and got a lot of flair. The V40, on the other hand, gets a sophisticated, subtle and secure interiors.
Engine:
The Mini Clubman is offered in a single variant in India. Powering the new Clubman is a 192bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine that churns out 280Nm of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Cross Country, on the other hand, comes with two engine options – a 1.5-litre petrol unit producing 180bhp and 240Nm of torque and a 2.0-litre diesel engine putting out 150bhp and a whopping 340Nm of max torque. Both the engine are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission in the Volvo.
Price:
This is the biggest difference that set both these vehicles apart. The Mini Clubman is launched in the Cooper S variant, which cost Rs 37.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Volvo V40 Cross Country costs Rs 27.80 lakh for the petrol variant and Rs 34 lakh for the diesel one.
