Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraxVS 2022 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Trax are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Trax LT’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Trax LT’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Trax and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Trax the rating of “Top Pick” for 2016, a rating granted to only 221 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper Clubman has not been tested, yet.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Trax 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Cooper Clubman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Cooper Clubman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 25 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trax’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Trax’s reliability 52 points higher than the Cooper Clubman.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trax third among small suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Cooper Clubman isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 6 places higher in reliability than MINI.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Trax higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Cooper Clubman (3 to 7). This means the Trax produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cooper Clubman every 15,000 miles.

The Trax stops much shorter than the Cooper Clubman:

For better maneuverability, the Trax LS’ turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Cooper Clubman’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Trax LT’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Cooper Clubman’s (36.7 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Trax has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Cooper Clubman (6.2 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the Trax to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Trax has .8 inches more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear legroom than the Cooper Clubman.

The Trax has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (18.7 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The Trax has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (48.4 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

The Trax’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Cooper Clubman’s two swing out doors impair rear visibility, need a lot of clearance, and can block loading in tight quarters.

The Trax offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Trax’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Clubman’s standard power windows.

The Trax’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Cooper Clubman’s available power window controls are down in the center of the dashboard, away from the windows and mixed with controls for unrelated features.

Keyless Access optional on the Trax LT allows you to unlock the doors, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The MINI Cooper Clubman’s Comfort Access doesn’t unlock the trunk.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Trax has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Cooper Clubman only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Trax LT has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Trax owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Trax will cost $1435 to $3240 less than the Cooper Clubman over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Trax is less expensive to operate than the Cooper Clubman because it costs $145 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Trax than the Cooper Clubman, including $29 less for front brake pads, $251 less for a starter, $99 less for fuel injection, $25 less for a fuel pump, $128 less for front struts and $352 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Trax will be $7793 to $14371 less than for the MINI Cooper Clubman.

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Chevrolet Trax, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.