Compare the2023 Mazda 3VS 2022 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The MINI Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 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 Mazda 3 has standard Whiplash Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360-Degree Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper Clubman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s 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 Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s standard 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 Mazda 3 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 wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Mazda 3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 93 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper Clubman has not been tested, yet.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the 3 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 5 times as many Mazda dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 3’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 Mazda 3’s reliability 16 points higher than the Cooper Clubman.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in overall reliability. MINI is ranked 23rd.

The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 61 more horsepower (250 vs. 189) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 206) than the Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mazda 3 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Cooper Clubman S (automatics tested):

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

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

The Mazda 3 stops shorter than the Cooper Clubman:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mazda 3’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Cooper Clubman (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Cooper Clubman pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Mazda 3’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Cooper Clubman’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

The Mazda 3 Hatchback’s standard 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.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

The Mazda 3 Auto 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 Mazda 3’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Clubman’s standard power windows.

The Mazda 3’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Cooper Clubman’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The Mazda 3’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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Mazda 3 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 Cooper Clubman’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Mazda 3 Premium/Turbo’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Mazda 3 has standard extendable sun visors. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

When the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Cooper Clubman’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

On extremely cold winter days, the Mazda 3 Turbo’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the MINI Cooper Clubman isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Insurance will cost less for the Mazda 3 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Mazda 3 will cost $1025 to $6585 less than the Cooper Clubman over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Mazda 3 is less expensive to operate than the Cooper Clubman because it costs $127 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Mazda 3 than the Cooper Clubman, including $184 less for a water pump, $77 less for a muffler, $33 less for front brake pads, $219 less for a starter, $1 less for a fuel pump, $150 less for front struts, $357 less for a timing belt/chain and $641 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda 3 will be $10712 to $12088 less than for the MINI Cooper Clubman.

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications: