Compare the2023 MINI Cooper ClubmanVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The MINI Cooper Clubman has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Cooper Clubman has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Cooper Clubman’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available front parking sensors.

Warranty

The Cooper Clubman comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Equinox’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Cooper Clubman’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Clubman for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

Reliability

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 Cooper Clubman’s reliability 43 points higher than the Equinox.

Engine

The Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (189 vs. 175) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The JCW Clubman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 126 more horsepower (301 vs. 175) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Cooper Clubman S is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox (automatics tested):

	Cooper Clubman	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	8.9 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.1 sec	26.8 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.8 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	83 MPH
Top Speed	142 MPH	124 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Cooper Clubman gets better mileage than the Equinox:

			MPG
Cooper Clubman
FWD	Auto	S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/35 hwy
AWD	Auto	S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy
Equinox
FWD	Auto	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
AWD	Auto	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Cooper Clubman’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Equinox doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Cooper Clubman has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Equinox. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Cooper Clubman offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Equinox doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

An eight-speed automatic is available on the MINI Cooper Clubman, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Equinox.

The Cooper Clubman offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Equinox doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Cooper Clubman Auto’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Equinox doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Cooper Clubman’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Equinox:

	Cooper Clubman S	JCW Clubman	Equinox
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	14.2 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11 inches	13 inches	11.3 inches

The Cooper Clubman stops much shorter than the Equinox:

	Cooper Clubman	Equinox
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Cooper Clubman S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equinox LS/LT’s standard 65 series tires. The JCW Clubman’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Equinox’s optional 50 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Cooper Clubman can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Equinox doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Cooper Clubman has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cooper Clubman flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Cooper Clubman offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cooper Clubman has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Cooper Clubman S handles at .91 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Equinox LT AWD (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Cooper Clubman’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (37.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Cooper Clubman’s turning circle is 4.5 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (37.1 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Chassis

The Cooper Clubman is 1 foot, 2.6 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Cooper Clubman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cooper Clubman is 8.7 inches shorter in height than the Equinox, making the Cooper Clubman much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Passenger Space

The Cooper Clubman has .2 inches more front headroom and .5 inches more front legroom than the Equinox.

The front step up height for the Cooper Clubman is 1.5 inches lower than the Equinox (15.7” vs. 17.2”). The Cooper Clubman’s rear step up height is 2.5 inches lower than the Equinox’s (15” vs. 17.5”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Cooper Clubman easier. The Cooper Clubman’s trunk lift-over height is 27.2 inches, while the Equinox’s liftover is 28.6 inches.

Servicing Ease

The Cooper Clubman uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Equinox uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 21% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The Cooper Clubman offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Clubman’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 Equinox’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Cooper Clubman the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Equinox can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Cooper Clubman’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Equinox’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper Clubman to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Equinox doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cooper Clubman offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Equinox doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Cooper Clubman has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Equinox doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To better shield the driver’s vision, the Cooper Clubman has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Equinox doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

The Cooper Clubman has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox and isn’t available on the Equinox LS.

The Cooper Clubman’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Cooper Clubman owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Cooper Clubman with a number “5” insurance rate while the Equinox is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

The Cooper Clubman will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Cooper Clubman will retain 49.17% to 51.06% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cooper Clubman is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Cooper Clubman than the Equinox, including $543 less for a muffler, $116 less for front brake pads, $263 less for fuel injection, $160 less for a fuel pump and $4 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cooper Clubman first among compact cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Equinox isn’t in the top three in its category.