Compare the2023 MINI Cooper ClubmanVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, 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 front parking sensors.

The Cooper Clubman’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (12 vs. 7 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated below average.

The JCW Clubman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (301 vs. 261) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Cooper Clubman S is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (automatics tested):

Both the Cooper Clubman and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Cooper Clubman has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Cooper Clubman offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the JCW Clubman’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid:

The Cooper Clubman stops much shorter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid:

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard 55 series tires. The JCW Clubman’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 55 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Cooper Clubman offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cooper Clubman S handles at .91 G’s, while the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The MINI Cooper Clubman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1050 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The Cooper Clubman is 1 foot, 7.9 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, making the Cooper Clubman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cooper Clubman is 10.6 inches shorter in height than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, making the Cooper Clubman much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The front grille of the Cooper Clubman uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The front step up height for the Cooper Clubman is 1.8 inches lower than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (15.7” vs. 17.5”). The Cooper Clubman’s rear step up height is 3.3 inches lower than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (15” vs. 18.3”).

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s liftover is 29 inches.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 42% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Clubman’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can only operate 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s standard 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

The Cooper Clubman’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Cooper Clubman is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid isn’t in the top three.