Compare the2023 MINI Cooper ClubmanVS 2023 Volkswagen Taos

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
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 Taos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Cooper Clubman’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Taos.

The Cooper Clubman has standard Park Distance Control to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Taos doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

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 Taos doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Taos 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

Warranty

The Cooper Clubman’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Taos’ (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Clubman for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Taos (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Cooper Clubman’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Taos’ camshafts. If the Taos’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 88 points higher than the Taos.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 62 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that MINI vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in long-term dependability. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

Engine

The Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 31 more horsepower (189 vs. 158) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The JCW Clubman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 143 more horsepower (301 vs. 158) and 147 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

	Cooper Clubman	Taos
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.1 sec	24.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.8 sec	8.5 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.3 sec	4.6 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.7 sec	5.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	85 MPH
Top Speed	142 MPH	125 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

Transmission

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 Taos doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the JCW Clubman’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Taos:

	JCW Clubman	Taos
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	10.7 inches

The Cooper Clubman stops much shorter than the Taos:

	Cooper Clubman	Taos
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Cooper Clubman has larger standard tires than the Taos (225/45R17 vs. 215/50R18). The JCW Clubman’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Taos (235/35R19 vs. 225/45R19).

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 Taos S’ standard 55 series tires. The JCW Clubman’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Taos SEL 4Motion’s 45 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 Taos doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the MINI Cooper Clubman has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Taos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Cooper Clubman has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cooper Clubman flat and controlled during cornering. The Taos 4x2 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 Taos’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cooper Clubman S handles at .91 G’s, while the Taos SEL 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 1.8 seconds quicker than the Taos SEL (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The Cooper Clubman is 7.3 inches shorter than the Taos, making the Cooper Clubman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cooper Clubman is 7.7 inches shorter in height than the Taos, 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 Taos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The front step up height for the Cooper Clubman is .8 inches lower than the Taos (15.7” vs. 16.5”). The Cooper Clubman’s rear step up height is 1.7 inches lower than the Taos’ (15” vs. 16.7”).

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Cooper Clubman’s available cargo door can be opened just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The Taos doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The Cooper Clubman uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Taos 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 Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 40% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Cooper Clubman, the optional memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Taos doesn’t offer a memory system.

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 Taos doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Taos can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Cooper Clubman’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Taos’ passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Taos’ 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. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the Taos.

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 Taos doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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 Taos doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

The Cooper Clubman’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Volkswagen charges extra for heated mirrors on the Taos.

When the Cooper Clubman is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Taos’ mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Taos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 is only available on the Taos SEL.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Taos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Cooper Clubman has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Taos doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Cooper Clubman’s optional Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Taos doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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 Taos isn’t in the top three.