Compare the2023 MINI Cooper ClubmanVS 2022 Kia Niro

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 Niro doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Niro 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 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Niro doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Cooper Clubman has standard Assist eCall, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Niro doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Niro have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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 and rearview cameras.

Warranty

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

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. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Niro.

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 22 points higher than the Niro.

Engine

The Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 50 more horsepower (189 vs. 139) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The JCW Clubman’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 162 more horsepower (301 vs. 139) and 136 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Cooper Clubman and Niro 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 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (13.2 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 Niro.

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 Niro doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Cooper Clubman S	JCW Clubman	Niro
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	14.2 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11 inches	13 inches	10.3 inches

The Cooper Clubman stops much shorter than the Niro:

	Cooper Clubman	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Cooper Clubman has larger standard tires than the Niro (225/45R17 vs. 205/60R16). The JCW Clubman’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (235/35R19 vs. 225/45R18).

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 Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium’s standard 60 series tires. The JCW Clubman’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Niro Touring SE’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cooper Clubman S has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The JCW Clubman’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

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 Niro 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 Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

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 Niro’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 Niro doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 handles at .89 G’s, while the Niro LXS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Cooper Clubman S ALL4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Niro LXS (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The Cooper Clubman is 3 inches shorter than the Niro, making the Cooper Clubman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Niro doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The rear step up height for the Cooper Clubman is 1.2 inches lower than the Niro (15” vs. 16.2”).

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 Niro’s liftover is 29 inches.

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 Niro 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 Niro 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 Kia. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 39% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

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 Niro 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 Niro doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Clubman’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Niro’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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 Niro’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes 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 Niro can only operate 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 Niro’s power mirror 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 Niro’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 Niro doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Cooper Clubman’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Niro’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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 Niro 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 Niro 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 Niro 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. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Niro Touring SE/EX Premium.

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

Both the Cooper Clubman and the Niro 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 Niro 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 Niro doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

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 Niro only retains 44.32% to 44.64%.

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 Niro isn’t in the top three in its category.