Compare the2023 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Taos 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Cooper Clubman’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Taos offers optional Maneuver Braking 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 Taos’ 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 Taos’ 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 Taos and the Cooper Clubman 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

There are over 6 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taos’ warranty.

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

The Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Clubman (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons).

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

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

The design of the Volkswagen Taos amounts to more than styling. The Taos has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .31 Cd. That is lower than the Cooper Clubman (.33 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

The Taos has 7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper Clubman (99.5 vs. 92.5).

The Taos has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

The Taos’ cargo area is larger than the Cooper Clubman’s in almost every dimension:

The Taos’ 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.

The Taos has a higher standard payload capacity than the Cooper Clubman (937 vs. 871 lbs.).

The Taos SE/SEL has a standard 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 climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Taos’ standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Clubman’s standard power windows.

The Taos’ 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 Taos’ 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.

The Cooper Clubman’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Taos SEL’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’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the Taos has a standard extendable sun visor. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.