Compare the2023 Ford EscapeVS 2023 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The MINI Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escape (except Base) offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Escape (except Base) offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper Clubman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Escape’s 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 Escape’s standard Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Escape and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Escape the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 177 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper Clubman has not been tested, yet.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Escape 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Cooper Clubman. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Cooper Clubman ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 29 times as many Ford dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape’s warranty.

The Escape has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is rated lower.

The Escape’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 61 more horsepower (250 vs. 189) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 206) than the Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escape 1.5 Turbo’s fuel efficiency. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The JCW Clubman requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Clubman (14.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Clubman (15.7 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Escape has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

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

The Escape stops shorter than the Cooper Clubman:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Cooper Clubman (106.7 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escape is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Cooper Clubman.

The Escape AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the Cooper Clubman pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Escape has 11.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper Clubman (104 vs. 92.5).

The Escape has 1 inch more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.4 inches more rear legroom and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

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

An optional locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Escape. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Escape’s 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.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Escape Active/ST-Line/Platinum has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a power cargo door, so its cargo door has to be closed manually.

The Escape has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Cooper Clubman has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Escape offers a 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 Escape (except Base)’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Escape Base). The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Intelligent Access standard on the Escape Active/ST-Line/Platinum allows you to unlock the driver’s door, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The MINI Cooper Clubman’s Comfort Access doesn’t unlock the trunk.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escape has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Cooper Clubman only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escape Active/ST-Line/Platinum has standard extendable sun visors. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Escape Elite/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Cooper Clubman’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Insurance will cost less for the Escape owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escape will cost $2105 to $6740 less than the Cooper Clubman over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Escape is less expensive to operate than the Cooper Clubman because it costs $163 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Escape than the Cooper Clubman, including $170 less for a water pump, $23 less for front brake pads, $144 less for a starter, $18 less for fuel injection, $213 less for a fuel pump, $139 less for front struts and $432 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Escape will be $8387 to $10676 less than for the MINI Cooper Clubman.

The Ford Escape outsold the MINI Cooper Clubman by almost 56 to one during 2022.