Compare the2024 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Crosstrek 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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Crosstrek are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crosstrek Limited has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Cooper Clubman.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Crosstrek’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Crosstrek (except Base)’s optional 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 Crosstrek (except Base)’s optional Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Crosstrek and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Crosstrek 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 over 6 times as many Subaru dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Crosstrek’s warranty.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Crosstrek uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Clubman requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Crosstrek has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Clubman (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Crosstrek has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Cooper Clubman’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a 3.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Cooper Clubman (8.7 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Crosstrek has 8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper Clubman (100.5 vs. 92.5).

The Crosstrek has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

The Crosstrek has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (19.9 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The Crosstrek has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

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

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Crosstrek’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.

The Crosstrek has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Cooper Clubman has no towing capacity.

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Cooper Clubman. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Keyless Access and Start standard on the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited 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 Crosstrek 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.

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

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the MINI Cooper Clubman by almost 63 to one during 2022.