Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla Cross HybridVS 2024 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE has a standard Parking Support Brake 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Corolla Cross Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Cooper Clubman.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE’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 Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Parking Support Brake on the XSE automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 98 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper Clubman has not been tested, yet.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 12 times as many Toyota dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, MINI is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. MINI is ranked third.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 7 more horsepower (196 vs. 189) than the Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross Hybrid gets better mileage than the Cooper Clubman:

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

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

The Corolla Cross Hybrid 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.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Cooper Clubman’s (58.4% to 41.6%). This gives the Corolla Cross Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross Hybrid’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 Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 2.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Cooper Clubman (8 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper Clubman (94.9 vs. 92.5).

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has 1.5 inches more front legroom and 1 inch more rear headroom than the Cooper Clubman.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (21.5 vs. 17.5 cubic feet). The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat folded (61.8 vs. 47.9 cubic feet).

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’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 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Cooper Clubman has no towing capacity.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Access standard on the Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a sensor on the trunk.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE’s optional 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid SE/XSE has standard extendable sun visors. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and the MINI Cooper Clubman, based on reliability, safety and performance.