My husband and I are in the market for a replacement for our 99 Pathfinder very soon. We have a Titan so this next car can be smaller. We LOVE the MINI Cooper and Cooper S hard top (I would love the convertible though) . We have taken a test drive and have not stopped smiling since. I am concerned about the rear seat space since we have 3 1/2 year old twin boys. We have graduated to a booster seat for the boys so the cumbersome car seats are gone. They can click their own seat belts too. I don't feel like I have to carry tons of stuff (huge diaper bags) with me anymore since they are older. If we carry strollers, they are small Maclaren Volos (umbrella style). This would be a car that I take them to school in as well as trips around town and weekend vacations.
I was hoping to hear that the rear seat space is not a problem for two growing boys. I don't think I would regret purchasing a MINI but I don't want the boys to be cramped as they grow. I would love to hear from others with children older that our boys and their experiences. Your advice is welcomed!

 

Have you tried test driving the Clubman? I don't have mine yet, should be here later this week. I've read that they do great with reasonably sized adults, and the occasional basketball player in the back seat (Much better than justacooper at least). I've sat in back (5'11") with another driving (5'9") and had no problems whatsoever with comfort. Also, added trunk space is always a bonus.

The club door would allow easier access to little ones too!

If you can put up with the way it looks, I suggest looking into it. They get the same mileage as their older, smaller brothers, but offer more functionality, and the same fun to drive feel.

Just my $.02 though.

 

I have the Clubman and an 8 year old and we are doing just fine. My son is thin enough to slip out of the car without having to move the seatback forward, but, even when he gets bigger, the club door will be no problem; he can easily close the club door and the passenger door on his own. Now, maybe your 3 years are not quite there yet...

 

My 5'10 14-year-old is comfy in the back of our MCS, and loves the sound quality of the speakers in the rear. He switches from the front to back seat frequently.

 

We have our three sons, 9, 8 and 6. They sit acroos the back seat. I installed 3 sets of five point racing harnesses for them in the back of our 05 MC. We just returned from a 1100 mile trip in the MINI with a cargo box in my custom hitch. It was a little crowded but we got 36.1 mpg. I do take the boys to school in the MINI. If I did it over again I would spend a little extra cash and use the "cam lock" instead of the "latch" style belts.

Please note that you will have a couple of years that your kids will have a little problem. When they are younger their legs are not long enough to hit your seat, when they are older their legs will be long enough to bend down at the knee towards the floor, but in between it can be kinda of a pain.

Go for it! Have some fun.

 

I think the Clubman is your answer!!! We have fit 4 adults in - 2 front - 2 rear and have not had any issues.

Donna

 

I have two teenagers who frequently ride in the back of my MC coupe. They're both in the 5'5" range, and while they aren't lounging in the back of the MINI, the ride is fairly comfy for them, particularly when one of them sits behind me, because I'm quite short.

I think you'd be fine with kids and a MINI, especially if you don't have to tote diaper bags. Get a clubman if you'd like more space, go with the coupe if you don't feel that you need it.

 

Clubman is well worth investigating. With the apparent availability of Clubman inventory though, "very soon" could be a challenge.

 

What's that supposed to mean??

 

and am doing well with an 02 MCS. But we're downsizing the Acura MDX to a Clubman soon....

Matt

 

Clubman is the way to go.

My girlfriends son (18 yrs, 6'2 175 lbs) and two of his buddies (both 5'11, one 180 lbs the other 250 lbs) took a drive and they were very comfortable for the hour plus we were in the car.

That extra 3 inches in the back seat makes a big difference. And the extra room in the boot would be great to have for those extras you still need even though you do not need the diaper bag. Oh and don't for get the family dog you will eventually get if you don't already have one, they LOVE Clubmans.

 

I have a 4 yr old and an 8 month old and they fit fine in the back. My wife was very skeptical when I told her I was getting a MINI, she didn't see it until I got it home, but we fit fine. She never liked my Civic coupe because she felt like she was sitting too close to the dash board, but she hasn't complained since I got the Clubman. I'd say go for it, you won't regret it. Hope this helps.

 

I'm 6'0" and was very impressed with the amount of rear seat room when I test drove a non-Clubman last week. My dad, who is also about my size, complained about not being able to fit in the back, but my dealer told him, "Not enough room? Get back there and stop complaining!" So he did and said he was shocked at how roomy it felt. Granted, it's not as much room as a larger vehicle, but I'd have no problem riding back there.

That said, the best way to find out is to take a trip to the dealer and see what the boys (and you) think!

 

My girls are 5 and 8. They must "approve" the back of any new car for it to remain in consideration. On the Clubman, they did approve it. They did not have enough room in the Cooper partially because I am 6'1" and need the seat almost all the way back. This virtually eliminates the leg room in a Coupe or Convertible.

As others have said, tall adults can sit in the back seat of a Clubman. The first "test" I performed on the car was with a friend who is 6'3". He sat in front of me; both of us were comfortable.

You could fit both kids and a full-size double stroller (not the "umbrella" type). Or two singles.

The Clubman also offers the same driving experience as the others. No sacrifice there, except perhaps for the open sunroof not duplicating the wind-in-your-hair aspect of a convertible.

My advice: go with the Clubman.

 

I have a two year old and another on the way and from all aspects, the Clubman does fine. We have an LR3 for the long jaunts.

 

I have wanted a MINI since they were first released back in MY 2002. My son was an infant then, and we were planning a 2nd, so there was no chance of getting one any time soon. Now he is 6, and a 2nd child never happened, so it's MINI time. I bought a used 2005 MCS. It's my daily driver. He fits fine in the back with the passenger seat moved forward, and it's big enough so I can fit him and his buddy in no problem. He loves it.

Your two kids should be fine back there. I don't find tilting the seats forward to let him in/out to be a problem. Ask me again when he's 10!

We've got a 4Runner when something bigger is needed.

 

You know as I read the responses, many of you did not comment on the MC or MCS but immediately recommended the Clubman. I had been avoiding the Clubman because I did not like its looks (hold on...). I had really only seen one and that was when they first arrived on the lot. That Clubman was in a color I did not prefer so I avoided the model all together. When we have gone to our dealership since that time, there has never been a Clubman on the lot-I wonder why? With that said, I did go back and look at the previous posts where you all have gallery shots of your Clubman and I am a converter! I know that the Clubman will bring us the FUN and space we need. I was so focused on the MC and MCS that I totally made the Clubman the "red-headed stepchild" of the bunch. Red-head or not, I plan to order mine soon... Now I have to decide on a color. Decisions...decisions... (one of the blue shades or the CR?) Thanks to all of you who responded and gave me your honest opinion. I know we will opt for the Clubman and have 10+ years of happiness with it like I did with the Pathfinder I plan to replace. You guys are the greatest!

 

While the extra space would have been nice, ultimately I wasn't a fan of the looks (or pricetag) of the Clubman. However, you could likely use the space much more than I. :P So, congrats on a decision there!

When researching the color, make sure you look at some user photos on NAM. I hadn't even considered Laser Blue because it looked too girly until I saw what it looks like outside of the configurator. And then I saw it in person and was sold.

Good luck, and if you have more questions, you know where to ask!

 

If you are toting around diaper bags and a stroller(s), I don't see how you could fit them along with a few other times such as groceries even in a Clubman. I have more space than a regular MINI back there but it sure isn't that much. As much as you may want a MINI product, you may want to look at other vehicles a little larger. The MINI is mini. Also, MINI's are known by most as being a premium car or at least, the lower end of premium cardom so you may become squeamish on little ones destroying your MINI's precious backseat area.

 

That was my point in asking about the MC and MCS backseat room/space...I don't have to carry the diaper bags anymore because they are 3 1/2 years old and we have upgraded to the boosters where they fasten their own seatbelts. If we carry a stroller, it is an umbrella stroller that is small and even with two-they take up minimal space. What I was originally asking was could the MC or MCS provide enough room for growing boys' legs. I tend to drive a car for 10+ years and so I did not want to put the boys in an umcomfortable position (three years from now) just because I really wanted the car. I do think the Clubman is the answer for us. It will be a perfect car for roaming around for the four of us. If we need bigger we have a four door Titan that can carry and tow everything. Thanks.

 

Congratulations, and welcome to the club!

Btw, I have 2 little boys myself- ages 9 and 6.

They *love* the Clubman!

 

I'm an advocate for the Clubman and for MINIS in general but they aren't always the answer. I remember seeing the interior shots and the right ups about the Clubman back in December and it showed what appeared to be a pretty decent sized rear cargo area. I was surprised how small it really was when I first saw one in person at the launch party in February. Most would even be hard pressed to fit in enough luggage for a family of 4 for a long weekend. I'm also an advocate of Honda CR-V's. I've had 4 so far but the only thing I didn't like about my newest one(2007 I traded in for my Clubman) was that it just got too big. It lost its micro-SUV status to me but it is a great family vehicle. Good luck with the choice.

 

Mini Twins in your original post you said you wanted the cabrio. I my opinion, do it. Putting the top down makes it easy to get the kids in and out. My 4 year old daughter and 10 month old son both fit fine, and our family of 4 made a 4 hour each way road trip the other weekend with no problems.

Get the convertible

 

Unless your 6' 5" you'll be OK with MINI. I have an 07 MCSa PW/BLK w/ two booster seats for two 7 year old girls...my daughter and niece.

If you don't get the Cabrio...a Hardtop with Sunroof is great.

 

We've done AMVIV twice with one kid and the two adults, the wife very pregnant for one. Last AMVIV we did it with two kids (and a small trailer, not a lot of room for luggage for longer trips). Storage space is worse in the cabrio... But seat access is easier.

Matt