We are 5 people in my family. We regularly travel comfortably with 4 in the Mini. If we all have to travel, we use our Plymouth Voyager minivan.

 

From what the OP described I would have opted for the Clubman just for the several inches of rearseat legroom and boot space. But he's keeping one Jeep GC for the big stuff. I had 2 of those between 96 and 07 when I got my Mini. My kids all drive and I sold the popup trailer and it got 16mpg. If I don't ever have to drive one of those SUVs again it will be too soon. Anybody that thinks they're safer because they're bigger doesn't read the stats. They want to roll over and kill people in accidents at speed. They handle like a houseboat on the highway.

 

Thank you all for your valuable replies.

In my preparation to be ready for what lies ahead I am trying to figure out the optimum balance between practicality and happiness. I am also trying to factor in a near term solution. As more and more people unload their land cruisers, the value of my last Jeep drops further and further eventually resulting in no one wanting the new Jeep on trade in OR a very low offer that would wind up being the value of the Jeep in scrap metal. Its coming folks :( This loss of $$ weighs heavy on my mind.

I have explored the towing solution with the MINI already. I will need to tow my motorbike to the track and the MINI is more then capable of doing that

Thank you to the 4 people families that have replied. I was really quite interested in your comments about day to day life with a Mini and 4 people. The good thing about my family is that my wife and I are both 5'6" so our daughters won't suffer in the back so much The clubman seems like a great alternative as a trade in for my wife's Jeep.

Thanks for the link to the video! Its amazing how far technology has taken us in terms of crash protection.

 

I couldn't see having anything else, or anything bigger. Though if I were to be being today, it's be a Clubman, for sure.

We just did 4 day in the Alps. Only thing we couldn't do was buy large souvenirs -- not an issue for me, and it kept my wife and kids in check!

 

In addition to the safety video, MINI had a commercial demonstrating the roomieness of the 2005 MINI. Current models (except clubman) are essentially the same size.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-UV2xV-FEA