The 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman is the younger brother to the original MINI Cooper. Slightly larger and roomier, it has much the same basic look and still competes in the small car class with such notables as the Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus, Volkswagen New Beetle and Rabbit, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

The Clubman's looks are basically unchanged from 2008, its introductory year. There are a number of additions available, however. These include Dynamic Traction Control, roof rails, a rear roof spoiler and USB ports for a Smartphone.

The clubman comes with a 1.6 liter I4 gasoline engine. Horsepower depends on the trim line, of which there are three. The Base model gets 118 horses, the S gets 172 and the John Cooper Works, 208. Transmission choices are a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, either with overdrive, except for the John Cooper Works, which comes only with the manual transmission.

The Clubman gets great gas mileage. The worst combination is the 172 horsepower engine with the automatic transmission, and even it gets 23 miles per gallon city and 32 miles per gallon highway. The 118 horsepower with manual transmission gets an almost unbelievable 28 miles per gallon city and 37 miles per gallon on the highway.

The 118 horsepower engine is below class average and gives the Base a low power to weight ratio, while the 208 horsepower engine is more powerful than class average. The Clubman also has a somewhat better than average warranty. One of its most notable features is the rear door, which is hinged to the side instead of the top.

Aside from the engine, the upgraded trims add a few other, mainly performance related, features. Beyond that, what you can get on one you can get on the other. It is worth noting, however, that the John Cooper Works is supposed to be the performance model, if you can have a performance model in a vehicle such as the Clubman.

The Clubman is basically a safe car, especially for its size. NHTSA gives it five-star ratings for rollover and front side impact crashes and four stars everywhere else. Antilock brakes, electronic braking control, limited slip differential, airbags everywhere and an electronic parking aid, as well as other safety features, are all either standard or available.

Along with fuel efficiency, the cost of the 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman is one of its best assets, especially on the Base model, where the price starts at just $20,200. Starting price on the S model is just $23,700, still below average for small cars. Only the John Cooper Works, with a starting price of $30,800 is significantly above the average cost for the small car class.