Should you buy one?

Unless you’re desperate to stick with a MINI or you’ve fallen in love with the looks, we’d say no.

Audi’s A3 Sportback is a more accomplished all-rounder, as is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Hatchback, but they can’t compete with the Clubman on character – a difficult thing to quantify, but its clear the MINI has it. This quirky model offers a degree of charm that its rivals can’t really match.

Certainly, the Clubman is practical for a MINI, with room for adults in the rear and a good-sized boot – both novelties for motorists more used to the dinky Hatch. Some touches hinder rather than help this impression, though, and as cool as the twin rear doors are we can’t ignore that they really do ruin rearward visibility. However, there is that ‘for a MINI’ caveat. Many other hatchbacks are more spacious, let alone proper estates.

We’d recommend most will find satisfaction with a Cooper S in Sport or Exclusive trim. Opt for the automatic gearbox, but go easy with other extras or you’ll soon find you’ve specced a desirable but pricey little car

As for performance fans, the JCW is a good car but we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it over the likes of a Volkswagen Golf R – it’s simply not as much fun as it should be.