Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2024 MINI Cooper Clubman

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Kicks Play 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks Play has standard Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks Play’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 Kicks Play’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Automatic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Kicks Play and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Kicks Play 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 over 10 times as many Nissan dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks Play’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks Play gets better mileage than the Cooper Clubman:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks Play uses regular unleaded gasoline. The JCW Clubman requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Kicks Play 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 Kicks Play SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cooper Clubman are solid, not vented.

The Kicks Play stops shorter than the Cooper Clubman:

The Kicks Play has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Cooper Clubman’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 850 pounds less than the MINI Cooper Clubman.

The Kicks Play has .2 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

The Kicks Play has a much larger cargo volume than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 17.5 cubic feet).

The Kicks Play’s cargo area is larger than the Cooper Clubman’s in almost every dimension:

The Kicks Play’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.

The Kicks Play’s standard Intelligent Key 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 Kicks Play 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.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Kicks Play and the MINI Cooper Clubman, based on reliability, safety and performance.