| First Drive | Dublin, Ireland | MINI One Clubman |

Even before global economic meltdown had the car makers clamouring to produce cheaper cars, the MINI One existed for those whose pockets weren't quite deep enough to fork out for the coveted MINI Cooper. As a starting point into MINI ownership the One is not bad, but the reality is that the Cooper is a way better car for not a lot more money with virtually no penalty in terms of running costs. Why then does MINI think that the One Clubman is a good idea?

In the Metal

Virtually all MINI Clubmans we've driven in the past have featured big alloys, bright paintwork and a few decals, so it's interesting to see the car stripped back to its barebones and you know what? It works well in this guise, losing much of its quirkiness, especially finished in silver. The MINI press office couldn't resist embellishing the One with a little decoration though, so the alloys you see on our test car are not standard, though their restrained design suits the car.

Inside, the Clubman offers up tangible gains in practicality when compared to its hatchback brethren, while retaining the solid build quality. There are plenty of cars on the market that offer more accommodation for the price, but few are as idiosyncratic - opinion dividing as the huge centrally positioned speedometer is. We really like the style of the vertically-split rear doors, but sadly it does hamper rear visibility, as does the frame of the 'Clubdoor' when you try to glance over your right shoulder to cover your blind spot. In summary, MINI Clubman buyers do have to make sacrifices for the car's unique style and none of that changes in the One.

What you get for your Money

Under BMW stewardship, MINI hasn't exactly garnered a reputation for generosity on the standard equipment count, but things have improved over the last few years and even the One comes with air conditioning, a CD player, Dynamic Stability Control, electric windows and a stop-start system. Crucially it doesn't feel like a sparse, cut-price version of the MINI Clubman. We know that most MINI buyers like to spend an extra few grand on their purchase, but surely that would negate the reason for opting for the One model in the first place? Anyway, choice options include the Pepper Pack and of course TLC servicing.

Driving it

Virtually everything we've said in the past about the MINI Clubman's dynamics applies to the One. The MINI is simply one of the most agile cars in its class, with real adjustability and balance and a set of driving controls that are placed and weighted just right. Of course, the infamous choppy ride quality is also present and correct, but we'd put up with it in return for the driving experience.

There's a big BUT. The engine is woefully ill-equipped for the job and its difficulty is emphasised by a set of mis-matched gear ratios. Peak power and torque figures are actually quite acceptable, but they're found too far up the rev range to be of use in a car like this and in the search for any kind of pace you'll struggle to better the fuel economy of a MINI Cooper driven on the same road at the same speed. The 1.4-litre engine is smooth enough and quiet when you're cruising, but MINI really needs a low capacity turbocharged (or supercharged) engine that would offer a far more compelling performance-to-efficiency ratio.

Summary

If you really want a new MINI Clubman, then the One represents the cheapest way to get your hands on it, but we'd urge you to somehow find the extra cash to trade up to the far superior Cooper. Not only is the latter a much more enjoyable car to drive, it's just as efficient as the One and potentially more so in the real world. We agree with MINI that there's a place in its line-up for an entry-level model, but the One Clubman is not it in its current format.