The answer is the new-for-2008 Mini Cooper Clubman.

The Clubman is a regular Mini that metamorphosed into a station wagon by adding 9.5 inches in length and 150 pounds. The bulking up wasn't enough to de-squirtletize the Clubman - which is still less than 13 feet long - but it gave it a lot more toting utility and rear-seat legroom than its standard brethren. Indeed, the Clubman provides more than three additional inches of legroom back there, and it offers a reasonable 33 cubic feet of storage with the backseat folded down.

That storage area is also quite accessible, thanks to a split rear door and a rear-hinged third side door behind the front-seat passenger's door. Predictably, that third door, and the related removal of the B-pillar that normally resides behind the front door, also makes it easier for rear-seat passengers to get in and out.

When you add this utility to a BMW-built British icon with good mileage, sprightly performance, a starting price under $20,000, and the cuteness quotient of a 6-week-old puppy, you just might have a winner on your hands.

The Clubman is essentially identical to the regular Mini from the front seat forward, both cosmetically and mechanically. Both use the same front-drive layout, as well as the same engines and transmissions.

The regular model comes with a normally aspirated, 1.6-liter four that develops 118 horsepower, and either the standard six-speed manual gearbox or the optional ($1,250) six-speed automatic. The higher-performing S model comes with a turbocharged, 172-horse version of that engine, and a six-speed manual or automatic.

The model I tested was the regular Clubman with the six-speed automatic. While this would seem the slowest configuration in the Clubman's drivetrain repertoire, I found it lively enough. It got me from 0 to 60 in about eight seconds, which isn't bad, particularly for a car with such pleasant EPA mileage ratings (26 city and 34 highway).

In other words, nice things happen to mileage and performance when your car weighs little more than 2,700 pounds.

Even without the sportier suspension under the S model, the garden-variety Clubman I drove was lots of sure-footed fun in the corners. The optional, 16-inch, high-performance tires had something to do with that, but I suspect this Son of Go-Kart would still take turns on tracks even with the standard, 15-inch performance rubber.

The cuddly Clubman's two-tone exterior was countered by some interesting design elements within its two-tone interior.

That little third door, which BMW calls a "clubdoor," is rather remarkable business. It houses a seat belt for the front passenger, an air bag, and a window.

Another interesting design feature was the speedometer housed in a nine-inch circle that poked up from the center of the dashboard. It looked like Big Ben, and left me wondering if I really needed to drive around with a tourist attraction on my dash.

The test car's interior, like the exterior, also engendered some amazing pricing magic that added a bit of ballast to the car's attractive base price. By charging extra for the red-metallic-and-gray paint, and exterior chrome trim, as well as the gray-and-silver design elements inside, the Bimmer Boys were able to tack $1,250 onto the tag.

Interesting. They zing you for the paint and trim options, then include a number of nifty and unexpected features on the expansive standard-equipment list, including nice black-and-gray leather-look upholstery, heated power mirrors and washer jets, and heated front seats.

Excellent

2008 Mini Cooper Clubman

Base price: $19,950.

As tested (inc. shipping): $24,850.

Standard equipment: 1.8-liter engine, six-speed manual gearbox, fully independent suspension, antilock disc brakes, stability control, 15-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, six air bags, tilt/telescoping steering, air-conditioning, keyless entry, six-speaker sound, power windows and mirrors, heated mirrors and front seats.

Options: Six-speed automatic gearbox, special paint and trim, dual-pane sunroof.

Fuel economy: 26 m.p.g. city, 34 highway.

Engine performance: Lively enough.

Handling: First-rate.

Comfort: Surprisingly good.

Styling: Puppy-dog cute.

Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper, roadside assistance and free scheduled maintenance for three years/36,000 miles.

The Ben Key

Four Bens Excellent; Three Bens Good; Two Bens Fair; One Ben Poor.