Does anyone make a full hatch cargo liner for the SE?

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F14Scott

F14Scott

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I carry large things often enough to necessitate putting the back seats down that I think I would like to try putting them down permanently, stow the interior security trunk flap, and install a cargo liner that covers the entire aft cabin with the seats down. In other words, a cargo mat that is a large square that rests atop both the trunk area and the folded seats.

Does anyone know a source for such an item? I see several "cut to fit" options, but I'd prefer a custom one that includes a lip, since some of my big items are gardening-related and/or messy.
 
I have the full Canvas back cargo liner set for my SE. The full set includes optional side covers and an optional flap that flips down to cover the rear bumper. The only possible downside is that the liner is split so that you can raise either one or both of the rear seats. Another forum member says it's too slippery for his dogs, but I've found it's easy to clean.
 
insightman said:
I have the full Canvas back cargo liner set for my SE. The full set includes optional side covers and an optional flap that flips down to cover the rear bumper. The only possible downside is that the liner is split so that you can raise either one or both of the rear seats. Another forum member says it's too slippery for his dogs, but I've found it's easy to clean.
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Appreciate the info, but I'm really looking for a solid piece of rubber. One of the things I want to slide in and out is my golf bag, so a hard, semi-slippery floor is what I want.
 
The Canvasback is great for coverage, and stays tightly attached with plenty of Velcro. What I did for my Clubman, where the seats are permanently down for the dogs, is get a big piece of EVA foam and cut it into shape, providing a single foam liner for the whole backend (it's a bit long so I can tuck the front edge between the front and rear seats to hold it in place). On top of that I added a fleece pad for dog comfort, and because the EVA foam does tend to tear, particularly in cold weather.
 
Puppethead said:
Ran across trimmable liners on Amazon, maybe they'd work if the dimensions are big enough. That link supposedly fits MINI Cooper SE.
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I received the liner and have installed it. My thoughts:

THE GOODS

It's plenty wide and long enough to cover the entire hatch and rear seat area.

I like the composition of the rubber. It is about the perfect mix of slippery and tacky.

It was inexpensive ($30).

The guide lines made it easy to trim with a pair of standard scissors.

THE OTHERS

It is too wide for the SE, even trimmed to minimum width, if you want the lipped portion aft, and, if so, the edges of that lipped portion will be bent up a little. Yet, by being a little too wide and bending up, the mat overlays the aft seat belt buckles to keep them quiet and will protect the bottom edges of the bulkheads from scratches.

The rubber is thinner and, therefore, less stiff than I had hoped for. It has the consistency of a thinnish, rubberized, front door mat. It came rolled up in a 3" x 3" square tube box. You can see in the photo that it drapes over the outboard edges of the headrests and sags a little between the two of them.

The rubber has a fairly strong tar/rubber odor, even after sitting unrolled, outside, in the rain all day. (I read reviews complaining about the odor, so I tried to mitigate it.) I'll continue to monitor if it gets less smelly.

THE VERDICT

Overall, I'd give it a 7/10 for use in the SE. It suits my needs and does what it is supposed to do: protect my hatch and provide a smooth surface to slide my clubs in and out. However, it lacks a perfect custom fit, it's a little flimsy, and I'm hopeful the smell will dissipate over time.

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For the price that actually looks really nice. Have you tried removing the headrests, though? I've found the seats lay flat better with the headrests removed.
 
Excellent review and report! I suspect sunlight on the mat (outside the car) will do more to alleviate the odor than the rain.
 
Puppethead said:
For the price that actually looks really nice. Have you tried removing the headrests, though? I've found the seats lay flat better with the headrests removed.
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I have not. I'll take a look in the morning, but it seems to my memory that with the headrests pivoted to their stowage position, they touch neither the aft seats nor the front seat backs (unless someone is really reclining), so I don't know how they would be preventing the aft seat backs from folding flat; the head rests seem to be hanging in space. However, while hanging there and with my new floor mat resting on them, they add a few more inches of area where things can be stowed without their falling into the aft footwell abyss.
 
F14Scott said:
they touch neither the aft seats nor the front seat backs (unless someone is really reclining)
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That's me, I have the front seat far back because of my size. I personally found leaving the headrests in place causes them to wedge up against the front seat back.
 
After only a day in the car, the smell has diminished to almost nothing. I'm revising my grade to 8/10.

Also, one other GOOD:

Visibility aft of the 3-9 line is greatly enhanced with the back seats down. The newly expanded hatch area is like having a small SUV with a giant cargo area but no second row of seats.
 
Of course, we're wondering if the smell actually diminished or if you just got used to it. You need to borrow someone's impartial nose and report back to us. :)

Today, my wife asked me to pick up 4 bags of mulch. I'm glad the folded Canvasback cargo mat fits under the floor of the boot so I didn't have to go home to get it before picking up the mulch. I've used it twice now--perhaps I'll get better at figuring out how to re-fold it after a few more uses. I really like the optional flap that Velcros onto the back edge of the mat and flips down to protect the rear bumper. I haven't used the optional side-panel covers yet.
 
F14Scott said:
The newly expanded hatch area is like having a small SUV with a giant cargo area but no second row of seats.
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I just realized I have a tiny, electric El Camino.
1979-chevrolet-el-camino
 
This is exactly why the Clubman is my preferred model (still have an ICE R55 Clubman), which also has "barn doors" (side-by-side), making loading/unloading so handy. And my dogs much prefer the extra cargo length. I keep hoping for an electric one knowing the more likely future is the end of the model since rumors are MINI will replace it with another big Countryman-like model.
 
Sadly, I think you are right on the fate of the Clubman. I would much rather have the Clubman than the Countryman. But ultimately, I'm a 2-door kinda guy so my SE is nearly perfect for me. I'm just waiting for the convertible version as that's the only thing that would make it better.
 
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