- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
1.6T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
135kW, 240Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 7.5L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
New car review: Mini Cooper S Paceman
When it comes to getting the most out of the family, Mini does a lot with a little. The brand known for its small cars has been steadily stepping out from the
two-door mould it is known for, albeit retaining the chunky looks and bold headlights that in many ways define a Mini.
The latest addition is the Paceman, a car that borrows the higher-riding Countryman body and teams it with a unique two-door layout with more rear space than traditional two-door Minis. It's marketed as a sports activity coupe, but is effectively a way of bolting a new body on the underpinnings of the Cooper.
What do you get?
The Paceman range kicks off with the Cooper, which is priced from $35,900, plus on-road and dealer costs. For that you get alloy wheels, trip computer, cruise control, Bluetooth, USB input, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure sensors, rain-sensing wipers and auto headlights.
The Cooper S tested here brings a turbocharger for more grunt (more on that later) as well as larger (17-inch) alloys, and some classier-looking trim elements, adding spice to the already-upmarket cabin for a car that costs $44,100, while an auto adds $2350.
The flagship JCW (or John Cooper Works) brings even more grunt, more gear and four-wheel-drive for an eye-watering $58,600.
Personalisation is a big part of the Mini sales pitch whatever price level you're coming in at, and it's no different for the Paceman. Our car had about $10,000 worth of extras, including satnav ($1150), 19-inch wheels ($2700), leather ($1100) and some stripes ($200).
What's inside?
Up front the Paceman is surprisingly spacious, with loads of head room and ample adjustment to the driver's seat.
The retro-inspired switches and central speedo are de rigueur for modern Minis and do the job nicely once you learn the layout and (for Mini drivers) that the window controls are now in the doors. The only exceptions are the semi-concealed wheels for the fan speed and temperature; we found even on its gentlest speed the fan was blowing too much air, and modulating the controls was more difficult than it needed to be. It can also be tricky aligning the pear-shaped key with the slide-in slot to the right of the dash.
The circular colour screen in the oversized speedo (there's also a digital speedo in the small cluster directly in front of the driver) looks classy, though the push-and-select controller in the centre console is in an odd place, as is the sunglass-holder bolted in below the folding arm rest, which itself comes with more useful odds-and-ends storage.
There are only two seats in the rear separated by cup holders, but they're well sculpted and supportive, though whether you'll have a two-door Mini loaded with adults who appreciate such attention to detail is a moot point.
The boot is surprisingly deep but otherwise compact. Expanding the luggage capacity can be done by folding the seats, but they don't fold flat and you first need to remove those rear-seat cup holders.
Under the bonnet
Like the Countryman it shares plenty of underbody components with, the Paceman gets a selection of four-cylinder engines. The regular 1.6-litre is nothing special, going on our experience with it in other Minis, but with a turbocharger as used in the S models it's a different story.
The turbo endows the Mini with loads of low-rev flexibility that allows you to hold a taller gear up a hill, or just squeeze the throttle in, say, second or third gear, and allow the car to steadily but briskly build pace. The six-speed auto has a selection of well-spaced ratios and is user-friendly but can occasionally baulk at a quick shift.
It's no hot hatch, something that's obvious from the maximum power output, which is a respectable 135kW. But the ample 240Nm of torque arrives at just 1600rpm, making for relaxed touring on the open road and easy driving around town. There's also an over-boost function on the turbo that automatically allows up to 260Nm for shorter bursts.
Fuel use is claimed at 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres and, although we didn't manage to hit that number, we did manage to keep it at less than 9L/100km in mainly suburban stints.
On the road
Some things are just expected from a Mini, and direct steering would be close to the top of that list. The Paceman doesn't disappoint, with an alertness to driver inputs that few cars can match. The chunky steering wheel and short ratio for the steering accentuates it and cements the Paceman as a fun little machine.
Riding on the 19-inch wheels that our car was fitted with, it did a reasonable job of disposing of road uglies, albeit with some firmness that's par for the course in what is a sports-focused two-door. The longer wheelbase, compared with regular Minis, makes it more acceptable over repeated bumps and speed humps, too.
But the higher-riding body - which raises the centre of gravity - takes away some of the seat-of-your-pants engagement that you'd otherwise get in a lower-riding Mini Cooper. It feels bigger and heavier, which it is.
Verdict
The biggest issue with the Paceman is its reason for being. With the DNA of a Countryman, it's not as sporty as some Minis, but nor is it particularly practical. To me, it seems like a case of trying too hard to expand the Mini family.
But if you can live with that and are desperately seeking a higher-riding two-door with some space for mates - or you want to stand out from your Mini-loving neighbours - then the Mini oozes the classic British formula.