Autoweek's 2013 Mini Cooper S Paceman All4 review notes

Discussion in 'MINIs in Other Media' started by Nathan, Aug 30, 2013.

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

    Mar 30, 2009
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    Short North
    Ratings:
    +10,069 / 0 / -0
    Not feeling the latest Mini model

    ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: What can I say about the 2013 Mini Cooper S Paceman All4? Well, I guess it's Mini's Evoque-like style-over-substance lifestyle vehicle, and it's not entirely terrible.

    In toggle-switch-activated sport mode, the car moves well enough and the very noticeable lag present in regular mode is substantially diminished. The snappiness comes at a pretty steep price, though: the car sucks down that 89 octane gas when you drive it with spirit. I returned just under 23 mpg, less than the stated 26 mpg combined.

    Fairly tight suspension made for a somewhat bumpy ride, but the car felt planted and handling was crisp -- even if steering feedback seemed artificial (especially in sport mode, which instantly made the wheel feel heavier but in a fakey sort of way). The AWD system quelled any torque steer the engine's 177 lb-ft of output might have created were there two less driven wheels. The presence of an automatic transmission was a bit of a disappointment.

    Obviously, we have to touch on the Paceman's looks. Mini's unchecked model proliferation (the introduction of the Paceman marks seven body styles) has seen them try everything from the “quirky†coupe to the bulked-up Countryman (which, I confess, I sort of like). Now, they're resorting to copying the lines of the Range Rover Evoque , at least in profile. I'm impressed by Mini's apparently successful attempt to build a brand with a full lineup out of a single retromobile, but come on -- are there enough people out there interested in a downsized-Evoque to justify the tooling costs?

    I, at least, never asked for this.

    Anyway, there are nice details inside and out. The toggle switches on the center console, a Mini staple, are neat. I dig the round central screen surround (though I wish the screen in the middle was actually circular and could do without the useless speedometer bezel); it reminds me of that pre-GPS navigation system in, I think, “Goldfinger� The rear hatch handle was nicely disguised as a Mini emblem, and it felt solid. The strange aluminum rails that bisected the interior (meant to hold weird accessories, like a hard plastic eyeglass case) seemed like a concept car touch somewhat awkwardly translated to production.

    The car definitely fell short in other areas. The interior was plasticky -- lots of hard materials all over the interior lent a distinctly non-premium feel to the dash, door panels, etc. I noticed that the rear taillight had condensation behind the plastic lens. Tsk tsk.

    At under $30K with all the lovely options found on our tester, I could maybe see this thing carving out a bizarre little niche. For $39,800? Forget it.

    ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: I actually kind of like the looks of the bigger Minis. The Countryman and the Paceman are sort of cool. The bug-eye headlights and the wheels look right. Unfortunately, that's where the love fest ends.

    Actually, it is fun to drive, too. The turbo four provides plenty of power, the steering is always strong on Minis, and the suspension is rock solid. The problem is that “fun-to-drive†and “drivable on a long-term basis†are not mutually exclusive.

    If you want a fun Mini that's fast, get the GP Cooper. It'll tear up an autocross track, zip in between traffic and sip gas like a four banger should. It's also cheaper than this wallet-buster. And on the GP, you get the suspension you expect. This Paceman, with a little extra utility, I could see working for a family of three, except it bruises your kidneys and rattles your fillings over every expansion joint.

    And nearly $40k!? Wow. You can get a Ford Explorer for that. There are a few options you could knock off, the wheels for one, which might improve the ride a bit. Also the automatic transmission, because come on, this is a Mini, but you'll still be at about $35,000. Get the Countryman -- you'll at least have four doors -- or get the Cooper.

    SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: No, no, no and … no. Not this Mini Cooper S Paceman and me. At least, I hope never again, anyway.

    Say what you will about the price, the options, the styling, the need (or lack thereof) to sell a Mini that's not, er, mini … no, forget all that.

    The bump steer kills it on the spot.

    Perhaps it is my fault for being located in the metro Detroit area, notorious for its pioneer trails masquerading as paved roads -- but I cannot recall driving lately a modern car so prone to deviating from my intended course at what began to feel like every contact with a crack, crease, etc. On more than one occasion, on roads I drive daily and know as well as Sabine Schmitz knows the Nordschleife, a bump wrenched the steering wheel out of my hand. I'm not going to claim it was as bad as what James Jakes experienced during the Toronto IndyCar race earlier this year, but it definitely was not good.

    Minis have always been twitchy little things, and I have no quarrel with that -- sporty suspension setup, short wheelbase and all that -- but in this case there is nothing amusing about it. This Paceman jumps all over the road so often, I tired of driving it within an afternoon. It did come in handy loading up some Ikea wares, but so would have 100 or so other vehicles.

    I'll go to any and all lengths to avoid this particular model the next time I see its keys coming my way.



    Read more: 2013 Mini Cooper S Paceman All4 review notes,pricing,specs,photos - Autoweek
     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 4, 2009
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    Ratings:
    +14,644 / 10 / -4
    All I have to say is HAHAHAHAHAHA but I hope our M/A owners have better luck with the PM.
     

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