2013 Mini Cooper Paceman S Track Test

Edmunds tests hundreds of vehicles a year. Cars, trucks, SUVs, we run them all, and the numbers always tell a story. With that in mind we present "Edmunds Track Tested," a quick rundown of all the data we collect at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

A Mini is supposed to be a lot of things. It's supposed to be cute. It's supposed to be fun to drive. It's supposed to have personality and it's supposed to be small.

Does the 2013 Mini Cooper Paceman S tick any of these boxes?

Well, at 162.2 inches long, the Paceman is 15.6 inches longer than a standard Mini Cooper. It's also 4 inches wider, 4.5 inches taller and a whopping 535 pounds heavier when equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission.

Still, there are similarities. The Paceman has the same wheelbase as the Mini Cooper and uses the same 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder that produces 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque.

So it's not small (or light) and we'll leave the personality issue up to you. Is the Paceman, like every Mini before it, any fun to drive? We took it to the track to find out.

Vehicle: 2013 Mini Cooper Paceman S

Odometer: 1,538
Date: 5/14/2013
Driver: Chris Walton
Price: $27,500

Specifications:
Drive Type: Front engine, front-wheel-drive
Transmission Type: Six speed automatic
Engine Type: Transverse direct-injected, DOHC, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 1,598/98
Redline (rpm): 6,500
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 181 @ 5,500
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 177 @ 1,600
Brake Type (front): Ventilated discs with single-piston sliding caliper
Brake Type (rear): Solid discs with single-piston sliding caliper
Steering System: Electric-assist, rack-and-pinion power steering
Suspension Type (front): MacPherson strut, coil spring, stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Multilink, coil springs
Tire Size (front): 225/40R19 (89W)
Tire Size (rear): 225/40R19 (89W)
Tire Brand: Pirelli
Tire Model: P Zero
Tire Type: Summer, asymmetrical
Wheel Size: 19 inches front and rear
Wheel Material (front/rear): Aluminum alloy
As Tested Curb Weight (lb): 3,172 (60.3% front)

Test Results:

Acceleration:
0-30 (sec): 2.7 (3.3 w/ TC on)
0-45 (sec): 4.6 (5.3 w/ TC on)
0-60 (sec): 7.2 (8.0 w/ TC on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 6.9 (7.5 w/ TC on)
0-75 (sec): 10.6 (11.5 w/ TC on)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 15.4 @ 88.9 (15.9 @ 88.7 w/ TC on)

Braking:
30-0 (ft): 29
60-0 (ft): 120

Handling:
Slalom (mph): 66.0 (65.7 w/ traction control on)
Skid Pad Lateral Acceleration (g): 0.84 (0.83 w/ traction control on)

Sound:
Db @ Idle: 44.5
Db @ Full Throttle: 77.5
Db @ 70-mph Cruise: 65.4

RPM @ 70 mph: 2,200

Tester's comments:

Acceleration: A little bit of a stumble off the line when using Drive and simply whacking the throttle. Responds well to some pedal overlap for the launch, and as is the new normal with turbo-4s, there's plenty of torque even in the lower rev range. Sport mode also seems to add a little pop, but I doubt it makes a difference at full throttle.

Braking: Little dive, zero wiggle or wander. Dead consistent from first to last stop with very little to no variance in pedal feedback or distance. Buzz- and vibration-free ABS action.

Slalom: Steering feels unnecessarily heavy, but it is precise and direct. These tires provide more grip than most drivers of this car will ever know. The stability system is properly calibrated to take full advantage of the tremendous tires; little to no intervention approaching the limit, which turns out to be very mild loss of grip at the front that can be easily swapped for mild slide at the rear with the proper throttle technique. Excellent balance.

Skid pad: Again, steering is too heavy for heavy sake, but it does load/unload with variations in grip. Good balance here, too, with mild understeer on the front tires. Exceed the tires' limits and the stability system gently closes the throttle, almost imperceptibly.

The manufacturer provided this car for the purpose of evaluation.

For more on the Mini, read our 2013 Mini Paceman First Drive here.