The new MINI Paceman will soon be available to UK motorists, but what kind of driver will want this difficult-to-categorize addition to the MINI range?
Back in 1959 when the original Mini was born, the word 'mini' actually meant something. Today, BMW appears to be stretching the term to its limits, especially after the extended MINI Countryman, and now the shorter MINI Paceman – both built in Graz, Austria.
The official bumph from MINI calls it a "Sports Activity Coupé in the premium small and compact segment" which will enlighten very few of us. Critics suggest that the 'sports coupé' label flounders when one tries to take a corner in the way that a sports coupé should. And the main controls, point out nay-sayers, are too touchy to gain the Paceman genuine SUV status.
This arguably places it in a niche of its own making, and one that might not be of interest to even the most loyal MINI fans. The build quality and the drivetrain are impressive for sure, but some argue that these things can be found in prettier and more practical predecessors.
Overall, a good, solid, dependable car that won't have you too worried about finding reliable breakdown cover; you probably won't need any. But this Austrian-built MINI has very little over its Oxford-built siblings, and loses out on the charm count.
The Mini Paceman Cooper S starts at £22,355.
Breakdown Cover from 
