Listen, there are few surprises with the MINI Cooper. It is a compact. Is it the best of the compacts? Probably not. The Ford Escape, the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Focus, the Nissan Juke and the Volkswagen GTI are all probably superior in one way or another over the MINI Cooper.
But…..
With the 2015 MINI Cooper, you get unique. With the 2015 MINI Cooper, you get great handling, exceptional steering and some of the best turbocharged engines in the game. You get great fuel economy and you get the greatest funk for your dollar that can be found in the auto world.
Very few changes were made to the 2015 MINI Cooper Paceman. It comes in a two-door hatchback and it comes as a hardtop. It is basically a two-door version of the Countryman crossover. It is about ten inches longer than the hatchback which means considerably more room for passengers in the back.
The base model Paceman comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, heated mirrors, automatic wipers, automatic climate control, six-way adjustable front seats, leatherette upholstery, cruise control, push-button ignition and much, much more. In fact, the list of standard features on the MINI Paceman is quite impressive.
The base version comes with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine good for 121 horsepower, and it can be matched with either a six-speed manual transmission or the optional six-speed automatic transmission. The Paceman goes from 0-60 in a subpar 9.7 seconds, but EPA estimates have it at 30 mpg combined. If you want more power go with the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 181 horsepower. That increases speed in the 0-60 test to 7.2 seconds, a much better figure.
Safety comes with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and front passenger knee airbag. Rear parking sensors are optional.
Is the Paceman the best compact on the market? Definitely not! Is it one of the most enjoyable rides in the compact market? Most definitely, YES!
MINI Cooper has been in the States for a few years now, so finding replacement parts for your Cooper is as easy as a trip to the dealership or auto parts store….or….keep a discerning eye peeled to new arrivals at your local salvage yard. Places like All Import Auto Parts will occasionally have a MINI on its yard, and when it does, those replacement parts are well-worth buying at a price you’ll never see at an auto parts store.