Watch: the new Mini Cooper SE is a 215bhp, £38k electric hot hatch

In recent years, the hot hatch has become rather rarefied. Both literally and figuratively: RS Renaults and GTi Peugeots are dead, while the likes of Audi and Mercedes chase outputs of 400bhp.

The Mini Cooper though, was always a little more grounded. And now there’s a new one!

This generation of Mini three-door hatch comes with a choice of petrol or electricity driving the front wheels, with two variants of each. Pick from Cooper C and Cooper S if you like pistons, while Cooper E and SE are the battery and motor offerings.

The Cooper SE starts at £34,500, rising to £38k if you want the butcher body of the Sport model we’re driving, and offers 215bhp, 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, and a WLTP range of nearly 250 miles.

Is it a good hot hatch? Does it still offer ‘go kart’ handling. Over to Top Gear Magazine’s Tom Ford…