FIRST DRIVE: New Mini Cooper SE – 215bhp, £38k 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… Subscribe to Top Gear for more videos: WATCH MORE TOP GEAR: First Looks:   Fir