• Wide range of punchy engines
• Only petrol from new, no diesels
• All turbocharged and economical

There aren’t any bad options when it comes to picking an engine for your new MINI, as the range of frugal and flexible turbocharged petrol engines on offer are very good. Diesels, however, were dropped in their entirety in 2018.

Petrol engines

Choose the entry-level MINI One and power will come from a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with 102hp and 190Nm of torque, the latter of which is available from just 1,380rpm. It’s a sprightly performer, topping 120mph and reaching 62mph in 10.3 seconds.

Opt for the Cooper, with its 136hp 1.5-litre three-cylinder motor, and you’ll net yourself a capable and sporty performer. Thanks in part to 220Nm of torque from just 1,480rpm, it’ll sprint from 0-62mph in just 8.2 seconds (8.1 with an automatic gearbox) before going onto a top speed of 130mph. It’s the best blend of price, pace and parsimony making it our pick.

Topping the standard petrol range is the four-cylinder, 2.0-litre Cooper S. Packing 178hp and 280Nm – from just 1,500rpm – into a small car is always going to produce rapid results: the MINI will accelerate from 0-62mph in as little as 6.6 seconds before achieving a top speed of 146mph. It’s quick, and feels suitably eager and fun on the road. Pre-2018 models have a bit more power, but aren’t any faster officially.

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Topping everything off is the John Cooper Works (JCW). It features the same 2.0-litre turbo engine as the regular Cooper S, but it’s tuned to produce 231hp, meaning its 0-62mph falls to 6.3 seconds in manual form, making for a real little pocket rocket. Its top speed is 153mph.

What’s it like to drive?

• The MINI is great fun to drive
• Manages to be pretty comfortable, too
• Steering is sharp and responsive

A significant selling point for the car is how well it handles compared with the competition. But despite being fun to drive, there’s no escaping the fact it’s also mature with great comfort and refinement.

The suspension set-up promotes both agility and responsiveness. It’s nimble and accurate, yet also very refined. The ride comfort, especially on smaller wheels is compliant, while on larger rims (up to 18 inches) it’s noticeably firmer without feeling like it crashes over every bump and undulation.

Drive the Cooper S and those sensations are amplified further – it’s noticeably stiffer than the mid-spec Cooper but again feels like a larger, better engineered sports hatchback rather than a light and chuckable MINI of old.

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Some may lament the steering, though. It’s sharp and accurate and, when switching off the traction control, the MINI remains very precise when cornering and grips with impressive tenacity. But although the steering weights up progressively, it’s not as communicative as enthusiastic drivers may hope for.

Indeed, while the One and Cooper are fun little hatches, there are better options than the Cooper S and JCW if you want an out and out hot hatch. If you can forgo a few squishy plastics and don’t need a great deal of space, the Toyota GR Yaris is far more fun and a similar price to a well-specced MINI.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is available as an option on the One, Cooper and Cooper S. A sports automatic version of this is available on the Cooper S and Exclusive models, which adds paddle shifters on the steering wheel. It’s a slick and responsive gearbox, with very little jerkiness sent through the car – like you’d sometimes experience in one of the VW Group’s DSG-equipped cars.

Pick a new John Cooper Works or a used Cooper SD with an automatic gearbox and you’ll get an eight-speed transmission, not a dual-clutch like the other models.