Alfa Romeo MiTo review (2008 onwards)

What – Alfa MiTo 1.4T Veloce
Where – Italy
Price – £tbc
Available – early 2009
Key rivals – Mini, Renault Clio Sport, Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Summary

Bold new design brings Alfa back to the small car market

Likes: stimulating design, classy interior, great 1.4 turbo engine
Dislikes: steering off the mark, lack of space in the rear, is the dealer network up to speed?

Read more Alfa Romeo car reviews

First impressions

The newest car from the stable since the 8C Competizione, the MiTo is Alfa's first really small car since the Alfasud. But it can be hard sometimes to understand Alfa's logic. For this most sporting of the mainstream Fiat brands (and we must exclude Ferrari here) building a supermini seems like an anachronism.But look back in time and Alfa had a great deal of success with small cars. The Alfasud was a shock back in 1971 but its compact size and fantastic chassis made it a driver's dream. It also self-destructed from rust, which was Alfa's weak point back then.

Corrosion is no longer an issue with Alfas, indeed, the company went overboard to build solid cars. But there are still issues. Which? rates Alfa Romeo brand reliability as 'very poor' and customer satisfaction with the dealer network has never been up to the standards one would expect.So this new MiTo has something to prove. Like all Alfa's it looks great, stunning even. We'll have to wait until early next year for the MiTo to arrive in the UK; by then there will be three petrol and two diesel engines on offer, with an insanely fast GTA version to follow.

Performance

Alfa Romeo insists the MiTo is a sports car so we'll concentrate on the 1.4 Turbo. It puts down 155bhp, which is good if not exceptional, and that proves to be the case on the road. It's fast, but not Cooper S, Clio 197 fast. It's not helped by the feeling of being a little insulated from the action.But there is a button that helps. Switch from Normal to Dynamic mode and the throttle response gets sharper and, for a moment or two, there's extra boost from the turbo. It's enough to scrabble to 60 mph in eight seconds, which is quick for a supermini. And the turbocharger means mid-range thump is strong.

Ride and handling

Deep, deep, beneath the skin of the MiTo is a Fiat Grande Punto. You need to know that, because people will talk. But you can also tell them that the important bits, like the steering, brakes and suspension, have been completely revised for the Alfa. Then there is Alfa's all-new 'D.N.A.'This D.N.A. system acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox, to give three different vehicle behaviour modes according to mood or conditions. Dynamic, as mentioned above, is the sporting mode, with Normal aimed at town driving and the All Weather setting for, well, you've already guessed.

Then there is another factor, the Q2 Electronic limited-slip 'differential'. It's not a differential at all but it has a similar final result, by braking the inner wheel in a corner as it lightens up and starts to lose grip. The effect is to transfer power to the outer wheel and increase cornering speeds.Finally DST or Dynamic Steering Torque, which can apply a slight corrective force to the steering in very specific circumstances. But is it fun to drive? Well the MiTo has a nice six-speed gearbox and great brakes. It grips really well through the corners too, but that steering is an acquired taste we didn't warm to.

Interior

Inside the MiTo is packed with showroom appeal. There simply isn't another supermini on the market that lives up to the class of the seating and instrumentation, Mini included. Sure there are many that drop in a set of Recaros, but this is sportiness with a different angle.The MiTo is reasonably quiet and decently comfortable, as long as you don't want to get in the back. While it measures over four metres in length, there are plenty of shorter superminis that offer more interior room and more luggage space. It's typically Alfa that it hasn't bothered making rear seats that will fold down completely flat.

Economy and safety

Alfa's avowed aim is to get maximum Euro NCAP stars for the MiTo, and with seven airbags and anti-whiplash head restraints as standard, it is making the right moves. VDC stability control will be standard too and the Grande Punto on which it is based is a five-star car in its own right.So what about economy? This 1.4 Turbo averages 43.4mpg according the statutory figures, not much worse than the non-turbo version, although the diesel does a creditable 58.8mpg. Alfa has done a fine job on keeping the CO2 levels in check too. The 1.4 Turbo produces just 153 g/km.

The MSN Cars verdict: 4/5

The time is right for the Alfa MiTo. Here we have a small car with unsurpassed desirability. The only cars that compare are the Mini and top-of-the-range tricked-up Clios and Corsas, but the latter suffer because most versions are simply souped up standard hatchbacks.The MiTo may not be the sports car that Alfa desires, but it does have a unique appeal. Now all Alfa Romeo needs to do is get the UK pricing right, sharpen up its dealers and make sure the MiTo is more reliable than current Alfas. Can it be done?

Read more Alfa Romeo car reviews

Ratings out of five: Alfa Romeo MiTo
Performance****
Ride & handling****
Interior****
Safety****
Price***
Practicality***
Fuel economy****
MSN Cars verdict****

Need to know
Petrol engines1.4, 1.4 Turbo
Diesel engines1.6
Power (bhp)78 - 155
Torque (lb/ft)92 - 236
0-62 (secs)12.3 – 8.0
Top speed (mph)103 – 134

Combined mpg58.8 – 43.4
CO2/tax126g/km/18% – 153g/km/17%

Also consider

Mini Cooper
Renault Clio 197
Vauxhall Corsa VXR
Ford Fiesta ST