Review of the new Alfa Romeo MiTo Range

The Alfa MiTo is based on rock solid underpinnings that it shares with the Vauxhall Corsa and Fiat Punto. It adds a sleek shape and some well-judged detailing inside and out plus an impressively economical engine range. Alfa Romeos used to be cars you bought with your heart not your head. Perhaps times have changed.

It's a mark of the strength of the Alfa Romeo brand that it still generates warm, fuzzy emotions in people who care about cars. That the firm has been going through a rocky patch of Himalayan proportions for a number of years is common knowledge. Profits have been tough to come by while gripes concerning reliability and dealer support haven't helped the Alfa brand's perception in the UK. Despite all this, Alfa Romeo cars are still in possession of that quality which other manufacturers would commit multiple homicide for - they make you smile. The style, the flair, the passion, it's all very much intact in the best Alfa Romeos but converting that emotional involvement into big sales is the challenge. The MiTo supermini could be the car to pull it off.

The Alfa MiTo rides on the same underpinnings as the Fiat Punto and Vauxhall's Corsa. On the one hand, this could dissuade some potential buyers from paying the premium that Alfa wants for its MiTo but on the other it might serve as reassurance of the MiTo's underlying qualities. After all, modern superminis don't come much better than the Fiat and the Vauxhall so the MiTo could do a lot worse than inheriting a little of their build quality and ergonomics. This car is built on solid, if mainstream foundations but Alfa's designers have taken steps to ensure that it looks and feels anything but run-of-the-mill.

"The market for trendy small cars has really taken off in recent years and the baby Alfa looks perfectly placed to capitalise.."

So, to what an Alfa should be about - the driving experience. This car was launched with a 78bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine to offer buyers an affordable lead-in price point (and to make MINIs look expensive) but where the MiTo really takes off is where its turbocharged MultiAir petrol models start. They offer 105, 135 and 170bhp performance but combined cycle fuel returns of around 50mpg. If you're in the 135bhp version, sixty from rest occupies only 8.4s - and only slightly longer if you go for the 6-speed TCT twin-clutch semi-automatic gearbox rather than the standard 5-speed manual. Pulling power through the gearbox - a short-shifting six-speed manual in the case of this Cloverleaf - is even better, all delivered in a manner so torquey, smooth and lag-free that you'd swear a normally aspirated six cylinder engine rather than a little turbo four lay under the bonnet.

In its own way, this car's diesel technology is almost as eye-catching, thanks to the use of clever Multijet II technology. The engineers have developed both 1.3 and 1.6-litre JTDm-2 units, with the lower-powered 95bhp 1.3 being especially impressive. Thanks to a meaty 200Nm of torque, it pulls like a train from lower speeds, with overtaking capability more potent than the 11.6s 0-60mph sprint time would suggest.

Alfa Romeos are supposed to be entertaining to drive and the MiTo seeks to underline its sporting intentions with its DNA (Dynamic - Normal - All Weather) system. The technology can adapt the MiTo's steering, throttle response and stability control according to the conditions and the driver's preferences. It can be set in Normal, Dynamic or All-Weather modes to help drivers get the most out of their vehicle. Also offered are a hill hold function and Alfa's Q2 technology that acts like a limited slip differential to divert engine torque to the wheel that has the grip to use it.

Alfa Romeos are supposed to be pretty and they're supposed to be red, very red. The MiTo is certainly available in red so a tentative tick can go in that box and you'd have to say that it's a bit of a looker as well. There is a hint of Punto about the MiTo when it's viewed in profile but the three door version of that car is regularly lauded for its clean flowing lines and the Alfa inherits these while taking things further with some neat original detailing. Around at the front, Alfa fans will be reminded of a model from the opposite end of the motoring spectrum to any Fiat - the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The MiTo has a similar nose to Alfa's 450bhp supercar with its protruding grille and teardrop headlights. Apparently, from the inception of the limited run 8C, the plan was always for elements of its striking styling treatment to find its way on to Alfa's volume-selling small car. The stylists' work has not been merely for show either. With a drag coefficient of just 0.29, the MiTo is an extremely aerodynamic vehicle.

The interior of the MiTo could well be best in the current Alfa Romeo range. It seems strongly built and the variety of racy trim materials employed to impressively up-market effect. The rear seats can accommodate two adults without much drama and the rocker switch in front of the gear lever that controls the DNA system is particularly well executed.

List figures for the three door-only range suggest that you'll pay between £12,000 and £18,000 for a petrol MiTo or between £14,000 and £17,000 for a diesel model. For a proper petrol Alfa rasp and proper Alfa performance, we'd suggest that you start your search with a 135bhp 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol model, these priced from just over £15,000. The very slowest and very fastest MiTos are slightly less expensive than their MINI counterparts but in the mid-range where most sales are made, prices are comparable, if not slightly more in the Alfa's case to reflect the extra power, space and technology on offer. If you're not into MINIs or MiTos, there are plenty of other 'warm-hatch' pretend GTi alternatives, but they don't have quite the same class.

All MiTo variants come with a healthy safety provision that includes seven airbags, anti-whiplash head restraints and hazard warning lights that flash under emergency braking, while apart from the DNA handling control system, a whole host of electronic driver aids have been built into the car. These include ABS brakes with EBD electronic brakeforce distribution to maximise their effectiveness, plus the VDC (or Vehicle Dynamic Control) stability system, which along with ASR anti-skid control and CBC Cornering Brake Control, will help you out in slippery conditions or if you enter a corner too fast. Air conditioning is standard, as is a decent quality MP3-compatible CD stereo and electric front windows.

The Mito's Euro 5 engines are an efficient bunch, aided by standard Start&Stop technology across the range that cuts the engine in traffic or at the lights to save fuel. This is just one of the reasons why NOx emissions are down a whopping 60% on MultiAir models. The star performer though from an economy perspective is predictably the 1.3-litre JTDm-2 diesel from which buyers can expect close to 65.7mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of just 112g/km.

The feisty 135bhp 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged petrol engine I'm driving here will return 50.4mpg on the combined cycle while producing emissions of 129g/km, which is a highly impressive showing considering its performance potential. A Gear Shift Indicator on the dash should help everyday drivers get somewhere near those figures on a regular basis. And insurance? Well, unless you're looking for something faster than the 135bhp 1.4 MultiAir petrol variant, your grouping will be between 8 and 18 on the 1-50 groupings scale. Residual values will be better than those of mainstream rivals.

The MiTo is a massively important car for Alfa Romeo but the manufacturer hasn't rushed into the potentially lucrative small car sector unprepared. The MiTo runs on mechanicals that are shared with two of the very best supermini products out there and with that all important touch of Alfa style added into its mix, there's every chance that the MiTo can succeed.

Striking looks based on those of an exclusive 450bhp supercar, solid build quality, advanced engines and all that Alfa Romeo heritage to yank on the heartstrings of the buying public: the Mito would appear to have the ingredients it needs to succeed. The market for trendy small cars has really taken off in recent years and the baby Alfa looks perfectly placed to capitalise.

TOP 5 ALFA ROMEO DEALS

The results below show the top ALFA ROMEO deals on buyacar

Alfa Romeo Mito 1.6 JTDM Veloce 3dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £12,050 Read Mito Reviews	Save
Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 TB MultiAir Quadrifoglio Verde 3dr Hatchback
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Alfa Romeo Mito 1.6 JTDM-2 Distinctive 3dr [Start Stop] Diesel Hatchback
Price £15,646 Read Mito Reviews	Save £1,004
Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 TB MultiAir 135 Distinctive 3dr Hatchback
Price £15,016 Read Mito Reviews	Save £934
Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 8V Progression 3dr Hatchback
Price £11,686 Read Mito Reviews	Save £564
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