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| Launch Report Alfa Romeo MiTo |
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Fighting The MINI
The MiTo is a small three-door hatchback, but if you start comparing it with other family cars of that type you're going down the wrong track. It offers very little in the way of peaceful driving, it's rather cramped in the rear, and although the luggage volume is quite generous at 270 litres you have to heave anything you want to put in the boot over what must be the highest sill in the sector. It's more advisable to think of the MiTo as a compact sports model, and if you want a direct rival then Alfa Romeo would like you to think in terms of MINI. This is a tough assignment, since MINI has become a phenomenon within the motor industry, and the MiTo, being a brand new design, does not have any of the same references to a much-loved older car that MINI does (though if you park one of those beside a classic Mini you'll see that there is much less resemblance than you think there is).
If the MiTo is to be a true MINI challenger it has to appeal to the emotions of onlookers in a big way, and at the very least it also has to have exceptional driving characteristics. You can decide for yourself if the first part of that sentence rings true; in driving terms the MiTo does not have quite the sharpness of a MINI, but it's certainly a lot of fun. It's worth mentioning at this point that the only MiTos which have been made available to the press to drive on UK roads so far have been in the range-topping Veloce trim. Mechanically this makes little difference except that the Veloces are fitted with the largest wheels (17") and lowest-profile tyres (45 section) in the range. The way the suspension has been set up it seems clear that no MiTo will have what you might call a restful ride, but the Veloce is particularly active over even the smallest bumps. In return for this sense of urgency (which, in all honesty, seems appropriate for a small Italian sports car) you get absolutely hilarious handling. There is a lot of grip - but not so much that it deadens the driving experience - and a very fine balance which means that even when you're going hard there's no reason for you to feel that either the front or the rear is about to give up and lead you into understeer or oversteer respectively. On really challenging country roads the MiTo is just a blast to drive.
That applies in the case of the two engines I've tried. The MiTo is actually available with five - 95bhp, 120bhp and 155bhp versions of the same 1.4-litre petrol unit and 90bhp 1.3-litre and 120bhp 1.6 diesels. The most powerful of the petrol and diesel variants both work very well, though if I had a choice of the two and my heart ruled my head I would probably go for the petrol, simply on the basis that it sounds better. Noise legislation means that hot Alfa four-cylinder petrol engines are no longer as gut-twisting to listen to as they used to be, but there's still a very satisfying gurgle which acts as a reminder of the glory days. But the diesel doesn't sound bad either, it's (incredibly) slightly cheaper to buy, it's much more economical, and despite that 35bhp disadvantage in maximum power its superior mid-range ability means that it hardly feels any slower. Swap the balance of power between heart and head and this immediately becomes the one to go for.
Although I've said that the MiTo doesn't give a calm driving experience, I should also point out that all versions have a very useful device called DNA. The letters stand for Dynamic, Normal and All Weather, and they represent the three modes of throttle and steering response and suspension stiffness. I've not always been impressed by systems like this in the past, but Alfa Romeo has done a very good job here: at the press of a switch you can turn the MiTo from a car which makes excellent work of deserted back roads into one which feels much more suited to towns or motorways or whatever, and then another press immediately makes it ready for more of the fun stuff. The interior looks quite interesting but some of the materials feel very cheap, and the frameless door windows occasionally rattle alarmingly when the doors are being opened or shut, so there's no great feeling of quality (though in fairness the MiTo is not very expensive, costing between £10,745 for the 95bhp 1.4 Turismo and £14,745 for the 155bhp 1.4 Veloce).
On a more positive note, the MiTo seems to be pretty safe, having been given the full five stars for adult occupant protection by Euro NCAP. It scored three out of five for child protection (losing points mostly for insufficient information on safety features) and just two out of five for pedestrian protection, but it was also one of the most impressive cars in Euro NCAP's first round of whiplash tests conducted late last year, being one of just five out of 25 to be given the maximum "good" rating. |
