Search: More on the Alfa Romeo Mito
Price: £13,681 (Lusso) - £14,484 (Veloce)On sale: Now
0-62mph: 9.9 seconds; top speed 123mph
Average fuel: 58.9mpg
Standard equipment: Electric windows, air-conditioning, carbon fibre-look dash, front, side, window and driver's knee airbags, power-operated and heated door mirrors and LED rear lights, ABS, EBD, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Anti-slip regulation, cornering brake control, dynamic steering torque, hill-holder, electronic differential lock, dynamic, normal and all-weather driving modes, follow-me-home lights, trip computer, single-CD radio with MP3 reader.
Alfa's brave new hope?
Mused over in Milan and hammered together in Turin, the new MiTo is Alfa's big hope for an economic handbrake turn. With sales skidding 19% off track last year, this Fiat Grand Punto-based Alfa could well be the cavalry: after all, it's the inheritor to the legendary Alfa Sud badge.
The Alfa 8C Competizione looks certainly guarantee the MiTo won't go unnoticed. But crucial to any Mito-driven success will be this specific model: a 1.6-litre diesel option that can average 58.9mpg yet deliver thrills aplenty, thanks to the 120bhp on tap and acceleration that slices past the 62mph barrier in just under ten seconds.
This Mito is groomed to go head to head against BMW's MINI, with the top-choice 1.6 JTDm Veloce trim emerging, at £14,484, a clear £300 cheaper than the Cooper D. The cheaper Lusso-spec version costs £13,681 and both models have electric windows, air-conditioning, a carbon fibre-look dash, front, side, window and driver's knee airbags, power-operated and heated door mirrors and LED rear lights.
Alfa's sporty diesel DNA
They also both have Alfa's new DNA system, a dynamic control switch toggle which lies next to the gearstick - and for those of you who like their driving to be hyper-interactive, this is quite a treat: in everyday traffic, you'll leave the setting at N for 'normal', but an open road, ideally with a few twists, provides the opportunity to switch to D for 'dynamic'. The change is subtle, but it instructs the Vehicle Dynamic Control and the Dynamic Steering Torque to stand down from the helm for a while, while simultaneously asking the Q2 Electronic system to watch out for any need to redistribute torque.
Dynamic mode also injects more edge to the steering by reducing power assistance, while the engine's overboost facility is brought into play, for an extra reach of torque. The DNA button thus prodded, Dynamic activation spells the sudden release of an inner terrier. It bites in - and feels as willing to relinquish grip as a sex-starved mollusc.
The 'A' setting, in case you're wondering, is for all-weather driving - should ice or snow dare to disjoint any of the tyres, it's on hand to accentuate traction control.
An engaging drive
Overall, the diesel MiTo is certainly an engaging machine, as you might expect from an Alfa. Engine tone is a little gruff (though not unpleasantly so), but it is quick to deliver large dollops of torque - peak availability being at just 1,750rpm, so those six-gears don't need to be exactly overworked to derive a rewarding performance. At the finish line, it's a touch slower than the 155bhp petrol, though it feels zesty enough.
How does the Mito stack up against the MINI Cooper D?
So how does the MiTo emerge kit-wise against the MINI? Alfa reckons the Veloce, the optimum model, comes out £300 cheaper than the Cooper D. As you might expect, the deal includes the fog lights, chrome exhaust pipes, lumbar support and 16" alloys you'd also get with the mid-spec Lusso, though this price also buys larger 17-inch alloys, Blue&Me Bluetooth and voice recognition. Over at the MINI dealership, a set of 16" alloys would set you back a further £500.
Economically, the 120bhp 1.6 diesel Mito averages 58.9mpg, which is impressive, but somewhat slack against the Mini Cooper D's 72.4mpg. For CO2 output, the Mito averages 126g/km, so it falls into VED Band C, which is disappointing for its size. However, a stop/start ignition system as part of a greener package on imminent versions should ensure the MiTo makes it into Band B - and the 1.3 option, here later this summer will qualify for Band B with just 119g.
Scope for personalisation
Finally, a range of custom options ensures the scope for personalising your MiTo is infinite. Among the most bold choices are roof, side and bonnet logo graphics, which include enlarged details of the iconic Alfa Romeo logo and a Cloverleaf option, as well as bonnet stripes. All are available in white or black, depending on body colour, and for a more retro look there's the option to have the roof finished in black. MINI drivers may well feel flattered.
