ALFA ROMEO MITO HATCHBACK REVIEW

My car

I've owned two of these mainly due to the poor quality of the first vehicle , the multiair engine isn't what you would call efficient to say the least . I usually get 30mpg in N mode which is the fuel effiecient mode extra urban which isn't good for a 1.4cc vehicle . Other than that the gearboxes are clunky and often just refuses to change into first or reverse without double de-clutching and even then its an effort , sometimes it doesn't go in at all and you revert to 2nd gear . Paint quality is poor and expect lots of paint chips to the rear arches especially if you have Alfa red , trim quality isn't that bad but expect the odd electrical gremlin . My climate control fails quite regularly and also I've had the rear spoiler fall off , back brakes lock on causing the discs to go a lovely shade of blue and many others issues . The dealers are also a big issue as the two locally don't like to do that many repairs and most things are quoted as a characteristic when they don't work . Expect to be told that you shouldn't expect Japanese build quality from an Italian car and that any gearbox issues don't exist . I could go on listing the negatives but on its day its a very practical decent little hot hat . They have looks to die for especially with the 18 inch alloy and in D mode the turbo performs excellently and no other small engine will provide this much mid range torque . Its a shame that Alfa's usual quality and dealership service issues make the vehicle a nightmare to own.

My car

I've owned the Mito since 2009 and it has been the best car that I've ever driven! I also own a MINI Cooper and even though I love that also - I prefer to drive the Mito! We specced ours with the red leather interior and this adds to the already luxurious interior. It's well built and just a very salubrious place to be. The Blue & Me is a great feature and the USB reader and DNA driving system are all useful features that I utilise to enhance my driving experience.

The drive is very good, although not as "go-kart" like as the MINI. The space inside is better than the MINI - the boot is considerably larger.

2 years on I still get comments about the Mito and it still turns head - just makes each journey feel special.

I'd consider owning one again!

My car

I own the 1.4 135BHP Multiair TCT Mito Sprint. Personally, What Car's review is over critical of a great small car. This car is well specc'd with cruise control, air con, Bluetooth hands free, sports trim, Leather steering wheel with controls, MP3 compatibility, Heated Mirrors, Auto Lights, onboard computer, Alloys. The car is practical (i have 2 small dogs that fit in the boot, the space is better than the A1 (which is very basic), it is very well built and the layout is functional with a bit of Italian Finesse. On the road there is hardly any wind noise until you get over 100mph, it is very pacey, the auto box is very very good indeed and the it is fun to drive. It IS a little on the firm side and the ride height is quite low. I have covered 2500 miles since the 11 plate came out 29 days ago and the only problem I have had was when I first got it. The AA had to come out after the engine management light came on. This was due to a sensor in the exhaust picking up changes in CO2, it has not happened since. The build quality is comparable with BMW and AUDI and VW that I have all owned in the past 5 years. Infact the BMW 1 Series Convertible my Fiancé has is not built as well as this. If you want something different to a MINI, Practical, good to drive, well Specc'd and well built - this is the car for you. Don't let the ALFA history put you off, things have moved on. I looked at a Polo, an A1, a Fiesta, A Clio, Mini, C3, Punto - nothing came close for the money.

My car

Had the car for seven months and could not be more pleased.No and I repeat no faults in the several thousand miles done.Build quality really is good.Early cars were said to have a hard ride but later ones (like ours) has revised suspension settings and it is fine.Better than the Mini One it replaced and much more fun and grown up. The interior is typical Alfa with nice styling touches.We use the DNA switch all the time as it tightens up the suspension and steering.Fuel consumption is 38 to 40 mpg over mix of country roads and town.