Alfa hot hatches priced from 20,210

Prices have been announced for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Mito Quadrifoglio Verde hot hatches, which will go on sale in the summer.

What are they?

These are the range-topping versions of Alfa Romeo’s stylish hatchbacks. The company has launched the cars to mark 90 years since the first Quadrifoglio Verde (or QV) badge appeared on an Alfa.

How good are the rivals?

Alfa’s Giulietta is normally a rival for the likes of the Audi A3 Sportback and BMW 1 Series. In QV form though, it’s going head to head with the VW Golf GTI and Renaultsport Megane 265. The latter is still our favourite hardcore hot hatch, while the Golf is a performance car you can use every day.

The Mito QV has even tougher competition, because it’s a rival for the Ford Fiesta ST - our reigning hot hatch champion. Other competition includes the Renault Clio RS 200 and the new Mini Cooper S - both of which are cheaper than the Alfa.

What engines can I choose from?

Choose the Giulietta QV and you get the same engine and gearbox combination as in the Alfa Romeo 4C sports car. That means a 237bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol and a six-speed dual clutch transmission. It covers the 0-62mph sprint in 6.0 seconds, emits 162g/km of CO2 and has average economy of around 40mpg.

The Mito QV has a 1.4-litre turbo petrol that produces up to 168bhp. It gets the same six-speed dual-clutch gearbox with paddle shifters, and will do 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds. Fuel economy is up to 52.3mpg and CO2 emissions are 124g/km.

What equipment do they come with?

Leather and Alcantara upholstery, DAB digital radio, 6.5-inch touch-screen sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors and 18-inch alloy wheels are standard on the Giulietta QV. The limited-run Launch Edition model also has a carbonfibre rear spoiler and mirror covers, front air dam and rear diffuser, and the option of unique Magnesio Grey paint.

Go for the Mito QV and you get adaptive suspension, 18-inch alloys, a carbonfibre-effect dashboard, leather-trimmed gear and handbrake levers, and a 5.0-inch infotainment system with sat-nav, DAB digital radio and Bluetooth.

How much will they cost?

The Giulietta QV starts at £28,120, but you’ll have to stump up £30,280 if you want one of the limited-edition launch cars. You’ll also have to be quick: only 100 are coming to the UK. This makes the Giulietta more expensive than the Golf GTI and Megane RS, but cheaper than a Golf R or Audi S3.

The Mito QV costs £20,210, which makes it more expensive than all of its rivals - although you'll almost certainly get a hefty discount.

Both cars go on sale in the summer, with the first UK deliveries expected later in the year.