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Alfa's first supermini targets at Mini
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After
Brera, this is another Alfa Romeo named after a place - well, two
places actually - Milan (where the car is designed) and Torino (or
Turin, where it is produced). MiTo is Alfa Romeo's first entry into the
B-segment, a class including its target rival Mini and its platform
donor Fiat Grande Punto, among others. This is a big market segment
that Alfa Romeo used to omit. Expanding to this segment will get at
least 70,000 additional orders a year and help Alfa meeting its sales
target of 300,000 units by 2010, provided it won't steal sales from the
aging 147.
Although Fiat Grande Punto provides a solid basis for MiTo, Alfa still
needed to differentiate itself from the bread-and-butter Fiat. A great
design certainly helps. Alfa Romeo design center did a great job to
style the MiTo like a supermini version of its 8C Competizione
supercar. Look at those flowing surfaces and the dramatic front end
design elements (which apparently link to the classic Giulietta Sprint
and Zagato), or the jewel effect headlamps and taillights, who can
resist its temptation ? Especially in red, the MiTo delivers greater
visual impact than any other cars in the supermini segment.
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A supermini version of 8C Competizione
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Inside, the cabin
design is less special, although material quality, fit and finish seems
a good match to Mini. You can opt for a carbon-fiber-like dash trimming
and great-looking leather seats. As expected, the rear seat is a little
cramped by class standard and the boot is small.
The baby Alfa shares many underpinnings and identical wheelbase with
Grande Punto, but there are also a lot of enhancement. Its smooth
bodyshell returns a lower drag coefficient (0.29 vs 0.31). It has 10 mm
wider tracks and a lower roof to enhance maneuverability. Its
suspensions employ stiffer springs and new dampers incorporating
rebound springs for better control. Its steering has faster ratio. Its
brakes are uprated.
Then there are countless of electronic driving aids: VDC stability
control, ASR traction control, Q2 electronic brake differential (which
applies braking on individual front wheels to simulate the effect of
LSD), DST dynamic steering torque (which applies assisting torque to
the steering wheel to help correcting under/oversteer)... Above them is
an integrated control system interestingly called "DNA", which offers 3
driving modes (Dynamic, Normal and All-weather) for the driver to
select. Each mode alters the setting of the aforementioned electronic
driving aids as well as throttle response, steering assistance and
overboost function to the turbocharged engine. It sounds very upmarket.
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Material quality, fit and finish seems
a good match to Mini...
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As in other Fiat
models, MiTo offers a wide range of competitive engines - 78hp 1.4 8V,
95hp 1.4 16V, 120hp 1.4 turbo and 155hp 1.4 turbo petrol, 90hp 1.3JTDM
and 120hp 1.6JTDM diesel. Our pick of the range is certainly the 155hp
1.4-liter turbo. It is the same as the one employed by Grande Punto
Abarth. Maximum torque of 152 lb-ft is reached at only 2000 rpm,
boosting real-world performance as well as fuel economy. Should you
need more, switch the DNA control to Dynamic mode and you will have an
overboost to 170 lb-ft some 1000 rpm later. It takes only 7.6 seconds
to go from 0-60 mph. (If that is still not enough, then you will have
to wait for the GTA version, whose 1.8-liter turbo engine employs an
innovative continuous variable valve lift to achieve a fearsome 230
horsepower)
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Remarkable dynamics except the
steering...
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On the road, the 1.4
turbocharged engine is excellent, being punchy from the mid-range and
willing at the top end. The MiTo feels quick and lively. Its handling
is also competent - grippy, little body roll, resistant to understeer
and good brakes. Ride quality and refinement is good except over big
bumps. Everything meets our expectation for a modern sporty premium
hatchback... except the steering, which is a big let down. Fiat group's
electrical power steering has never been famous for communication. Now
further complicated by the DST - like BMW's notorious Active Steer -
and DNA, the steering gets even more wooden. There is virtually no feel
in straight ahead position, and barely the slightest feel at lock.
Sadly, the baby Alfa could have shot to the top spot of our supermini
chart, but this poor steering setup ruined the chance.
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