Quadrifoglio MiTo will stir blood of any true Alfista

Make:

Saturday, August 07, 2010

There can be few more evocative motoring names than Alfa Romeo.

The Italian marque has always been a watchword for exquisite automotive design — even with workaday models — and mere mention of the brand is often enough to turn normally meek and mild men into hairy–chested, testosterone-fuelled monsters in a metamorphosis the Incredible Hulk would be proud of.

And yet, curiously, Alfistis — which is the collective Italian noun for Alfa owners — are not just men. Curiously, tThe company’s products are revered as much my women, as men, which is a unique sociological fact.

Of course, Alfa fans do accept that part of the DNA of their cars is what might be termed a ‘fragile temperament’ and a certain stoicism about the everyday wellbeing (or not) of their cars is a very necessary prerequisite of the Alfa owning experience.

This week we test the Quadrifoglio — that’s Cloverleaf to all you non-Alfa heads — performance version of the delightful MiTo. It is a very nice car and one which on looks alone will stir the blood of any true Alfista, but I am sad to say that despite true excellence in certain quarters, the overall package fails to deliver.

One of the most exciting things about this car is the 1.4 litre ‘Multi Air’ petrol engine. There are two versions of this unit, one pumping out some 136 bhp, but the one fitted here is the 170 bhp version — and what a yoke it is.

Sadly, of course, there are no ‘true’ Alfa engines any more, just those taken from the central parts bin which also feeds Fiat and Lancia, but even so this is one mighty engine for one so small.

Delivering a 7.5 second 0-100 kph time and a top speed of 219 kph, it is fantastically responsive and keen companion — and it is economic and clean as well. It will return a figure of 6l/100 km (that’s just shy of 50 mpg) over the combined cycle and it also fits into VRT band B.

All very good, then, until you hit the road. Now I have driven lesser MiTos and the ride and handling are only average at best. This machine has an adaptive suspension system — ‘Dynamic Suspension’ Alfa call it — and while it is miles removed from the crashiness of some versions, the ride and handling are still only OK.

Thus the MiTo is neither as precise or as composed as you would wish in a sporty hatch and this means that on large chunks of our glorious road network, it is a jiggy and unsettled ride.

On top of that, this is a car which is effectively only for single people or those without kids. Access to the rear seats is very awkward and the rear seats themselves are quite cramped.

The small back window is also quite hard to see out of, which is a pain in the ass when it comes to swift lane changes.

The driving seat itself is excellent and the dashboard layout is brilliant, and added to greatly by the Cloverleaf’s dials, which have white illumination and are very visually appealing. The kit levels are boosted by the car’s status and 17” alloys, rear spoiler, leather upholstery and air con. are all standard.

A fantastic looking car, then, and one fitted with a great petrol engine, but it’s sadly let down by a mediocre driving experience and minimal practicality.

The Mini, which is an even smaller car, is far better in both regards.