Alfa Romeo Reviews

But traditionalists will tell you that the folding metal hard-tops that have become fashionable recently aren't worthy of consideration. The folding metal hard-tops boast of being the best of both worlds but the folding roof takes up what little cargo space is on offer in these sports machines, not to mention adding weight - the enemy of true performance.Anyone who grew up with traditional sports cars will - once the rose-coloured glasses are removed - recall leaks, draughts, opaque plastic windows and fussy installation and removal. Modern fabric hoods are becoming much sturdier and are better insulated for noise and the elements, so much so that the snowballing trend of folding metal roofs has slowed.The open-air thrills of a convertible need not be pinned to a property-sized pricetag, with plenty of open-topped opportunities available for less. We look at five of the best here.MAZDA MX-5The designers of Mazda's MX-5 looked long and hard at the original Lotus Elan before embarking on the Japanese sports car that is now a modern classic and record holder for global sales. The true spiritual successor to such cars as the Austin Healey Sprite and the MG B - the lightweight, nimble, open-topped, rear-wheel-drive sporty - has maintained its focus on remaining true to the vehicles that inspired it.Only recently has the company strayed from its traditional path and offered a folding hard-top in the MX-5, thankfully without removing the cloth-topped variant from its range. All the vital items are here: airconditioning, cruise control, dual front and side airbags, stability and traction control, plus drilled aluminium pedals, sports leather seats and steering wheel, a Bose sound system, a torque-sensing limited slip differential and a six-speed manual gearbox with a rifle-bolt action. Enough said.Price: From $44,265Engine: Two-litre 16-valve four-cylinderTransmission: Six-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel drivePower: 118kW @ 7000rpm.Torque: 188Nm @ 5000rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 7.6 secondsFuel consumption: 8.1litres/100km, tank 50 litresWheels: 17-in alloys.ALFA ROMEO SPIDERAlfa Romeo's Spider is a convertible steeped in tradition. The current Spider is the latest in a long line of Alfa drop-tops, perhaps the most famous being the little Italian sports car that featured in The Graduate. The Italian marque has rarely put a foot wrong when it comes to styling its convertibles - some of its sedans were questionable to say the least - but the design talent of the artisans at Alfa Romeo, Giugiaro and Pininfarina all had hands in this rag-top.While there is a V6 on offer the 2.2-litre 16-valve four-cylinder is lighter and therefore less prone to affecting the front-wheel drive's cornering prowess. The features list for the 2.2 includes dual front, side and driver's knee airbag, six-speaker CD sound system, a full electric roof, trip computer and leather trim. The 2.2 JTS also comes standard with anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control and hill-holding functions.Price: From $69,990Engine: 2.2-litre 16-valve four-cylinder, front-wheel driveTransmission: Six-speed manual or Selespeed automaticPower: 136kW @ 6500rpmTorque: 230Nm @ 4500rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 9 secondsTop speed: 220km/hFuel consumption: 9.5litres/100km, tank 70 litresWheels: 18-in alloys.BMW 135i CONVERTIBLEThe BMW brand's littlest machine (before dropping into the Mini model range) is the 135i Convertible. The littlest Beemer is by no means a dud, particularly if the wallet extends to the 135i Convertible's $82,000-plus asking price.One of the most spirited rides within the BMW range, the rear-wheel drive, twin-turbo six-cylinder punches well above its apparent station in life, with the drivetrain offering unfussed cruising or giant-killing ability. It might look like a bit of a hairdresser's car but dropping the roof and stretching its legs will do little for the 'do.Price: From $82,200Engine: Three-litre twin-turbo 24-valve six-cylinderTransmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed double-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drivePower: 225kW @ 5800rpmTorque: 400Nm @ 1200rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 5.6 secondsTop speed: 250km/h (governed)Fuel consumption: 8.6 litres/100km, tank 53 litresWheels: 18-in alloys.MINI COOPER S CABRIOLETAnother one from the BMW stable of products that can make a mess of a hairstyle in the best possible way is the Mini Cooper S Cabrio. It has features like climate control airconditioning that has a Cabrio mode, a MP3/USB port-compatible sound system, pop-up roll bars, cloth/leather trim and a split-folding rear seat to improve cargo space.The brattish upstart of the Cabrio market, which can now run in targa-top or full Cabrio mode, is powered by a 128kW/240Nm 1.6-litre, turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder engine, enough to whip it to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds. But more gentle throttle applications can see fuel consumption as low as the official figure of 7.2 litres per 100km.Price: From $48,000Engine: 1.6-litre 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: Six-speed manual or automatic, front-wheel drivePower: 128kW @ 5500rpmTorque: 240Nm @ 1600rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 7.4 secondsTop speed: 222km/hFuel consumption: 7.2 litres/100km, tank 50 litresWheels: 16in alloys.AUDI TT ROADSTERAudi's TT Roadster is a sharper-looking machine than its predecessor and it has plenty going for it. There's a range of TT Roadsters on offer, starting with the front-wheel drive, two-litre turbo, a mid-spec model with the same engine and all-wheel drive or the highly-entertaining TT S at a tickle more than $100,000.All are entertaining little sports cars to drive - with the nippy front-wheel drive two-litre a worthy machine for a leisurely drive in the country. The TT S is also a smile-inducing drop-top but a leisurely pace, while easily achieved, is not its forte.Price: From $78,000Engine: Two-litre 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: Six-speed double-clutch automatic, front-wheel or all-wheel drivePower: 147kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 280Nm @ 1800rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 6.5 secondsTop speed: 237km/hFuel consumption: 7.8 litres/100km, tank 55 litresWheels: 17-in alloys.

In its 100th year, Alfa Romeo has revived the once famous Quadrifoglio Verde badge (four leaf clover comes closest in English - or just QV) and slapped it on its MiTo super-mini.That's a nice acknowledgement of history from a marque whose "sporting heart'' reputation has from too long been the stuff of the past rather than the present. The fun but flawed MiTo is a case in point, but the new version in the re-priced line-up points to a promising immediate future for Alfa, not so much because of the badge, but what lurks beneath the bonnet.VALUEThe QV is $34,990, nearly $3000 less than the now deleted MiTo Sport. The entry model kicks off from $29,990.  While that's done mainly to make room for a forthcoming 135bhp MiTo, the first fitted with the Fiat groups's TCT twin-clutch automated transmission), it means that in the QV you get a more powerful car than the Sport for less money.The QV gets dual-zone aircon, lumbar control in the front seats, adjustable headlights and automatic windscreen wipers. Wing mirrors, headlights and tail-light surrounds have a titanium finish, the inside is faux-carbon fibre. The parking sensor is crucial.  The question of value hinges on the store you set by that badge and whether you're up with the idea of a premium small car.TECHNOLOGYUsing a combination of turbo induction and precise electro-hydraulic valvetrain control, the QV's 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine packs 125kW and 250Nm for a 7.5 second 0-100km/h time.  But maximum output is conditional on the DNA switch being in Dynamic mode. In Normal, it manages 230Nm, though it hardly feel it. There's also an all-weather mode which might be useful in an alpine blizzard.So why bother with a switchable system to control suspension and output at all? Because the all-important (in terms of Europe's tax regime) consumption and emission figures _ 6L of premium unleaded per 100km and 139g Co2 per km _ are achieved in Normal.  Cute, yet somehow irritating, unlike the Q2 electronic differential, a boon on a powerful front wheel drive car.DESIGNEvoking Alfa's 8C supercar - which we don't get here - in a Mini Cooper S competitor either beguiles you or it doesn't. If the look's a bit try-hard, the language is at least Alfa's own. You know what it is when you see it and that's no little thing.It's other little things, however, that grate. To too great an extent the cabin plastics suggest plebian Fiat rather than patrician Alfa. Fit and finish don't inspire confidence as to the long term.The driving position is almost a reversion to the dreaded short-legs-long-arms Alfa default of old. All-round visions is hardly a priority with this design, but you'll need to be hyper-vigilant about traffic in your rear-three quarters. And while we don't expect an especially useful boot, why is the lip so high?SAFETYAll MiTos have a five star NCAP crash safety rating, seven airbags, double pre-tensioners on the front seatbelts, anti-whiplash front seats with self-aligning headrests and seat belt reminder alarm. The active measures include  Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with hill holder, traction control, assisted braking and Q2.DRIVINGThe DNA selector is undoubtedly clever - a budget version of the Ferrari's manettino switch - but unless you're entire driving life is spent in supermarket car parks, your first act on the turning the ignition key will be to flip the switch into Dynamic.  Do it on the run with the go pedal pressed and the QV surges forward as though stung.Even in traffic Normal feels chloroformed by comparison. Dynamic imbues the engine with a rorty note, missing from recent petrol engine Alfas, that encourages you to press on. Q2 abets tight cornering almost seamlessly, partially transferring torque to the outside wheel, not only reducing understeer but almost hauling you around the bend. It's seems more focused and more rewarding then the old Sport, the steering livelier and the six-speed manual shift more purposeful in is action.Of course the QV requires a near-perfect surface to display it's talent and the rear and front ends don't always seem to be on speaking terms. Nor will you and rear seat passengers after a bout of rough roads.VERDICTThe best MiTo to date with an engine to die for. ALFA ROMEO MiTO QVPrice: from $29,990Engine: 1.4-litre turbo petrol; 125kW/250NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; (twin clutch coming)Thirst: 6L/100km (claimed)

Barbie is, arguably, the world's most beautiful woman and has since the 1960s been the perfect women for men who have disproportionate ideals and have an unhealthy interest in plastic. The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is, arguably, the world's most beautiful car. It is the sum of its parts that, like Barbie, combine to make something quite extraordinary.Naturally, a carmaker who builds a $300,000-plus car like the 8C wants to capitalise on its beauty - and its expense - by translating the appeal into its cheaper line of models. Albeit in the case of the Alfa Romeo Mito, prices are from $31,490.The problem is that Alfa has taken the best bits of the gorgeous 8C and stuck them on a rather nose-heavy, short-tailed love-me or hate-me three-door hatchback that has overtones of the Daewoo Lanos. They call it the Mito. It carries with it the 8C's teardrop headlights, roundel tail lights, ‘exclamation mark’ grille and the pretty, spidery alloy wheels… which, attached to the 8C, define the car as something special.Applying these parts to the Mito - Alfa's ‘cheap’ car line - results in the automotive equivalent of Mr Potato Head. Like transplanting Barbie's legs, arm and face on Miss Piggy. But, at least, you won't miss the Mito in your rear vision mirror.This is my second run in a Mito. The first time wasn't enjoyable. The driving position felt unusual, the engine needed a lot of coaxing and there wasn't much pragmatism to the hatch to align with the emotion.Maybe it's osteoporosis or a few collapsed discs in the spine or weary muscles that control my posture, but the Mito seemed to fit me better this time around.The shape of the car eventually grows on you. There's not much room in the rear seats and the two-door arrangement makes getting into and out of the back an awkward exercise. The boot is narrow and short and the spare wheel is a space-saver. But if you're not carrying people in the back, the rear seats fold down and with your eyes squinted, it becomes a neat little two-seater coupe.It has all the right safety gear and is children friendly with ISO-certified seatbelt anchors and little storage spaces in the back. The doors are long and wide and make entry easy for the front occupants, though park too close alongside another car and you'll be in for a tight squeeze.Italians are enthusiastic masters of design but the stars in their eyes cloud some practicalities. The Mito isn't the worst example of dashboard design gone mad, but then again it is streets away from Audi. It takes time to become familiar with the placement of the switches and possibly a new set of spectacles to clearly see the red numerals.That seating position places the steering wheel quite high and the height adjustment is over a small arc. There is no telescopic adjustment- which can force you to get close to the steering wheel because the floor pedals are so far away - but the driver's seat will go up and down. The rear window is tiny and the relatively long nose invisibly curves off into the distance, so familiarisation is also needed to preserve the panel work when parking.But, though at this stage you’re thinking this is the most illogical, expensive and cautiously-constructed small car to reach Australia, you turn over the engine. The 1.4-litre engine remains, but the Sport model had a lot more verve thanks to a ‘dynamic’ switch at the base of the gearlever. So it went better, too.It may be small but the 1.4-litre is willing and carries its exhaust note like a triumphant battle cry. Well, that's probably a bit too enthused. I mean that if you turn the three-mode engine management switch to dynamic, the engine's turbocharger will turn the Mito into an Alfa.It becomes so beautifully sensitive to the accelerator pedal that it can be placed perfectly into a corner and made to slingshot out. Its responsiveness encourages much flaying of the gearlever to arouse the six cogs and promotes last-second pounding of the superb brakes.The Mito becomes an Alfa in spirit. Its only downfall is the over-power assisted electric steering system that gives no road feel.Keep the engine management switch in normal and you may as well drive a Daewoo Lanos. Clearly made to maximise economy, it places electronic hands around the Mito's neck and squeezes, shutting out all sense of life. It stops being an Alfa.There's the third switch which is for snow. Because it doesn't snow much in my street, I didn't turn it on. Also, I didn't turn it on because this switch position was lower than normal. If normal was so lethargic, I feared what retardation would be on hand if I chose the third option.Unless you're new to cars, history records that Alfas are emotional purchases and may or may not have a wonderful record for durability. I've driven Alfas on and off for nigh on 40 years and they appear to be getting a lot better. We're coming off a low base, but they are improving.They're made for people who are like the car - enthusiastic, passionate, individual, mechanically competent but without a certificate, perhaps even a bit unhinged, in the nicest sense of the word. And, just sometimes, beautiful.

YOU'VE almost got to wonder, who buys all those cars? To say nothing of the SUVs and commercial jiggers.  Private owners and fleets bought almost 81,500 new vehicles last month. Of course, the usual suspects - Holden, Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Hyundai - do most business among the 50 or so brands on offer. But for every no-brainer buy there's an overlooked, if not unloved, model sitting on the lot.If you fancy a bit of vive la difference, we've unearthed some hidden treasures whose lack of popularity ought to compel the sales people to do a deal for you.Alfa Romeo 159Sales in April: 29Price:$49,990-$82,990THOUGH a non-starter in the premium sales stakes led by zer Chermans, Alfa's now five-year-old midsize sedan and wagon will be with us for another two years.Upgrades have seen it shed a bit of lard and get a six-speed automatic that works with it, as opposed to behaving like a transplanted organ the body's rejecting. Most 159s sold now are TI editions with lowered suspension and lustrous, but eminently kerbable, 19-inch alloys.Hardly the sharpest tool in the shed but, my, isn't she lovely? Gorgeous, actually.  Standard equipment levels are high, so put the acid on the dealer for a good driveaway deal.* Our choice: 2.4 JTDm auto sportwagonCitroen C5Sales in April: 16Price: $45,990-$72,990DESPITE its dashing appearance, the driving reality of this almost entirely diesel line-up can be considered exciting only if you accept boules as an extreme sport. It ain't sportif, but that's the point.What it does, in its Gallic shrugging way, is provide a classically wafty Citroen ride in a package that looks equally at home in Paris, Provence or Parramatta. The 3.0 twin turbo V6 oiler would convert an avowed petrolhead but, in Australia's Third World road conditions, isn't sufficiently superior to the 2.0-litre four potter to justify the price.* Our choice: 2.0 HDi ComfortFiat 500Sales in April: 25Price: $22,990-$33,990THING is, everyone who wants a mini 2+2 convertible goes for, well, a Mini. The irresistible new Bambino now comes with a rag top, in addition to its more stalwart though hardly less cute coupe siblings.Indeed, how much cute can you cope with? Given its level of kit and customisation options, the 500 is as much a bite-sized luxury car as a city-friendly commuting device.The current lack of an auto option in all versions across the range keeps sales to niche levels but, hey, this is a compact Italian job. Over there, even the most venerable nonna can handle a stick shift. Anecdotal evidence suggests the Fix-It-Again-Tony days are way behind Fiat.* Our choice: 1.4 Lounge manualHonda Civic HybridSales: 75-80 (since January)Price: $34,490WHILE Toyota's Prius is effectively a synonym for petrol-electric propulsion, the cheaper Honda not only looks like a car it drives like one, while returning a potential 4.6 litres per 100km. Sales are down a bit at the moment, as petrol prices are too, but an oil price spike is certain at some point. If you want a green car that doesn't make you look like Clover Moore, act soon.* Our choice: There is but oneSkoda SuperbSales in April: 6Price: From $39,990MAYBE the long Czech liftback and now wagon is just too close in essence and price to its VW Passat sibling. Maybe we don't yet "get'' big cars with small but highly efficient engines (though there's a diesel and a V6 petrol variant as well). Maybe it's a cold war hangover.Whatever it is, we're wrong. With a price realignment, the Superb offers better value, more kit, lots of space and lusher feel than the VW. It won Top Gear's luxury car of the year; the previous winner was a Rolls-Royce, for heaven's sake.* Our choice: Got to be the 1.8 turbo petrol wagon

As humans we are cautious, even violent, towards mutations of our species. It's part of being a human. Ironically, we are mutants and books describing the origin of the species discuss the intervening years that eventually made you look like you and me like Brad Pitt. But we accept minor variations on our theme, placing as much blame as necessary on our parents and the irregularities of DNA.Cars are no different. There is, for example, a lot of Lancia in the Alfa Romeo Mito. For those who came in late, Lancia has a rich history of innovation and racing success but has more recently plunged to become a directionless division of Alfa Romeo's parent, Fiat. In the past few years Lancia has made a saloon for the Pope and sold some baby cars with a funny grille to compete with Fiat. It's all rather pointless.Or it was until Alfa stumbled over the Lancia concept of pregnant styling in a compact car enriched with chrome trimmings and a funny grille. This is the Mito. It is Alfa's smallest car in recent history and in size and price, rivals the family Fiat's 500 and Punto plus it attempts to lure people who are also looking at the Mini, Fiesta, Mazda2, Jazz, Peugeot 207, Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris. That's stiff competition.Charming looks In styling, the Mito also shares a lot with the forthcoming Alfa 149, replacement to the current 147, with its tiny rear hatch and a profile like a badly drawn animal with its nose longer than its tail. However this imbalance, and the fried-egg shape of the polycarbonate headlight covers, give the Mito its distinctiveness and with it, a likeable charm. Onlookers were intrigued by its design though awkwardly guarded when asked to comment.Drivetrains Though it's an Alfa, it doesn't feel like an Alfa. The exhaust doesn't make the same sound as the 147 hatch and there's no distinctive Alfa perfume emitting from the cabin's fabrics. But it retains the urgency of an Alfa. The engine is always willing and even if it needs a hefty prod, it comes to the party with eagerness.The Mito borrows the Fiat Punto's 1.4-litre engine and delivers it in two guises — an 88kW for the Mito tested and a 114kW version in the Mito Sport. Both are turbocharged and, aside from the Sport getting one more cog to give it a six-speed transmission, it's really only electronic engine management changes that splits the two.Variants and pricing There's $6000 difference in price between the Mito and the Mito Sport and only a weeny 0.8 seconds separates them on the 0-100km/h dash. Is that worth $6000? Truthfully, there are quite a lot of extra things that make the difference and you'd be better off paying the extra. As it stands, the base Mito offers little for its price compared with some excellent rivals — VW Golf, Peugeot, Audi and Volvo among them.InteriorThen there are other issues. Like the seating position that suits tall people because the steering column sits unusually high. Though there's a telescopic and tilt adjustment, the wheel still never feels low and sporty. Only high and bus-like.This, combined with the expansive dashboard and the large distance to the windscreen pushes the driver back towards the centre of the car. It doesn't do a lot for rear seat passengers. At best, only children will fit. But the rear seats do split and fold down to boost boot space and it's more likely the Mito will — like the Mini — become just a two seater.Driving On the road, the Mito doesn't disappoint its illustrious ancestors. Though the engine gets a lot of attention because of its eagerness, it is the suspension that quietly reflects how the Italians can, sometimes, get it right with a balance of comfort and fine cornering.There is some sharp reaction through the suspension to potholes but generally the Mito is a confident handler. The steering is initially offputting because it is electrically-assisted and feels vague and lifeless. But it becomes familiar and ultimately a joy to steer. But this is not my favourite car. The VW Golf is far too sophisticated and perfectly built for the Mito to challenge.Verdict: 76/100Alfa Romeo Mito Price: from $31,490Engine: 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder, turbochargerPower: 88kW@5000rpmTorque: 206Nm@1750rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h in 8.8 seconds, top speed 198km/hTransmission: 5-speed manual; front-driveEconomy (official): 6.1 litres/100km, (tested): 7.5 litres/100kmEmissions: 145g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Rivals Audi A3 1.6 ($35,400) — 84/100;Mini Cooper ($33,450) — 68/100;Peugeot 308 1.6 Turbo ($31,590) — 86/100;Volvo C30 2.4 ($36,450) — 81/100;VW Golf 118TSI ($30,490) — 88/100

And have done for a very long time. But there are always buyers looking for something that avoids the clichés associated with the popular players. And for them, the Alfa Romeo stable has the attraction of being the ‘other’ desirable badge.Leading the charge for Alfa in the mid-sized sector is the 159 - the successor to the 156 that is credited with turning around perceptions about the Italian carmaker. Rather than being a marque for the brave - or at least those brave enough to defy the earlier reputation for poor quality - people started to buy the badge with more confidence. That continued as the 156 turned into the 159, and Alfa’s presence continued to grow, both overseas and here.The 2.4 litre JTD diesel tested here has consistently been the most popular version of the 159. Now, with a revised engine, more power and improvements to refinement and comfort, there’s a good chance it will remain at the top of the heap.Engine The upgraded 2.4 litre, five cylinder, JTDm turbo diesel DOHC engine puts out 154kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm at 2000rpm. A six speed-speed manual - or the six-speed Q-Tronic transmission in our test car - gets power to the wheels. Both the manual and the Q-Tronic do the 0-100km sprint in 8.4 seconds but the manual pips the Q with a top speed of 228km/h, over 224km/h.Around town the Q-Tronic – at 11.9l/100km - is quite a bit thirstier than the manual at 9.4l/100km. But on the open road the figures drop significantly for both vehicles; Q-Tronic 6.0l/100km, and manual 5.6l/100km. The Q-Tronic emits 215g/km of CO2 while the manual releases 179g/km.Exterior All changes to the new 159 are under the skin, such is the confidence Alfa Romeo has in the current Giorgio Giugiaro design - and it’s well-founded.There’s no mistaking an Alfa from the outside and the 159, which spawned the beautiful Brera, is probably the most obvious of the lot. Its strong smooth lines and gently angled creases give it a timeless shape that needs little modification.New 19-in alloys with big red Brembos showing through the spokes, and low profile tyres, speak the visual language of performance and agility.InteriorThe Ti, or Tourism International package brings with it a host of features for the 159, steered towards a sporty feel.Black leather with red stitching flows through the cabin, on the seats, steering wheel and gear stick. In normal Alfa fashion the dash is mostly brushed aluminium with round holes for the sunken dials. Alfa Romeo badges on the electric seats, red instrument highlights and drilled sport pedals are standard, as is Bluetooth capability and a USB connection point.SafetyOn top of a comprehensive airbag package, the 159 2.4 JTDm comes with anti-lock brakes, rear park braking sensors, electronic brakeforce distribution, variable dynamic control and child safety locks.PricingThe manual version of the Alfa Romeo 159 Ti JTDm 2.4 is available from $59,990 and the Q-Tronic from $62,990, plus dealer and statutory charges.DrivingThe 159 is a classic Alfa Romeo. It’s a beautiful car with a handsome, timeless shape. The Giorgio Giugiaro design hasn’t been touched and really doesn’t need to be. The interior again, is classic Alfa with gorgeous hand stitched dark leather and brushed alloy.The diesel engine has a nice quick jerk free pick up with enough stones to heave you back into your seat, and without even using the paddle shifters, changes - on sharp winding roads - are swift and appropriate.Fabulous weight distribution means negligible body roll and the big wheels and Brembos together with the double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension, help the 159 to stick nicely to the tar.Unfortunately it took everything we had to get past the fact that it sounded like a John Deere 6030 Series utility tractor with Pig Flu. Sure, it’s light on the juice but come on … seriously.Gorgeous car, but what a racket.Verdict: 7.9/10

If there's a car-buying group called SINKs, then this car fits the bill. ‘Single Income No Kids’ - perhaps the target market for Alfa Romeo's latest bambino, the MiTo (pronounced me-tow).Despite the company's efforts to distance the new little Alfa from its Alfasud ancestor, the comparison is easy to make.A cute, lightweight, spunky little three-door Italian upstart - but the Alfa jokes of old (you can hear it rusting, etc) don't appear to have much currency now.The looks are distinctive - inspired by the raucous 8C Competizione ? it appears startled from the front but taut and lithe from the rear. However, but there's no doubt as to its heritage.Drivetrain This is the base-model and there's a flexibility that belies the size of the powerplant - the lower-pressure turbocharged 1.4-litre engine, which provides 88kW and 206Nm to haul 1145kg.As the revs rise there's not quite the hair-raising note that some might expect from a fiery little Euro-hatch, but the MiTo gets along at a decent clip.The $31,490 MiTo does the job with admirable vigour, even before we've started playing with the Alfa Romeo DNA system.No, we're not cloning little Italian hatchbacks - it's a three-position (Dynamic, Normal and All Weather) switch that sharpens throttle and steering.There's some difference to be experienced by the changing of the settings but it's not a massive change in character. Alfa Romeo has also fitted the MiTo with an electronic Q2 limited slip differential, one of several active safety systems. Whatever the acronyms, the MiTo is a pert and entertaining little machine, but there are still things not to like.Safety For a little car, the crashworthiness is good - it gets a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with seven airbags (front, side, curtain and driver's knee), with anti-lock brakes and stability control to help avoid the impact in the first place.Equipment The features list also includes a trip computer, airconditioning (Sport has dual-zone climate control), remote locking and boot release, steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, hill holder, front power windows and a premium six-speaker sound system.Driving Despite the clever drivetrain there's still some torque steer to be conquered - not as much as some more powerful front-drivers but it can still dart off and be wayward on tighter corners.The beauty of the little Italian upstart is that it's light - just over 1.1 tonnes - and that number translates to it being light on its feet. Darting through traffic, the little powerplant has enough punch to put the little three-door through gaps without thinking twice.It is also easy to park, being light in the steering at parking speeds.The gearshift is not the sharpest cog-swap on offer in the segment either; the MiTo feels a little rubbery, with first sometimes tough to engage, as well as the odd mis-selected cog. You would think the lack of an automatic variant in the Australian market - which seems to love automatics - would have slowed sales.But the little Alfa has a two-month wait if you ask for something specific in colour and equipment; a double-clutch transmission is on the cards for early next year.The ride quality is a little crashy on some broken surfaces as well - it's not that bad that you can't live with it, but perhaps the standard car with 16in alloys could have had a little more compliance, leaving the $37,490 Sport model (shod with 17in alloys) to go harder.Taller drivers are going to have issues, because despite reach'n'rake adjustable steering and a height-adjustable seat, anyone over 180cm is going to succumb to the short-leg, long-arm set-up behind the wheel.The other driving position issue is the rear-vision mirror, which sits low on the windscreen and can't be raised because of the - admittedly-worthwhile - seatbelt monitor.The result is a stooped driving position that eventually resulted in a crook neck from trying to look under the mirror at traffic on the left.The SINKs acronym could also refer to the boot, which is not bad for the segment but won't take a folded stroller and nappybag without removing the parcel shelf/boot cover.For all the ergonomic complaints, the little MiTo has some character about it - more than a few small car drivers (behind the wheel of Japanese, Korean and European machines) craned for a better view of the spunky little Italian, which speaks volumes for the MiTo's appeal for the fashionably-chic.Alfa Romeo MiTo Price: from $31,490 plus on-road costsEngine: 1.4-litre 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drivePower: 88kW @ 5000rpmTorque: 206Nm @ 1750rpmPerformance: 0-100km/h 8.8 seconds. Top speed 198km/hFuel consumption: 6.1litres/100km, on test 8litres/100kmEmissions: 145g/kmRivals:Mini Cooper, from $33,450.

Sexy, very clever, Italian and honest to the point of being brutal.Meet eco:Drive, your personal driving coach that comes with Alfa Romeo's latest baby, the MiTo Sport. The eco:Drive function is part of the windows-based Blue and Me telematics system pioneered by Fiat and now finding its way into the range-topping model of the little MiTo 3-door ‘super mini’ from Alfa Romeo. When prompted the eco:Drive software will store key features of a driver's style including throttle application, gear changes, clutch behaviour and more over a minimum five-day period."Essentially the onboard software is a data-gatherer which you can then download to a memory stick and transfer that to a computer," Alfa Romeo Australia's Edward Rowe says. "The software at the eco:Drive website will analyse that data and make recommendations of how to adjust your driving style to be more economical."Rowe says that aggregated information collected from drivers using the software shows that the average savings over more than 10,000 users has been 10 per cent. "While there is nothing especially new about the driving tips what the software can do for you is benchmark your starting point and then coach you over time so that you can see an actual return from the changes you make."While Blue and Me and eco:Drive are only a small part of the MiTo whole, the techno-clever systems are just part of the net Alfa Romeo has cast in search of new and younger buyers.PricingPriced from $31,490 for the entry level model and $37,490 for the MiTo Sport, the little Alfa is aimed squarely at BMW's legion of Mini faithful with dreams of drawing the young and well-heeled away from the German manufacturer and across the border to Italy."I am comfortable with our prediction that 80 per cent of MiTo buyers will be new to Alfa Romeo while 45 per cent of buyers will be under 30 years of age (currently only 5 per cent of Alfa buyers fall into that demographic)," Alfa Romeo Australia general manager Edward Butler says. "We have to accept that there will be some Alfa owners moving from the 147, in particular, but most buyers will be new to the brand."Alfa is also hoping to swell its ranks of female buyers from the current 12 per cent, but Butler concedes that is unlikely to happen until the arrival of the robotised manual (DSG-style) automatic next year. "At the moment we are calling around 35 sales a month but when that gearbox is available, early next year, I wouldn't be surprised to see that double," Butler says.Drivetrains From launch the MiTo is available in two trims, both running a turbo-charged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine, with the base car producing 88kW and 206Nm while the Sport is boosted to deliver 114kW and 230Nm.Both cars have the same MacPherson independent front, and torsion-beam rear, suspension set-up. But MiTo drives the front wheels through a 5-speed manual while the Sport gets a slicker 6-speed box.Alfa Romeo is claiming a combined fuel efficiency of 6.1-litres per 100km for the less powerful engine and 6.5 on the same combined cycle for the Sport. From the launch drive experience it is not unreasonable to assume that with careful management they are achievable numbers.DrivingOn the road the MiTo twins are two very different cars. The Sport is as it suggests, a sharper and more aggressive character with a willingness to spin up towards the 6000rpm peak before getting breathless. The car has good, strong mid-range torque and a nice rorty note when booted and Alfa claims a 0-100km/h sprint of 8 seconds — not that impressive on paper but it feels nice and aggressive on the road..There is good feedback from the steering, even if at times there is a little too much of the road surface imperfections transferred to the steering wheel. The front suspension is a little nervous and can be unsettled by broken surfaces but not to any alarming degree.At the entry level the engine is still a willing worker, if a little less athletic (8.8 seconds for the 0-100km rush), but the softer suspension settings take away a degree of the sportier car's directness and steering feel.The ride quality from both cars is surprisingly good for what is a small car with very short wheelbase. Less pleasing are the seats which are not up to Alfa's normally high quality. There is little bolstering on both the squab and the back and the fiddly back angle adjustment is an annoyance, although the presence of an anti-whiplash headrest system is a plus.Alfa's take on selectable driving modes is the quaintly-named DNA (Dynamic, Normal, All-weather) settings which act on the engine mapping, steering, suspension and gearbox to match the driving aggression to conditions and the driver's preferences. The system works well and combined with the rather trick Q2 program: a torque and brakeforce distribution protocol that mimics the presence of a self-locking differential provides a comforting surety of drive through the front wheels.Equipment levels in both cars are good, naturally enough better in the Sport, though trim materials in both show evidence of cost cutting with hard-touch surfaces abundant. One area in which there has been no cost cutting is safety, with seven airbags standard, an early crash sensor to ensure fast inflation of the two-stage front bags, VDC (stability control), cornering brake control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution.Boot space in the MiTo is commensurate with the size of the car and while not expansive it is useful. Less so the rear seats which, in line with most cars in the sub-compact segment, are not somewhere any fully-grown and fully-limbed adult will want to spend much time.

So you, the driver, can choose who sits in the remaining seat. No kids in the back jabbing each other with their elbows, staring at the floor so they turn green with car sickness or whine about not be

I still have fond memories of my Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti.