Alfa Romeo Mito
Aggregated reviews, user reviews, videos, photos and stats
- Unique looks
- Alfa Romeo badge
- Will be a rare sight
- Poor ride quality
- Not very sporty
- Just not as good as a MINI
Interior
Critics praise the way the interior looks and feels - despite being based on a Fiat Grande Punto, the consensus seems to be that its roots aren’t immediately obvious, with the dash clad in smart materials and funky-looking details.
Space isn’t quite as brilliant, though - room in the front is plentiful, but rear passengers with struggle both in the head and leg room departments. The boot is of a generous size, but the load lip is high, making lifting heavy items into it a bit of a chore. For its class though, space is reasonable.Driving
The MiTo’s handling gets slightly mixed reviews. Some praise the way it drives, describing it as fun yet comfortable, while others suggest a distinct lack of steering and ride precision for a car of this class. Comfort also comes under fire from some critics, suggesting that the ride can be a little on the crashy side.
Engines
MiTo is available with a number of engines in both petrol and diesel form. The family of MultiAir engines are worth paying particular attention to - they’re consistently praised both for the way they feel, and for their excellent combination of high performance and low running costs.
Running costs are low throughout, in fact - even the 170bhp MultiAir gets 47mpg - but the easiest on the fuel is the 120bhp 1.6JTDM diesel.
Value for money
The MiTo is priced at the premium end of the market - it’s closer in price to a BMW 1-Series than a Ford Fiesta - but equipment levels are good and depreciation should be reasonable, despite Alfa Romeo’s usual reputation for losing value.
Worth noting
Rear visibility is questionable, so make sure you check it out. Alfa’s Twin-clutch TCT automatic gearbox is rated well, but only available at present on the 1.4 MultiAir 135. The stop-start system cuts down on CO2 emissions, but can be a little dim-witted unfortunately.
Make no mistake - the MiTo is a very interesting prospect. Critics suggest that it’s not quite up to the level of the MINI, but worth considering nonetheless - particularly if you want something a little different or with an Italian flair.Key Details
- Price range:
- £12,500 - £21,600
- MPG:
- 47 - 80
- Date released:
- 2008
- Replacement due:
- Not for a few years
- Model history:
- In 2011 Alfa slightly updated the Mito, introducing three new engines (the 1.4 78bhp, 1.4 Multiair 105bhp and 1.3 JTDM-2 85bhp). The names of the different trim levels were also changed.
- Other variants:
- If you want a slightly bigger Alfa, then check out the Giulietta
- Engine naming:
- JTDM engines are diesel, TB are petrol
| Type | Reviews | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 JTDM | 3 | 6.7 |
| 1.3 JTDM-2 | 2 | 6.0 |
| 1.4 TB MultiAir 135 | 7 | 6.8 |
| 1.4 TB MultiAir 170 | 8 | 7.7 |
| 1.6 JTDM | 5 | 7.2 |
| General | 6 | 7.5 |
Alfa Romeo Mito User Reviews
We went for the Mito in the end over a Ford Focus and are incredibly happy with this decision. The Mito is an incredibly stylish car both inside and out. It attracts a lot of comments!
It’s DNA system allows you to switch between different options while driving, and I’m particularly fond of “D” mode (dynamic) which gives it a much sportier feel. I find it perfect on normal roads or motorways, it’s definitely fun to drive.
One let down is that there are only two seats in the back, but there is a (slightly expensive!) option of a third seat in the back available. For us as a family with two kids, it’s perfect. The kids find it spacious in the back and there’s plenty of boot space. When weve had friends in the back they never complained about the space and were only full of compliments!
Insurance isn’t cheap, and I’d say the only other slight let down is that we were expecting to get around 46 mpg but it’s more like 34 mpg at the moment.
- By Geoffrey Morgan, who owns this car
I took delivery of my Mito Cloverleaf in May 2011 after looking at various other cars including Audi A1 and Mini. My last car was a Mini Cooper and I have to say that I feel extra special when driving the Alfa compared to the Mini. I have now done 6000 miles in the Mito and fuel economy is improving as is the performance. The DNA system is fantastic, it is like owning two different cars, in ‘Dynamic’ mode the car does suffer from torque steer in the lower gears under hard acceleration. The handling is very good and as it has active suspension, in ‘Normal’ mode the ride is very comfortable. I opted for the leather interior, which I think although not cheap, has made a massive difference not only to the appearance but comfort of the cabin. Overall I am extremely pleased with my purchase, the service from the Alfa dealership is fantastic (Mini were terrible) and I would recommend the Mito to anyone looking in this category.
- By Joanne, who owns this car
I have a Mito TB 120 and I love it. But lets get the bad stuff out of the way first:-
I don’t like the way the windows get frozen up and won’t open when it’s cold. Or the hand brake keeps getting frozen up. I don’t like the bumpy ride. I don’t like the fuel economy.
Yet I can’t help feeling good, when I walk up it and better when driving it in dynamic.
I like the way it looks and I like the way I can stretch out my legs and the amount space there is in such a small looking car. I like the way we can always seem to get everything in the back that we need to.
I like the Blue&Me and media player and how the volume increases when I speeding along the motorway. I like the way windows go down as I open the door.
I do like the way when I see one coming the other way, I think, that’s a nice looking car, then realise I’m in one!
When everything is said it’s just a great car, that I just love being in and I’d have one again without a doubt.
- By David, who owns this car
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Fifth Gear review
Excellent video review of the Mito. Video from FifthGear. Engine they tested is the Coverleaf.
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NCAP crash test
Video from the NCAP crash tests of the Mito.