Little Italian: 2013 Alfa Romeo MiTo
Alfa Romeos are the automotive equivalent of the leggy Italian supermodel: expensive to maintain, demanding constant attention and sentimental and moody when wronged. With some of the most beautiful cars ever made in an impressive narration through its history, Alfa was never financially stable, sales success marred by a downward spiral of build quality and reliability.
Post 2010, things picked up for Alfa. With the success of the flawed but appealing Brera and 159, not to mention the halo car in the 8C, Alfa Romeo made good decisions and added to an expanding model range. Part of what came from that was the MiTo, which enjoyed good sales all over Europe. This week, we took a 2013 MiTo out for a spin.
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Initial reactions include wide-eyed appreciation of the MiTo's aesthetic beauty, followed quickly by masked disappointment as closer inspection reveals almost inch wide panel gaps and plastics that look brittle and cheap. No matter. When you're in a gorgeous bright red Alfa, only the most meticulous petrolheads will notice any evidence of panel gaps.
The interior was underwhelming. Swathes of hard plastic cover most of the dash, and while the design itself is simple and elegant enough, the build quality would have to be the biggest let-down. The AC setting knobs give out audible thack-thack noises when rotated, a big disappointment considering the little Alfa's aspirations as an expensive hatchback. The dials look smart and sporty, hinting at a driving experience that could easily drown out the complaints about the build quality.
That, it did. Wholeheartedly. The Alfa's 1.4 liter turbo four cylinder engine, mated to a slightly wheezy and half-hearted six speed manual gearbox is a combination that sounds great on paper: 167 hp, 184lb-ft of torque, and a manufacturer claimed 0-100 km/h time of 7.5 seconds. On the road, the MiTo picked up speed fairly quickly, the engine note muted but throaty. The gearchanges felt slightly soggy, and the clutch needs a little bit of getting used to, even if you're used to driving a manual. The steering is light and responsive, and becomes progressively sensitive at higher speeds. Its quite fun to drive, and would be a blast to zip in and out of traffic on the roads of Dhaka.
The ride is supple and balanced, the small wheelbase not affecting ride comfort much. The MiTo went over bumps and down potholes, and aside from noticeable rattling from all over the interior (you have the build quality to blame for that), the MiTo was composed and planted, mechanically.
If you can ignore the build quality and you have the cash for maintenance, the Alfa MiTo is a very good car. Once you've bought into the Alfa Romeo cult following, though, it's difficult to stay objective, but then objectivity leads to boring, safe purchases.
The car was for sale at Baridhara's Need4Speed showroom, priced at 27.50 lakh taka at the time of this review. A bit steep, considering its pre-owned. Rarity guaranteed, parts, less so.
Pros: Gorgeous looks; responsive, zesty engine; rarity and heritage.
Cons: Slightly soggy gearchange; cheap interior materials; build quality; zero local parts availability.
Note: Shift's editor thinks this is "a strangely odd looking creature that is perpetually trying to squint at an imaginary zit on its nose".
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