MiTo lives up to Cloverleaf badge

I’ve been buzzing around all week from post to pillar. One of these days I’ll meet myself on the way back! It is at times like this that you want a smart run-around that isn’t overly complicated and makes the chase fun and interesting. My AlfaRomeo MiTo MultiAir is just the right car for that.

Ok, it is too small for me; is not really suitable for my lifestyle but then again that is not the purpose of this car.

Alfa says that the MiTo is already a global success story. They sell it in 34 countries and on five different continents and it has won wide acclaim for its style, engineering flair, dynamic performance and driving pleasure.

Now they have added the MultiAir version which is another step-up in technology and they have honoured it with a Cloverleaf badge that carries a certain pedigree. It is a pedigree that Alfa Romeo aficionados will measure this car by, and in modern terms it gives this car credibility. I think it lives up to that honour even if it has its peculiarities.

This is the smallest car in the Alfa range. It was designed to attract young owners and placed in direct competition with the fiat 500, the MINI and other small sporty vehicles.

What’s special about the Mito is that it’s not a replica of anything from history. It is whole new model with Alfa attitude and styling, which is its stand-out feature compared to other compact small hatch cars.

Once inside you can’t mistake the Alfa ambience; a snug, leather clad cabin that is a little cluttered but jampacked with buttons to play with because it’s chock-a-block with kit. passenger space is tight especially in the back and the rear seat doesn’t split for folding making the boot space difficult to use but there is a reasonably amount of space there for small pieces of luggage even when the rear seat is in position.

Under the hood there is the new Alfa Romeo⁄fiat 1.4-litre MultiAir engine that automatically adjusts the amount of air getting into the cylinders and therefore controlling the amount of fuel being used and lowering the level of CO2 being emitted – 139g⁄km in this case.

Driving the MiTo is immensely satisfying. It is tight, grips like a go-kart and delivers a real sporty response through the seat of your pants, the steering and the pedals.

Alfa's Electronic Q2 limited slip differential together with the suspension layout delivers pin-point handling and crisp handling; just what you want from an Alfa. On bumpier roads there is a bit of twitchiness but not so much as to compromise confidence for the most part.

Another innovative inclusion in the Cloverleaf version is the MiTo's DNA system which offers three distinct 'vehicle personalities' tailored to driving style and the prevailing road characteristics and conditions. Dynamic (sporting), Normal (suburban⁄ town driving) and All weather (maximum safety, especially in low-grip conditions).

A three-position switch, situated beside the gearlever, alters the throttle response and steering set-up for the different driving environments. In Dynamic mode, the throttle response is quicker, the steering is sharper and the handling is more direct. For icy and loose surface environments the All Weather mode provides a more gentle response.

All in all I was quite smitten by the craic you can have in the MiTo. Sure, it is not a car for everyone, me included. It is true too that Alfa Romeo’s banner is flying rather low in Ireland at the moment but that doesn’t take away from the buzz you can get from this charming little car.

Putting its obvious impracticalities and limitations aside, it has been a quite a while since I’ve enjoyed driving a small car so much.