The battle of the Supermini hotted up somewhat when BMW owned Mini released the first of a new generation back in 2001. Terms like stylish and quirky had been lost from the segment in the ’90s with mainstream manufactures producing the habitual supply of boring ‘run-abouts’.
It took a few more years for competing manufacturers to take the fight to the Mini but when they did, they came thick & fast; the Fiat 500, Audi A1 and DS3 leading the charge.
Beauty is subjective but what seems unanimous that the Alfa Romeo Mito was one of the best-looking alternatives. Fashionable & distinctive, the practical Mito could hold your shopping and four adults in relative comfort; serving as a slightly left-field choice, not that is a bad thing, not by a long chalk.
Unlike some rivals, the Mito was offered with a broad range of engine choices that served almost anyone’s needs. Petrol power came in the form of peppy turbo’d engines that deliver anywhere between 85 and 170 HP. There are diesels too, covered by the 1.3 CDTi that was shared between a raft of car builders and a more substantial 1.6. With all mitos’ being on the firm side, it was the 1.4T that made the comfort trade-off feel worthwhile. Holding well in corners and experiencing little body lean, the 170 HP version offered a cheaper thrill than the more serious Cooper S.
The Mito was never going to outsell the Fiesta or Corsa for that matter, but the Italian flare allowed a brand that was being pushed into the ‘niche’ bracket to be seen as a real alternative. With a production run spanning a decade, there are plenty of them about in need of repair. FAI to the rescue!
