At the presentation of the Alfa Romeo Mi.To, the new head of the concern, Luca de Meo, never mentioned competitors. However, it was obvious to all the journalists present: the main rival of the new model is the Mini Cooper, which until then had dominated the class of sporty premium small cars.
Fiat is accustomed to staging loud premieres, and the unveiling of the Alfa Romeo Mi.To was done in grand style. The venue chosen was Milan's Sforza Castle — the very fortress that served as the prototype for the Moscow Kremlin. Behind the walls with characteristic battlements, they placed an exhibition of retro cars from the Alfa Romeo museum, and next to the rarities they installed a huge aquarium where the official part of the event took place — speeches by the new boss (De Meo took office at the end of last year) and the creators of the model.
Alfa Romeo designers claim they tried to instill the "little one" with features of the 8C Competizione coupe. Overall, this succeeded, although achieving such seductive sporty proportions in the narrow body of a hatchback, of course, did not work out. The Mi.To's interior also aspires to "maturity": leather seats with pronounced lateral support, a steering wheel with height and reach adjustment and thickened rim, speedometer and tachometer needles lowered to the bottom of the scales, aluminum inserts…
Next to the gear lever, they placed a button for selecting one of three engine, accelerator pedal, and electronic assistant operating modes — "dynamic," "normal," and "all-weather." In spirit, this resembles the manettino switch from racing Ferraris. The Mi.To also received the proprietary Q2 Electronic system, which simulates the operation of a self-locking differential, and the DST (Dynamic Steering Torque) device, which steers the wheels during a skid and hints the driver in the right direction. Safety is handled by 7 airbags included in the base configuration.
When turning the key, the instrument needles effectively "sweep," describing an arc — like conductor's batons. The exhaust system is tuned pleasantly: at idle, a low bass is heard, and during acceleration it grows into a confident rumble. But with dynamics, things are not so rosy: the 155-horsepower turbo engine from Fiat pulls poorly from low revs, so for active acceleration you have to keep the tachometer needle above 3000 rpm. However, on the highway, there is enough reserve under the pedal — the car confidently accelerates even in higher gears.
The most compact "Alfa" is built on the Fiat Grande Punto platform but received stiffer shock absorbers and steering with a smaller gear ratio. The car obeys the steering wheel perfectly, but the electric power steering is too zealous and eats up feedback. Switching to "dynamic" mode noticeably improves the picture: the steering wheel fills with weight and becomes more informative. At the same time, this mode makes the accelerator pedal more responsive and adds torque at low revs. Driving this way is much more fun! But only on good asphalt — the "stiff" suspension lacks energy intensity, and on every pothole the body shakes noticeably.
After the test, it became clear why De Meo did not compare the Mi.To with the Mini Cooper. In terms of driving qualities, the Italian yields to the Briton at a comparable price. But since no serious alternative is expected in the next couple of years (the only new model in the segment is the Audi A1), the new Alfa Romeo will have its buyers. Moreover, compact dimensions, economical engines (in Europe, a 120-horsepower 1.6 turbodiesel and a naturally aspirated 1.4 petrol with 78 hp will also be offered) and a moderate price give the Mi.To good chances of becoming the brand's best-selling model in the Old World.
Microsoft in the car
The Blue&Me multimedia system is based on Windows Mobile — this is a joint development of Fiat and Microsoft. With its help, the Mi.To owner can use a Bluetooth phone without being distracted from the road: all controls are placed on the steering wheel buttons. You only need to pair the device once, and then the system itself recognizes the phone and updates the address book, contacts from which are displayed on the instrument panel display. Blue&Me can also connect USB drives — the connector is hidden on the center console, so you can listen to music from a flash drive, switching tracks also from the steering wheel. Simple standard navigation works on the same principle: maps are loaded onto a flash drive, and prompts appear on the instrument display.
Driving
The steering wheel is sharp enough, but the electric power steering reduces its informativeness.
Interior
High quality of finishing. The small glass of the tailgate door makes rear visibility difficult.
Comfort
The suspension lacks energy intensity. Cramped rear row of seats.
Safety
The car received 7 airbags and a rich list of electronic safety systems.
Price
Corresponds to the brand's status.
Advantages and disadvantages
+ Stylish appearance, rich equipment, high-quality interior finishing.
- Stiff suspension, uninformative steering wheel, lack of torque at "low revs."
Technical specifications
Make and model — Alfa Romeo Mi.To
Dimensions — 4063x1721x1446 mm
Engine — petrol, 4-cylinder, 1368 cm3, 155 hp/5500 rpm
Transmission — manual, 6-speed
Dynamics — max 215 km/h; 8.0 s to 100 km/h
Competitors — Mini Cooper
Our opinion
Those looking for a truly sporty car are unlikely to enjoy driving this "Italian." However, Alfa Romeo promises that a "hot" version of the Mi.To with a 230-horsepower engine will appear next year. At the same time, production of a version with a robotic dual-clutch gearbox, which will replace the traditional "automatic," will also start.