|
|
|
|
22/12/2010
By MURRAY HUBBARD
|
|
|
The front of Alfa Romeo’s MiTo hot hatch reminds us of the cartoon vehicles in the movie `Cars’ that look like kids’ toys. After a week in the top-of-the-line MiTo QV we found there is nothing toy-like about the MiTo QV in real life. It is all car - a bloody good one at that. And quick.
Alfa have seen fit to add the famous `Quadrifoglio Verde’ or green cloverleaf symbol to the MiTo QV, a sign of how high this vehicle is esteemed by the Italian maker. Alfisti – those who believe no other car than an Alfa is worth owning – will soon tell you that the cloverleaf invokes memories of Alfa’s glory days of racing and motorsport. Our only complaint is the cloverleaf badge is a stick-on tacky piece of plastic. This car and myopic Alfisti deserve better.
Alfa has a long and colourful history of producing high-performance small cars. MiTo is a 21st century take on that heritage. A hot hatch that fits into the category and at the same time retains the individuality for which Alfa is well known. A glance at the MiTo front is enough to tell you where the car comes from and that there’s a sporty angle to it.
There are two key elements to MiTo QV: a high-revving 125 kW turbo-charged 1.4-litre MultiAir engine and a chassis that facilitates what you expect from Alfa – superb handling. It may look like an escapee from the `Cars’ movie, but under the skin this is a car for those who appreciate fine engineering – with some quirky nuances.
BODY STYLE
The shape is a bit love-it-or-hate it thanks to the out-there headlights and grille. It’s one of those cars that looks great in some settings and ordinary in others. What we do like is that the doors are not too wide and there is easy access to the rear seat. There’s also good legroom in the back pew, which is surprising given the car’s length at just over four metres. There are seats for five, but really it’s a four-seater.
Boot space is also not too bad and the rear seats have a 60/40 split fold. Most people who buy MiTo will be singles or couples. Back seat passengers may have some issues with the roof line converging in close to the outside seats limiting headroom. The QV is set apart from other MiTo variants by the cloverleaf badging and exclusive 18-inch darkened alloy wheels.
MiTo QV features the latest MultiAir engine to come from Fiat’s engine development centre, FPT. The MultiAir design concentrates on a more exact science of taking control of the quantity and characteristics of the air taken into the cylinders during the combustion cycle. This delivers an improved low and mid-range torque plus helps deliver improved economy and reduction in emissions.
The bottom line is the MiTo QV sprints to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 219 km/h. Combined with being able to boost torque to 250 Nm (up from the usual 230 Nm) by using the `Dynamic’ mode switch, and the six speed manual shifter, and the MiTo QV is a feisty piece of kit. The new six-speed gearbox is beautifully matched to the MultiAir engine and is light and smooth.
SAFETY
The short version of MiTo has a five star Euro ANCAP safety rating. It achieves this with seven airbags, crash-saving stability program, ABS brakes, EBD, traction control, ASR, cornering brake control, dynamic steering torque, hill holder and a host of other technology including crash sensors and a central `nerve centre’ that takes in all data and decides what is the best action to take.
INTERIOR
By their very nature small three-door hatches have limitations. The Mito is well designed given its compact proportions and makes the best of available space. The front seats are supportive and made of long-lasting material. The driver’s seat has pump-up height adjustment while the steering wheel has reach and height adjustment. The layout of the dash, the centre stack and basics like placement of gear shift and handbrake are all user-friendly. There’s not a lot of usable storage space in the centre console but each door has a bottle holder and small odds-and-ends cache. The boot is not large, but with the rear seats able to be folded down there’s plenty of room for luggage for two people.
Thanks to the Alfa DNA system you almost get two cars in one with MiTo. Using the `Normal’ driving mode the car is suited to urban driving. Switch to ‘Dynamic’ mode and suddenly your quirky little Alfa sprouts Attitude with a capital `A’. The mode adds 20 Nm of torque and it’s quite apparent as you push the MiTo through the gears. The steering becomes more direct and the chassis flatter as you fling the car around sharp bends like a go-kart.
With the engine revving easily out to 6500 rpm and the deft gearbox this is simply a delight for anyone with a love of true motoring. The engine delivers with some urgency, not just in performance, but also in the decibel levels into the cabin. During hard cornering on uneven roads the car tends to flit sideways a bit – but remains poised – and just as quickly grabs the tarmac as you flatten it ahead of the next bend. The brakes are responsive and well matched to the car’s get-up-and-go. The QV also has the new stop/start facility launched recently and it works a lot better with the manual shifter than the new dual clutch transmission used the TCT MiTo variants in conjunction with the Hillstart facility.
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING
Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4-litre 114 kW three-door hatch: $29,990 (manual)
Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4-litre 99 kW three-door hatch: $31,990 (TCT automatic)
Alfa Romeo MiTo Sport 1.4-litre 99 kW three-door hatch: $34,990 (TCT automatic)
Alfa Romeo MiTo QV 1.4-litre 125 kW three-door hatch: $34,990 (manual)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: Standard in 99 kW and QV, not offered in Sport or 114 kW
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Standard in QV, not offered in other models
Reversing Camera: Not offered
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in all models
Satellite Navigation: Not offered
Bluetooth: Standard in all models
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Alfa Romeo MiTo QV 1.4-litre three-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.4 litres, turbocharged
Configuration: Four cylinder In line
Compression Ratio: 9.8:1
Bore/Stroke: 72.0 mm x 84.0 mm
Maximum Power: 125 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque: 250 Nm @ 2500 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Six speed
Automatic Transmission: N/A
Final Drive Ratio: 4.118
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4063 mm
Wheelbase: 2511 mm
Width: 1720 mm
Height: 1446 mm
Turning Circle: 11.0 metres
Kerb Mass: 1145 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
Towing Ability: 500 kg (kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson strut
Rear Suspension: Torsion beam
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 7.5 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: 95RON
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 6.0 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 7.5/10
Air Pollution Rating: 8.5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/ 100,000 km |
|
|
|
|
|
Print Article
Submit Feedback
Email This Article
