Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 TB MultiAir 135 bhp Distinctive 3dr Car Review - January 2012

The car offers great acceleration, going from 0-62 mph in 8.4 seconds.

The five-speed manual gearbox has a slick change and suits the power delivery of the engine well. The strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension gives some nose-wide understeer under extreme cornering, but is well balanced and largely neutral most of the time. The dampers have internal rebound springs that replace conventional anti-roll bars to minimize body roll in corners.

The car has three driving settings through its DNA switch - Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather. This changes the throttle response and steering depending on the driving environment. While Normal is the ideal mode to enjoy driving the MiTo, the Dynamic mode makes steering heavier and accelerator more sensitive. The All-weather mode is designed to work when roads are icy or slippery, but the ride is uncomfortable.

The car looks beautiful with its bulbous snout, tear drop shaped windows and concentric rear LED lights.

The car has a Hill Hold feature detects when the car is stopped on a hill with an incline of 5 per cent or more, and applies the brakes for one second to prevent you rolling backwards into parked traffic. The MiTo also offers optional kit such as a heated windscreen, an alcohol test kit, satellite navigation and a Bose hi-fi with eight speakers, a subwoofer and digital amplifier.

The back seat will be cramped for tall adults and the boot offers space for only a couple of small bags. The 60/40 split folding rear seats which are a standard fit on most of the MiTo's rivals are an optional extra for the car which costs an additional £450. Beyond the glove box, the car offers limited storage space in the cabin.

Safety equipment includes seven airbags, ESP traction control, anti-whiplash head restraints, electronic stability control and ISOFIX child seating. Shelling out extra provide drivers with additional features like tyre pressure monitoring systems and bi-xenon headlamps. The MiTo scored the full five stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests.

The car comes with a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty.

The Alfa Romeo MiTo 135 bhp Distinctive is priced at £15,950, almost £4,000 costlier than the 78 bhp Progressive. The car is an insurance category 19 model, making the insurance costs higher than that for other cars in the range. But greater fuel efficiency and green credentials make the car economical in the long run, which could be worth the investment.

One of the car’s biggest strengths is its affordable running costs. Alfa offers a variety of service plans for the MiTo, and the generous standard kit list means that customers are unlikely to inflate the list price with costly options.