Alfa MiTo TwinAir

There’s plenty to like about the Alfa: its engine is more characterful, and for many the distinctive looks will be reason enough to buy. But it doesn’t have the VW’s expensive feel, and trails its rival in terms of cabin quality, refinement and handling. Crucially, the TwinAir couldn’t get near its claimed economy.

The Fiat TwinAir engine has worked its way into our affections already in the cute 500 and practical Panda. But this is the first time it’s featured under the bonnet of an Alfa Romeo.

And that bonnet forms part of a very pretty car. With its shield grille and sharp headlights, the MiTo’s face is not unlike that of the brand’s 8C supercar. And the same intricate detailing appears at the rear, with round LED lamps and an Alfa badge that doubles as a boot release.

The cabin is more dramatic than its rival’s, too, with deeply cowled instruments, Italian script and carbon fibre-effect materials adding plenty of visual interest. But the Alfa doesn’t have the Polo’s high-quality feel, and uses too many different plastics to be cohesive. There’s also less space, and the steeply raked A-pillars sit close to the heads of those in the front.

While Alfas are always stylish, they’ve not always come up trumps in other areas.

On paper at least, the TwinAir promises low running costs, with 67mpg-plus economy and emissions of less than 100g/km – the latter making the car exempt from road tax. But as we’ve noticed before, the TwinAir doesn’t fulfil its promises – we only managed a poor 29.8mpg on test.

You’ll instantly notice the offbeat warble of the 875cc two-cylinder turbo: this engine is not short on character. It’s eager, too, although power quickly drops off past 5,500rpm. A bigger problem is its vibration and noise – this is simply unforgiveable in a car vying for sales in the premium supermini sector.

It’s not helped by short gearing. At 70mph in sixth the engine spins at 3,000rpm – that’s 700rpm more than the Polo’s. This did mean decent in-gear acceleration, but you can’t turn off the traction control, and a 0-60mph time of 13.4 seconds was disappointing.

A clever DNA switch selects between Dynamic, Natural and All Weather modes, adjusting throttle, steering and suspension responses – as well as the level of electronic intervention. The throttle response in Natural is sluggish, but the damping in Dynamic is too firm. A ‘halfway house’ set-up would be ideal.

The quick steering offers sharp turn-in, yet there’s no feedback and the chassis provides little mid-corner adjustability. The gearlever has a long throw, too, and the springy clutch can make for jerky progress at low speeds.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. While servicing and fuel bills are more costly than for the VW Polo, our Distinctive-spec MiTo has more kit – stop-start and leather trim aren’t even options on the Volkswagen – and there’s more scope for personalisation. Alfa is also currently offering a five-year warranty, while insurance and company car costs will be cheaper as well.

The MiTo is clearly full of character – the question is whether this personality is enough to compensate for its various flaws.