ALFA ROMEO MITO
► Like the idea of a MINI, but can’t stand seeing dozens of them on your commute, or the overtly retro styling? The Alfa Romeo MiTo might be worth a look then, as the two were often compared during the MiTo’s 2008-2017 run – even if the press rarely voted in the Alfa’s favour.
Based on the contemporary Punto, the three-door MiTo was Alfa’s first truly small car since the Alfasud made way for the larger 33 in the early 1980s. Breathless “New Sud!” headlines probably raised expectations a little too much and the MiTo never won praise for its dynamics in the same way as the old flat-four cars, but with a wide engine range and a sporty feel, the Mito still had plenty going for it.
At launch the range kicked off with naturally-aspirated and turbocharged 1.4-litre fours, with 1.3 and 1.6-litre turbodiesels and then Fiat’s 0.8-litre twin-cylinder TwinAir added later. So you’re spoiled for choice: the diesels for ultimate economy, the TwinAir for character (that two-pot note is most amusing), and the more potent, 168bhp 1.4 in the Cloverleaf if you want a compact hot hatch.
All MiTos are nimble but also slightly numb to drive, the main sticking point when compared to the zestier MINI. You sit a little higher and Cloverleaf aside, the MINI has the edge for thrills. They’re also sensitive to previous maintenance, or lack thereof, given previous owners may not have been enthusiasts. It’s neglect, rather than inherent issues, that seems to cause most problems, though age-related worn dampers and whining transmissions aren’t uncommon. Multiair engines can suffer misfires too, a symptom of insufficient maintenance. The MiTo has one big advantage over those old Suds though – it’s far less susceptible to rust.
AUDI TT
► It almost doesn’t matter what the Audi TT is like to drive. To own one is to own a true design icon, as beloved by the public as it is roll-necked design types who use confusing initialisms like DLO, DRG and CHMSL in casual conversation. There had been great Audis before, but the TT was the first to really capture the imagination of the general car-buying masses.
The original TT was previewed with a concept in 1995 and launched, almost unchanged, in 1998. After early cars showed signs of treachery at Autobahn speeds, Audi quickly modified the car’s rear suspension and added ESP, and avoided any Mercedes A-Class-style PR fallout, though the addition of a small rear spoiler did erode the original design’s purity.
There were no such issues with the TT Mk2 launched in 2006, which traded the original’s Mk4 Golf underpinnings for those of the Mk5, featured more aluminium in its construction, and expanded the original’s engine range, dropping the 1.8T for a 2.0 TFSI, retaining the 3.2 VR6, and adding first a 2.0 TDI and later
