What did you think, or is the mini still the No1 supermini. Not that I’m sure I want to spend that kind of money on a chunk of metal.

Hey

Ive got the mito 135bhp Multiair petrol and it has been excellent.
Really nippy (its a punto evo sporting in drag) and brilliant petrol fuel economy. its officially 50mpg but i still get 42mpg ragging it.
interior is a nice place to be you can get bikes in the back (seats down and front wheel off, if your not too tall)
The Tornado blue color is really nice.
If i was looking second hand id get a 155 mainly for the brembo brakes. They are doing 0% on the new range atm aswell i think.
Handling is very grippy, one thing id say is that steering feel is ok at best, in ‘normal’ mode its too light and in ‘dynamic’ its a little artificially heavy. If you dont have a problem with that id deffo recommend.

(however i only test drove a punto and a c30 when looking)

oh and get ‘Blue and me’ briliant functionality and hands free mobile and Ipod

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Alfa-Romeo-Mito-1.4-155-T-Jet-Veloce/239470/

Also have a look at a Skoda Fabia VRs – loony engine and surprisingly good economy. Plus, they’re selling them with a 5% vat offer at the moment

I’m very very tempted to have a look

Rachel

steering feel is ok at best

have a look at your tyre pressures for a start – don’t believe the manual.

I thought my GT was a poorer handler than my last 156 then put 0.3 bar more pressure in than the manual says and now it turns in and steers nicely. The wife also says the ride is better, so the pressures are probably more correct.

Then look at tyre choice – I like my current eagle f1 asymetrics and liked some dunlop sports I had, but didn’t like pirelli p7000s or zero neros, or some bridgestone potenza.

The A1 is getting the 1.4 185BHP turbo block soon if it hasn’t already, I’ve driven that in a spankers polo GTI and its Nuts!!!! easily as fat as my current civic type R with better handling and feel.

I’d go for the A1

Hi fellow alfisti 🙂

its more to do with the physical turn of the steering wheel and the electronic assist power steering than anything to do with tyres/chassis etc.

i still thing the handling is very good, the q2 ‘diff’ really resists understeer and it corners very well just can take a bit of a double turn of the wheel in nornal to get the right level of steering input. if i drove in one mode all the time it would probably be better! but i cant resist Dynamic 🙂

still, try the tyre pressures – it has made a big difference to the GT…

I don’t know but surely the A1 has to be the ultimate tosser’s car?

the one where you can’t get to the engine and so are forced to Audi for servicing?

Had an A1 hire car in Sweden. Weird offset to the pedals, but this was LHD – not sat in a UK one. Boot is comically small. Wouldn’t want to use the rear seats for any length of time either. Other than that was OK – typical Audi stuff, although things like heater controls are plastic painted silver rather than actual aluminium in posher Audis.

I’d take a 500 Abarth or Mito any day over one, especially if it meant a large amount of change in my pocket.

500 Abarth for the win ?

the one where you can’t get to the engine and so are forced to Audi for servicing?

Think your confusing that with the older A2 which had a flap at the front for checking fluids etc.
It was actually very easy to get to the engine on the A2 ,2 large clips to twist behind the flap then lift the complete(Aluminium) bonnet off.

I had one and they are/were great little cars.
I think the Mini is probably the best drivers car,Audi is best built,and Alfa nicest to look at,so I suppose it depends which is your highest priority.

I have driven both but to be fair you should do the same to get a decent feel for them. Audi is miles ahead for build quality and the Alfa has an odd driving position (might be just me though). Both have good finance offers on them at the mo’ and the A1 servicing is £250 up front. Decide what you like the look/drive of and go for it.

I had an A1 1.6D for a day when my own Audi was being serviced. It was the worst car, or at least the worst engine I have ever had the misfortune to drive. It could barely overtake a cyclist.

Hopefully the petrol engines are a lot more lively, otherwise I can’t see why anyone would buy one. Steering was also very heavy for an Audi, but some may think that is a good thing.

The mini, fiat 500 and alfa mito were apparently all designed by the same guy…

thanks for the feedback!

According to teh internets the Audi A1 1.6 TDI has a 0-60 time of 10.5 seconds. If that’s not fast enough for everyday driving then you’re Surf Mat.