The “Alfa wave” is universal. On my run to work in my Giulietta (actually the same engine as the one on the video) I often see a chap in a blue 159 estate going the other way. We always salute each other. In Japan. God, I love Alfas.
I haven't gotten a wave yet, then again I've not had my Giulietta long and my commute is almost entirely in darkness. I'll hold out for the spring haha.
I always used to do the Alfa wave when I had my 146 and my 147. It was an acknowledgment and celebration that neither of us were at that precise moment, broken down on the side of the road
Reeve here! Huge thanks to Jay for, as ever, doing such a good job reviewing the Alfa. It was an absolute please to take the car down for review and I hope to have some more stuff on the channel in the near future 👍
No he didn't , stop grovelling. He didn't pay homage to the very impressive torque that engine produces, he took a corner too fast then tried to blame the car having previously admitted that it goes alot fast than you realise when you look at the speedometer. Playing that old record about build quality and reliability - I mean please , play something else the 80s were long ago. How can you tell if you're side light bulb falls out on a speed hump? You won't hear it , and you don't need a heat gun to open the headlight and change the bulb , and it doesn't do 20 MPG around town more like 28 - 30.
@@greengrass9572 Well as someone who has owned 2 Mitos now let me say, for their size the torque is impressive on paper but it likes to heat soak and tends to pull boost a lot. This heavier QV with 18 inch wheels does have a tendency to snap the back end out through the corners whereas my old Veloce didn't, the build quality is pretty bad and the mpg around town isn't great. This review is accurate, these aren't the best hot hatches.
See it's brave, but I tend not to have respect for risky car buying decisions when the parents obviously cover the cost of repairs... I would definitely drive a used V8 if it wasn't for the reality of the world. Quite enjoy my motorplan and peace of mind. If you don't have to pay for your car problems I'm not sure I can relate.
The MiTo Cloverleaf is my first car and it stood out from the crowd for me, ok, unreliable is what many will say which I understand as I’ve already had to replace all 4 spark plugs and the power steering column nearly failed on me, however it’s the character of an Alfa which I love, which is why I’m proud to drive mine as it always puts a smile on my face
I couldn’t believe it when I saw this review - I’ve just bought a Mito QV yesterday as my daily (take delivery next week)! “We all need a small, fun Alfa Romeo in our lives” that was absolutely my thinking! What a relief you thought it was fun and not rubbish! Phew 😀👍
I absolutely love the MiTo. My sister has one. It’s the 09 MiTo Veloce 155bhp. It’s bloody quick. It’s one of my dream cars and hopefully next year I’ll be buying it off her. Atm I have a Civic Type S but I’ve driven the MiTo and I can say it’s absolutely stunning.
I whas 18 when i bought my 2010 mito QV, never regretted it. No isseu's at all, just regular maintenance. Also added a lot of mods. A strut brace and lowering springs or coilovers make's this car stear even better. Like a go kart😁
@@joelbrewster48 my one was, and still is, 5 years after selling it I found a chap selling it on gumtree so bought it back in December 2021. Still no major issues with it at 126k miles, only things I’ve really to fix are minor electrical issues. But as they made then for over 10 years spare parts are cheap and plentiful. The engines are strong if well maintained. Biggest issue is the power steering, if the motor fails it can cost you £400+ and it’s reasonably common. Although mine has been fine so far luckily enough. But if you’re looking at one check if the steering column has had any repairs done before, also the wiring loom in the tailgate
People knock Alfa's but I think the thing that makes us buy are that they look different and never fail to put a smile on your face. I've had a mito and now have a giulietta but also yearn for a GT and Brera
@@thomasparsons3166 yep I still have it. Hmm there have been a few electrical issues. An alarm sounds sometimes as I’m driving with no notification as to what it is. Also a suspected sensor issue that makes my dashboard say “tire pressure down” even though after checking the pressure is fine. I’ve heard electrical problems tend to be quite a common theme for Italian cars so take from that what you may ☺️
I had a 0.9 Mito Sportiva in this colour and wheel combination. Loved it and gave me no bother, my first proper car and a highlight of my early twenties!
I've got one. My first Alfa and the previous owner was so kind to make it into a tracktool. 215 Bhp, bigger brakes, stiffer suspension, upgraded clutch and an exhaust making some bangs along the way. Indeed the steering could be a lot more direct. Reliability? I just got it for 4 months and feels solid, for now. :P
I have twinair and totally agree with what you said on the lack of power. That being said, for a young driver, the noise is lovely and in my opinion still fun to drive. The £0 tax and cheap insurance are also great.
@@dannyowen4127 I have the 0.9 Twinair model, not the meatier one in this video and the Twinairs should all be £0 tax unless the facelift models are any different
@@richardwehli2110My 0.9 2017 plate Twinair is also £0 tax. And with 105bhp, as long as you keep it in Dynamic and the revs over 2500 it will hustle along on B roads. I never drive it in any mode except Dynamic. Fuel economy is OK, obviously no where near Alfa's stated values, but OK.
Post 2014 Mito was well sorted. Even Twinair can beast and economical once you learn to get the best from it. No rattles, 60 mpg and completely reliable for the last 50k miles.
James, wifey had the 95hp non-turbo version and loved it despite the fuel cap being the single most horrifying thing about this car along with the ridiculous steering at motorway speeds. The red carbon dash was like a mirror reflecting onto the windscreen, the clutch (£100) went and front springs go too. It was slow indeed but being a red Veloce it had the Alfa heart - instant smile every time you look at it. Considering how cheap those are it's definitely a good first car imo.
As a young driver with one of these myself as a first car, I absolutely love it. Wouldn't call mine unreliable, but it's a 10 year old car so things need to be replaced/serviced. My insurance is also much cheaper than the owner of the reviewed car. Whether that's location or something else I don't know. But - the car (in Dynamic mode) always puts a smile on my face! What more can you ask for?
I picked up a Giulietta recently, one of the smaller diesel engines (1.6 TCT). It's actually such a joy to drive, it has a lot of torque for such a heavy car with a low number of horses. (120). The difference between Dynamic and Natural is exactly as is mentioned in the video, the steering tightens up, is heavier and starts to feel less electronic, the control computer will hold gears a lot later, the brakes become much less muddy (I picked up a model with the Brembo caliper package) and they'll prefill as well. It is my first car so take my opinions of it with that in mind, but I have genuinely fallen in love with it.
I had a 16v 95hp model as my first car and the route to my collage was all back roads so the lack of power wasn't much of an issue. It had 95000 miles when I sold it (bought for £2.2k sold for £1.9) and the only thing to go wrong was the blower fan and one time pulling away I was a bit eager and managed to frighten the power steering which enough to almost lock the wheel (not like it just turned off more like it started resisting). Did a road trip to Scotland and the 1500miles I had chasing down a friend's Cupra were brilliant.
My sister had one, it wasn't too unreliable, but everytime it went for a service, they always had more to do to it than planned and it took longer than expected to repair. It was under warranty so not a problem. It didn't feel underpowered but that 170 PS never really felt like 170hp. I remember if you lifted both electric window buttons at the same time, the lights dimmed ever so slightly! It did have some character but I know she didn't miss it when it was gone. However for a young petrolhead it would be an interesting left field choice. PS... Did I spy Silverstone village?
Hi,i might be too late but please you dont have to take the headlights a part. I had the same problem in my mito and the only thing you have to do is to "go fishing" with a magnet at the end of cable down your headlight Good luck!
Haha the rented van story, I remember going down a twisty road in wales in a clio 200 following a lwb sprinter van . The pace of the van was something I was struggling to match
A lot of ppl that says is unreliable 2 things: they never ever owned one, they serviced the car with a local guy. I owned this car, second handed with 10k miles on it and drove it for like, 3 years and sold it with 45k miles on ODO. What a lovely car. Yes, it lacks a bit of power but if you squeeze every hp if fun to drive. Yes, direction and suspension are a bit of for the chasis but car was not intended for being at track, or at least no without mods. There are no too much options to modify but still, there are, at UK, Italy and France I think. It felt it love with it. It's a perfect car to use it as a daily and I did for sometime in Mexico.
I had a JTS 156 manual & it drove me bonkers with little faults. Then it burned out a cat cos why not? We finally found one (in Australia!) & shipped it in.. to Christchurch. Just in time for the massive quake which annihilated the centre of the city, destroyed my Alfa specialists garage in the process & the cat (which didn't have nine lives) After spending as much on repairs as I did on purchasing the car I traded it in & swore I'd never forget all the headaches. Which is why I'm here looking at a MiTo QV cos I'd quite fancy one + a goodie locally has caught my eye at a fantastic price. I just don't learn.
I have the mito 120hp an customize it with a td04 turbo and some other customizations, it's a beast fun car what smokes a lot of big cars an I'm happy with that car, my first car was a w203 Mercedes an never want another car than a customized mito ❤️😁
I have owned several Alfa and they in my own experience are "unreliable " if you neglect them, service reglarly oil, cambelts etc and they are every bit as reliable as any other manufacturer. Remember, they are the best kept secret in the motoring industry if bought 2nd hand. * ps: have never owned a MiTo and i never will though.
I must really be blessed according to this bloke had alfas for decades had no bother 1.9 2.4 engines now driving mito qv lovey car just starting the engine puts a smile on your face never had a problem with rattles or bits falling off seats firm and comfortable but there again I'm not as lardy as him
keep it. They have amazing brakes & descent build quality. My wife still owns a 2004 reg 1.6 120ps petrol & has exceeded 300.000 kms!!! without major issues!!!
@@sotirisbakaimis3276 yep, I plan to, we're now on 296k km, just did a repaint on it, got rid of the rust and the car looks sick, alfa red ftw and painted the wheels black too, looks brand new. Also no major issues
Wife has had her 2010 cloverleaf mito for 5-6 years, it’s actually very good, it’s been pretty reliable (for Alfa if you believe the stories), about 100k on it now and it’s needed a multiair unit, suspension and power steering , the adaptive dampers (only on the clover/QV) are very expensive, the rest is reasonable, the turning circle is shite and it has the occasional electrical gremlin, the reverse sensor likes to stay on sometimes, and it throws an error that puts it in reduced power mode about 3 times a year (neutral position sensor) that an odb clears, our gear knob is also side on 😂 but it is fun and the community is good, it’s hard to know what to replace it with for similar money.
I bought the top-spec QV version (mainland EU they re called Mito QV, not "Cloverfield"), this was 2016 when the car was ~6 year old and 112k km / 70k miles driven. I faced many of the same problems: Suspension acted up (adaptive shocks were OK but their whole wiring loom was nackered - this is known issue), the rear wiper loom was repaired twice (also known issue for Mito), electrical power steering acted up few times (battery was new), the front lower wheel arches paint wore out / rust became problem very fast (needed ugly mudflaps), rear brake calibers had tendency to seize -> failing MOT & I had to replace one of them (very expensive!). Also the 1st gear was hard to engage when the car was cold, I mean hard. The whole gearbox was imprecise. All this with a car with relatively low mileage, clean owner history and full service history. I got rid of it after 3 years and 30k km / 19k miles driven and new owner soon reported that the Multiair unit went bad. That being just another expensive "known issue". The car was really expensive when new -> here in Finland they were really, I mean really rare. Almost like Ferraris, you simply did not see another for weeks and weeks. It was really a head turner, the design was just something else (compared to common rivals like Fiesta ST, Polo GTI, Fabia vRS etc.). Mine even had the rare sunroof option and 18" gunmetal alloys and "gelato" / cream white paint -> it was really rare spec. I loved the design very much, but the unrealibility made me sell it.
I’ve stopped this just after the 2:30 ish mark. I was meant to be going to look at the 0.9 mito to purchase tomorrow. After watching that particular part, think I’ll wait for something else to come along. Thanks Jay
I have a Mito Quadrifoglio Verde as my first car and I absolutely love it. It was cheap to insure even as a 17 year old (only £1100 no black box). I can’t think of a better first car in my opinion. I did have the backend step out on me once which definitely did wake me up🤣
@J Scott because the qv has 170bhp and a turbo. No company would insure a 17 year old on that car without a black box unless they aren’t the main driver in which case you won’t build no claims bonus and you would have to be a named driver. I have a 95bhp mito and I live in a very good area where almost every house had a car worth over 50k in the drive. Both of my parents also have cars kept at the house. Insurance for that is £1600 per year. Don’t @me if your clueless and are just going to make a fool of yourself you “freak”
@@RomeoB12 I am the main driver on the policy, both parents are named drivers and have over 30 years driving experience and no convictions I’m with admiral.
Loved my Mito 135! Had it 10 years, 110,000m and only problem was the Multiair unit but replaced it myself. 5 speed is stronger than the 6 in the 170 version and doesn’t need 6 as it’s more torquey from 1750rpm onward as against 2500rpm in the 170. Economical too averaging around 40mpg. But yes, the crashy suspension lets the whole car down. I’ve just sold my GR Yaris and would seriously consider another Mito for some fun!
I had a 147 Twin spark. The suspension was very supple but still rode remarkably flat and stable. Steering was wonderful too. One caveat though; if you're looking at 147s, 156's etc and you see the word "Selespeed", keep walking. Nah, scratch that. Run. Just run.
Yeah, good idea. Yesterday heard a story of the daughter of a colleague: the MiTo costed her in a year the same on maintenance as the price she bought it for: €7000,- If you for instance buy an UP, it will cost you €300 on maintenance. Less fun, better sleep...
Great to see another point of view in this lovely car! I love mine in Alfa Rosso with a stick 🍀 It is miss understood car form the auto journalists. It is more a very nice looking hatch with quite some punch. The adaptive dampers are great to have even though the ride is quite stiff. On the bad side, on don’t like the gearing of the 1st and 6th gear which are way to short and almost useless. The steering feel is sadly inexistant and the trim lining is way to pronounced for such tire size. But the puch it has, the torque coming out of this multiair engine is brilliant, especially driving out fast bends! Love it! Cheers and ciao!
So much more interesting than a polo, got a 1.4 tb atm as my first car - decently quick insurance is cheap, shame about the christmas tree on the dash everytime you start it up
I had a 1.6JTD, and the DNA switch on that was comical, the torque went up a lot in D, and the throttle curve was ridiculous. Still regret selling it after replacing half the mechanicals; front Brembo upgrade - much stiffer pedal with braided lines, gearbox repair, full rear brake replacement, facelifted wheel - east enough upgrade, and a new cluster - dead backlighting, all at about a grand each was a bit much. There's loads of nice little features as well, like going into reverse with the wipers on would put the back wiper on. There should be more details like that, which aren't hard to do, just need a bit of thought. The Mazda 3 that replaced it hasn't upset me with repairs yet and it's still good enough fun to drive, but I still miss the little Alfa.
I have had a new Mito QV since 2015 and NO problems whatsoever . Dont like the automatic TC but they stopped making the manual . You said 19 yr old pays £2k Ins. makes me think how cheap £340 is I pay. Mind you I would be happy paying £2k to be 19 again !
I first watched this review nearly a year ago, just after I got my QV. I thought the review was to harsh. However, with a year of Alfa ownership under my belt I cant help but watch back and smile. It's a great car, that has many flaws. Mine is a high milage example that I put a further 20k on since getting it. To say its unreliable is probably and understatement, its favourite pass time is probably leaving me stranded on the side of the road. But when it works it's wonderful. just make sure you have a good breakdown cover and a decent mechanical know how and its not too expensive to keep on the road. I have no regrets on my purchase, its taught me a lot. I would recommend it to anyone, but beware the fuel economy is truly pitiful for London traffic (23 mpg), but on a steady run I will hit 40+ mpg
My first mito got written off, bought another one. Both qvs. Will just make a point of saying a standard mk7 fiesta st does not touch this car for some reason they’re just slow. More power more torque, allegedly faster to 60 but I have a few mates with st’s and they just do not keep up in a straight line or on a back road surprisingly
I have owned a few Alfa’s - the one I miss is my 145 1.8 Twin Spark - a surprisingly quick and entertaining car - quite rare now - Mito QV vs Fiesta ST? - it’s the ST every time for me - all day long - way better to drive, more reliable and will hold its value - and it’s a guaranteed future classic like every fast Ford
Keep in mind in a couple decades there'll probably be quite a few Fiesta STs for sale in good condition and very very few Mitos. Not saying the Mito is a better car, just disagreeing a little on the "guaranteed future classic" part.
I've had one of these for the last five years, it's been pretty good, no major issues and fun to drive, looks are subjective but I like it. Just feels a bit different than the generic small hatchbacks. Will be sad when I sell it.
I had a MiTo as my first car, a 1.4 95hp model and the gearbox went in mine! I was a lot more sensible though, I replaced mine with a Brera, over 3 years of ownership I was nearly £10k down in maintenance...
had my mito for 7 years no major issues. don't know what some people are doing to theirs to have so many problems. the only major issue is the electrics but thats a problem that plagues a lot of manufactures . my 135 distinctive mito has been played with pushing a healthy 200 hp at the wheels from stock turbo.i would also like to add that the BMW mini was voted most unreliable car a few years running so id have to say the mito is way more reliable IF YOU PROPERLY MAINTAIN IT !
One of the most misleading reviews on a car I have ever witnessed . I own a mito QV for the last 3 years . It's a delight to drive the little devil, it has very low fuel consumption for a car with 170hp (1400cc). Very precise steering, very good handling, great road performance . I have only been to the mechanic for oil change and some very minor issues . It's a very reliable car . I really don't understand with what are you comparing this car ... A lexus, a Ferrari, a BMW M3 ? Really confused about this review
How to make proper hothatch out of it: 1. Find well cared pre-lift QV with manual transmission without heavy/problematic extra equipment (i.e. sunroof, leather seats, 18' wheels) 2. Install fair powerbox - i.e. Racechip RS or GTS 3 (you can expect mid to high 6s 0-100km/h, it can be quicker but you would have to mode her deeper/more expensive). Set front wheel alignemnt divergent 6-8 min. each side 4. Install fair 224/45/17 - i.e. Michelin Pilot Sport (17' is not taht expensive) 5. Do proper service each time including multiair filter and "turbo nut" 6. Carry 1l oil with you - check level frequently. 7. Enjoy i.e. go tracking and check if all these Fiestas ST are still that much faster. One practical comment - give her clear signals about braking or accelerating - Electronics on D mode will then support you not disturb you. Body roll will be pretty serious but car will turn very well regardless this 8. Enjoy it as daily car on N mode (without powerbox the car is lousy on it)
Every time I went over a minor pot hole or speed bump in mine sounded like the car had fallen apart! But nothing ever actually broke in the year I had it. Other than the paint which came off when they tried to wash it during a service.
The man who owns this car is a genuine Alfisti, but I'm not sure it's the best car for the open road, it's always struck me as a town car, ideal for nipping around and parking in small places.
I think the Italians reserve the worse build cars for the UK. That or people from the UK are not honest when reviewing an Italian car. I have a Mito 1.6 Diesel since 8 years and yes the cruse control just went out. Also, you need to consider the wheel bearings as consumable (the way I drive it, I guess). On the other hand, I am only now replacing the first winter tires because they are getting old. As for the suspension, I can immediately feel the difference between dynamic and normal. Yes it is hard in Dynamic but this is a very competent Autobahn cruiser and when you do 120Mph on the motor way (and I often do that hours on end) you learn to respect this car, keeping up with BMW and Audi rep cars. Back in the day, I had the Mito 1.6 d and Mini Cooper d as rental car (many times) and I have done thousands of Miles in them including testing hair pins in the Italian Alps. Both cars are competent but the Mito is the better car. I bought the Mito because I got a good price on it in Italy but also because it is the cheapest car you can drive from Italy to Germany in one stretch and arrive fresh and not fatigued. The seats are top notch (for ergonomics, not build quality) I have had occasions that I started a 6 hour journey with a back ache and it was gone after the ride. Finally, as for them holding on to them so long, for an owner of a 2012 model, I was enjoying many years of driving in an up to date model :)
The Stop/Start stays off because it’s broken 😂 that was the case with my 10 plate Mito Quadrofolio and I was one of the mugs who bought it brand new from the dealer, looked the part though
I would definitely have considered this for my daughter who recently passed her test but she is insisting on her first car being 5 doors so its probably going to be either a Corsa or Fiesta. They are probably better options for a first time driver but lack character like an Alfa.
My mate has one of these and he’s only 18, i think his insurance is like 2,000 a year as well, so if you can afford it they are good cars for younger people
And if anyone wants to buy one, I have a fantastic condition option. With Sabelt Carbon fibre seats. With a lovely Mito Ragazzon exhaust, and in overall fantastic condition!
This review is totally biased, I would say this dude doesn't really like Italian cars except maybe Ferraris and alike, but spent the whole clip saying that is full of faults and not reliable, and that everything that can go wrong will go wrong, didn't even pointed one thing that goes wrong... They are so unreliable that you see some of them with almost 300.000km and still going strong...
I just sold my original press car of these. It was an earlier model though. Very rare spec. Great fun to drive when it wasn't catching fire or some other irritating issue.
Were they 30mm lowered? They certainly do improve the handling and on the Mito QV which has the adaptive damper system the lowest you can go lower with springs is 30mm. subframe braces are also a cheap modification and can be made from 30mm x 10mm steel bar if you are handy with basic tools.
Just seen todays video from Jack at Number 27 - there was some bloke that looked just like you Jay....he even had a merry similar S2000 yellow Honda as well!
Did you ever do the ‘long term’ review you mentioned doing on your mum’s Giulietta, during your ‘Alfa rant’ video from a couple of years ago? Can’t find it scrolling through your play list.
@@JayEmmOnCars Took delivery of ours earlier this week and made a video for my young / L-drivers on driving a Double Clutch Gearbox. This is the same 1.4 Multi-Air (170ps) engine mated to Alfa/Fiat’s TCT (Twin Clutch Transmission), a combination also available in the Mito: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OsmYIfTcK5k.html Only time will tell if ours proves to be more reliable than you mum’s; the ‘Short Leg, Long Arm’ Italian seating ergonomics are interesting at 6’ 2”!
You don't buy an alfa for its build quality but then you don't buy a fiesta st for its cabin design or its great build quality for that matter. Its about how it makes you smile,fun all those things you actually want and its different which is always a good thing.
Im a driving instructor and I am currently on my third Mito 1.3 diesel. Reliable? well from my experience I can't fault the MITO. I have them serviced every 12000 miles regardless of whether the service indicator has come on or not. In over 200,000 miles not one breakdown and only services parts and the odd suspension part needed between the three cars my current car will be run for anther 60,000 miles. I have kept the middle of the three cars and it will stay within the family for some time to come. Although the interior does look cheap in areas all three cars have stood up to wear and tear, very well. My first car had the cloth seats which showed up dirt and the following two had leather interiors which stand up very well and even after 100,000 miles still look like new. As with all cars buy the best you can find and not one that's been abused and you should be ok. Alfa have felt this sector of small cars and that's a great shame The New Milano when it arrives shortly? well it's not in the same sector so what will I be running next ? A boring Polo, Fabia or 208???
We were thinking about one of these for my girlfriend but ultimately ended up with a mini. Its an interesting little car though and getting rarer by the day. Just not sure on long term reliability for a younger driver, they need to be well cared for. Cracking little machine if you can get a decent insurance quote on it though, certainly a little different from what a young persons mate has got.
If you want a MITO the best advice is to get the 1.4 FIRE engine version, they are very well proven and the most reliable engine ignore all other engines and yes the twin air is crap
@Immortal Anything with the 1.4 is based on the FIRE engine, not the most refined but pretty damn reliable. Multairs like this QV are a bit more picky, but something like a 16v 95 or a TB120/155 are a nice solid engine 👍
