IF YOU don’t experience the same kind of feeling you did during your first schoolyard kiss on clapping eyes on Alfa’s MiTo then check your pulse. If you do be sure to keep that in mind when you’re driving it.

ON THE ROAD: IT’S almost a cliché to talk about Alfa’s long history of designing beautiful cars. I am sure there have been some duff ones along the way, but if so they have been airbrushed out of history. That fate won’t befall the MiTo which is a pretty little thing, perfectly proportioned with curves in all the right places. Both diesel and petrol engines are available, our test car having the 875cc TwinAir under the bonnet. There’s 105bhp on tap. In ‘normal’ mode it can feel like you are wading through custard, but you gain in economy. In ‘dynamic’ mode the economy suffers a little, but the MiTo gets a welcome kick up the jacksy. Whichever mode you are, the third element of the DNA system being ‘all weather’, you are accompanied by a distinctly thrummy engine note, more akin to a motorbike than a car. If you want to blast the twisting B-roads then the combination of ‘dynamic mode’, the engine noise and some fairly enthusiastic accelerator action can engender a feeling very close to fun. Around town, however, it can be a little wearing.

ON THE INSIDE: THE interior of the MiTo is another example of an area where Alfa and other such romanticised brands excel.

Everywhere you look there is something to catch your eye, whether it’s the dials with their Italian inscriptions – benzina and aqua sound so much better than petrol and water – the dash surround in red and black is impressive as are the silver highlights to the pedal, engine mode selector, gearstick and interior of the steering wheel. WHAT DO YOU GET: OUR car came with 17ins alloys, red brake callipers, rear parking sensors, aluminium sports pedals and kick plates, tinted rear windows, chrome exhaust, DNA switch, cruise control, steering wheel with remote controls and sports upholstery. In addition, there was a 5ins colour touch screen infotainment system with Bluetooth and voice recognition and start and stop engine function. Options included dual zone automatic climate control and metallic paint.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT: THERE’S room onboard for four, but the cabin is not overly spacious and once you are in, you are in. Head and legroom are adequate, but nothing more. The boot, at 270 litres, is large enough to cope with standard items, but might struggle with bulkier goods. Split-folding rear seats are an option only.

RUNNING COSTS: ALFA say it should be feasible to get a return of 67.2mpg on the combined cycle. CO2 emissions drop below the magic 100g/km mark at 99g/km.

VERDICT: IF you like style at the expense of some substance the MiTo might be an option for you.

ALTERNATIVES: AUDI A1, Ford Fiesta, Suzuki Swift