There’s a theme that unites truly lovable cars. More often than not, they possess at least two of three things: affordability, style or charm. That’s why, when it comes to Italian motors, British enthusiasts may revere Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but it’s the Fiat 500s and the Alfa Romeo Alfasuds that they take to their hearts.

So is the British car-buying public about to fall in love again, this time with the 21st century interpretation of the 1970s Alfasud - the MiTo?

Designed in Alfa’s ancestral home of Milan and and built in Turin (or Torino - hence the name), it’s the marque’s first ever supermini and is a key part of the firm’s plan to double its sales volume in the next few years. Not surprisingly, with that sort of pressure on its shoulders, the MiTo is following the love formula to the letter, with fashion house looks and a seductive starting price of just under £11,000.

Going head to head with reincarnated favourites such as the Mini and the Fiat 500, not to mention the forthcoming Audi A1, the MiTo certainly has its work cut out. But it’s no retro pas-tiche. Beneath the metal it’s packed full of gadgets - but it’s the bodywork that gets you first. Its styling is inspired by Alfa’s 8C supercar, and they don’t come any better than that.

From the striking shield-shaped grille to the squat rear with its circular LED tail-lights, all the key details are there. Yes, there’s enough frontal overhang to give Bruce Forsyth a run for his money, but it’s a real head-turner and far more original than the Mini.

Inside, there are some racy deep-set dials, a sporty low driving position, figure-hugging seats - available in the sort of tan leather worthy of a pair of Prada loafers - and a sweeping dashboard. Some of the plastics don’t feel quite up to Audi or Mini standards, but there’s no shortage of goodies to make up for it. Even the entry-level Turismo model gets air-condi-tioning and an MP3-compatible stereo, while Veloce cars come with Alfa’s Blue & Me system, which combines Bluetooth (meaning you can make hands-free phone calls) and a USB port for an iPod. Less impressive is the space. Rear legroom isn’t great, the seats don’t fold completely flat and the 270-litre boot is deep but narrow.

Still, Alfas aren’t about lugging rubbish to the tip, they’re about driving to Italy’s Stelvio Pass just for the hell of it. Or, failing that, putting a smile on your face during a humdrum trip to Tesco. On this count the MiTo’s Fiat Grande Punto-based platform has had everything up-rated to raise the grin factor - steering, brakes, tyres – it even features tiny springs inside the dampers to limit body roll.

Drivers have the choice of three driving modes - dynamic, normal and all weather – to best match road conditions, tweaking steering feel, throttle response and stability control along the way. Before the end of the year, it’ll also be available with a VW DSG-style twin-clutch transmission too. Engine choice includes 95bhp and 120bhp petrol units, plus 90bhp and 120bhp diesels - all of which are cheap to tax and fuel.

Top of the range is our test car - the 1.4 TB Veloce, which gets a 155bhp petrol turbo. It packs a serious punch - and goes together with the MiTo like pesto and pasta. Dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in just 8sec and zipping on to a top speed of 134mph, the 1.4 TB is fast. Thanks to 170 lb ft of torque there’s plenty of mid-range thrust.

To handle the nippy speeds all models get Alfa’s Q2 system, which uses the front brakes to rein in the engine under hard acceleration. It works extremely well, even with your foot mashed into the carpet.

The electric power steering doesn’t offer much feel but it’s accurate and quick. Combined with a wide track, stiff suspension and a low centre of gravity, the MiTo turns into corners very quickly. Once there, it grips hard and resists body roll, tightening its line smartly with a lift of the throttle if you’re a bit overzealous.

Despite its clever springs, the ride isn’t particularly compliant and the MiTo crashes over potholes, lacking the fluidity of a Mini. But it’s still good to drive.

And it’s just the car that Alfa needs right now.

Even at £14,975 for the range-topping model, the MiTo is great value for money. And next year the hottest MiTo of them all will arrive: the 230bhp GTA, which features an all-new 1750cc turbo-charged four-cylinder petrol engine, producing genuine hot-hatch performance. British car buyers could be about to fall head over heels again.

WORTH CONSIDERING...
Mini Cooper S, £16,245
ForAbout as much fun as superminis get
AgainstPricey and rather ubiquitous

Fiat 500 1.4 Sport £10,710
ForThe cheekiest-looking car on the road
AgainstCould be cheekier to drive

Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 TB Veloce

ENGINE 1368cc turbo, four cylinders
POWER 155bhp @ 5500rpm
TORQUE 170 lb ft @ 3000rpm
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual
FUEL/CO2 43.5mpg (combined cycle) / 153g/km
PERFORMACE 0-62mph: 8.0sec / Top speed: 135mph
PRICE £14,975 ROAD TAX BAND D (£145 for 12 months)
RELEASE DATE January 2009
VERDICT Great value supermini; sharply styled and good to drive