Hamburg - This is a small car with a big mission: Alfa Romeo's new Mito hatch is designed to grab sales from BMW's iconic Mini and breathe new life into the famous Italian marque at the same time.

Getting the looks right is essential, if young people are to be lured to the brand and the makers of this sporty three-door hatchback have come up with a cheeky shape which oozes style.

All the right ingredients are there, starting with the prominent shield-shaped grille on the bonnet which soars up to the front screen like the wings of a bird. The Mito's haunches and taillights are also as shapely as Gina Lollobrigida in her best years. By the way, the Mito name is not Japanese but comes from the first syllables of Milano (Milan) where the car was conceived and Torino (Turin) where it assembled.

The Mito mechanics are based on the Grande Punto made by parent company Fiat but Alfa have grafted on a host of goodies to keep its target audience happy. The price is right too with 14,700 euros (18,700 dollars) demanded for the JTDM version tested.

The Mito not only looks like a cartoon version of a supercar but makes use of a Ferrari-developed device called the Manettino, a console-mounted switch which allows the driver to select a range of modes to suit different road conditions.

The electronic chassis settings range from all-weather and normal through to so-called dynamic mode. The latter means "go faster" and when it is engaged both engine and power steering become more responsive. Another feature is the Q2 Electronic system which acts like a self-locking differential, juggling the power to the front wheels to prevent spin.

The Mito's cabin is a bit of a let-down. As so often in the history of parent company Fiat, Ala Romeo and Lancia, the interior is by no means as passionately executed as the exterior styling. The bucket seats are figure-hugging and comfortable and the dashboard features fall readily to eye and hand but the plastics and materials used look cheaper than those in the Mini.

Even the fascia-mounted Manettino has a cheap and cheerful look to it while the fake carbon fibre trim used in more expensive model variants causes irritating reflections on the inside of the windscreen. Added to that, the optional navigation system is about as useful as a blind front-seat passenger who has lost the power of speech. It can only be operated when the car is stationary and is anything but user-friendly.

Space is not a problem and four people can travel in relative comfort in this supermini which measures just over four metres from head to tail. The Mito will take 290 litres of luggage although the boot has a high lip to it, making it a chore to load heavy suitcases.

The safety package includes seven airbags and what must be the world's most irritating seatbelt warning device. The alarm sounds within milliseconds of moving away from the curb.

The engines are up to the job without being particularly inspiring. There are naturally-aspirated 1.4 litre motors with either 95 or 120 horsepower to choose between and a diesel which extracts 120 horses from a capacity of 1.6 litre and is more frugal. Alfa Romeo promises 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres along with respectable performance credentials.

The diesel will sprint to 100 km/h (62 miles an hour) in 9.8 seconds, thanks to a neatly-shifting six-speed gearbox and emits a meagre 126 g/kms of C02. Top speed is given as 198 km/h. Beefier motive power is in the pipeline but even in its present form the Mito is an attractive alternative to the Mini with equal clout in the image stakes and a tempting price tag.

Key data: Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.6 JTDM 16V; Four cylinder turbocharged diesel, 1,568 cc, max power 120 bhp at 3,750 rpm; Gearbox: Six-speed manual; Suspension, Macpherson strut at front, semi-independent torsion beam at rear; Front wheel drive; Length 4.063m, width 1.720m, weight 1,280 kg; Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph) 9.8 secs; Top speed 198 km/h; Average fuel consumption 5.9 litres per 100 km; Prices start at 14,700 euros (18,700 dollars). (dpa)