Mito versus DS3

[sawman]

I am under some pressure to take a lease car from my employer. I have some quotes and am looking at small hatches, specifically Alfa Mito and Citroen DS3.

I had a test drive in the new mito Twin air last week which went pretty well and had some character thanks to the fizzy twin engine. I was a little unsure of the damping control though, I went along a road which have have been down many times in my old forester and the mito didn't feel as composed as the old subaru used to.

I am hoping to drive a ds3 over the weekend for comparison.

Any views on one versus the other?

[Dangermouse58]

Of the two I'd take the alfa. Driving a ströen is just too depressing.

[sawman]

Thanks for the insight
I was hoping for something a bit more specific

[PumpkinSteve]

Dangermouse58 said:

Of the two I'd take the alfa. Driving a ströen is just too depressing.

But the Mito is just a Grande Punto, which has been out for donkeys years

[Jamie VTS]

Dangermouse58 said:

Of the two I'd take the alfa. Driving a ströen is just too depressing.

Have you ever driven a French car, I can only assume that because of all your wonderful insites into French cars you must have had a really bad experience in the past? Or is it just the usual pub bullst you are spouting?

[Jack.]

I went For the DS3, didn't like the ride or the steering in the Alfa and found both to be much better in the Citroen. Owned it for a year so far and nothing rattles, has fallen off or gone wrong and I am definitely not depressed.

[icepop]

Had two D3's as courtesy cars, and they were as different as chalk and cheese. First one was great, second was very average. First was a diesel, and wafted along nicely, handled OK. Second was a revvy petrol and pushing on, to the same levels as the diesel, handling fell apart. Never tried the ALFA, so can't comment, but I think, it looks all wrong, and compared to the lovely french babe, comes a definite second.

Edited by icepop on Friday 10th August 00:11

[Raize]

They're new hatchbacks. Drive them both and pick the one your heart tells you to because there's not really much to objectively argue about.

[sawman]

Jack. said:

I went For the DS3, didn't like the ride or the steering in the Alfa and found both to be much better in the Citroen. Owned it for a year so far and nothing rattles, has fallen off or gone wrong and I am definitely not depressed.

I have had a few citroens over the years and nothing ever fell off - although I did have a head gasket go once.

I see from your profile you have the 150hp petrol, did you look at any other varients - I have been quoted for the 120hp petrol, but wondered if i should go diesel

[sawman]

icepop said:

Had two D3's as courtesy cars, and they were as different as chalk and cheese. First one was great, second was very average. First was a diesel, and wafted along nicely, handled OK. Second was a revvy petrol and pushing on, to the same levels as the diesel, handling fell apart. Never tried the ALFA, so can't comment, but I think, it looks all wrong, and compared to the lovely french babe, comes a definite second.

Edited by icepop on Friday 10th August 00:11

curious, I was under the impression both diesel and petrol would have a similar chassis set up

[Vitorio]

I've driven two mitos (higher powered ones, 155 and 135hp respectively) for a combined 20k miles. I didnt have any technical issues, and besides from some of the plastic in the interior feeling a tad cheap, they felt very well put together.

I would recommend doing a longer test-run, my main niggle with the mito is that the standard seats dont work very well for me, any drive over an hour would give me a bit of a back-ache, the QV supposedly offers better seats, but i havent tried them (nor do i know if they are available on the twinair).

I assume you tried out the DNA switch on your test-run? the effect will most likely be less pronounced on a twinair, but the jeckel/hyde character that DNA introduces i found very very nice. Drive it around town with light steering and a somewhat sedate throttle, then turn onto a B-road, switch to dynamic mode, heavies the steering and makes the engine go nuts as soon as you just look at the throttle.

I dont have any experience with a lower powered mito (and in all honesty, the miles i did with the 155 sort of ruined the 135 for me, it always seemed a bit slow compared to its predecessor), but i probably would take the alfa over the citroen, if only because i absolutely love the looks of the mito, and i think it will age better then the DS3 (even if that is only a 4 year concern for a company hack)

[Jack.]

sawman said:

I have had a few citroens over the years and nothing ever fell off - although I did have a head gasket go once.

I see from your profile you have the 150hp petrol, did you look at any other varients - I have been quoted for the 120hp petrol, but wondered if i should go diesel

I tried the 90bhp diesel, the 110bhp diesel, and the 150bhp petrol. The 6 speed gearbox
from the two higher powered cars is a vast improvement over the 5 speed in the lower powered cars and if you are able to I would avoid that. I tried it the 90bhp first and it was almost enough to put me off.

If you don't find that an issue all the engines are nice to use and even the 90bhp diesel doesn't feel too underpowered. I personally went for the petrol as I prefer them and don't like the idea of DPFs etc. The petrol engines are the same engine as found in Mini Coopers and a few other cars and the diesels are found in everytHing from ford fiestas to volvos and all seem to be reliable. Although the 150 petrol has had some issues.