Get these Alfa Romeo reliability jokes out of your system. I’m right here to inform you they aren’t wanted right here. The Alfa Romeo Giulia is very good. And within the sport sedan phase — a phase that appears to get smaller each few years — the Giulia is a standout providing from a model that will get an excessive amount of flack.
Disclaimer: Alfa supplied me the Giulia on a whim after I contacted them for details about a narrative I used to be engaged on. I used to be shocked at how a lot I loved this factor.
What Is It?
The Giulia is considered one of three automobiles the model sells right here within the U.S. Well 4 in case you rely the 33 Stradale but it surely’s extremely unique and already bought out. The different two are the Stelvio and Tonale. The Giulia can be the one sedan Alfa sells within the U.S. It’s been on sale largely unchanged since its 2016 introduction. A current refresh has given the Giulia a barely redesigned entrance fascia; the Giulia you see right here is the mannequin out there proper earlier than the refresh was introduced.
Only two engines are supplied on the Giulia. If you don’t select the fireplace respiratory 505 horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 within the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the one engine out there is a 2.0-liter 280 hp turbocharged I4. That engine will get mated to an eight pace computerized.
The one I borrowed is the Giulia Luzzo Edition; that’s simply fancy Italian for Luxury Edition. Starting from the $45,615 Giulia Ti, an additional $3,200 will get you Crema Cannelloni Design Leather-Trimmed Seats, leather-based trim on the higher sprint, a 14-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system, and vivid silver trim across the entrance grille, on the exhaust suggestions, window moldings and masking the 19-inch 5 spoke wheels with pink brake calipers. With one other $400 for the Alfa Rosso exterior coloration, this Giulia rings in at $54,030.
A Dynamic Chassis With Superb Tuning
Did BMW or Lotus let Alfa Romeo borrow a few of their engineers? Because this factor is improbable to drive. Turn in is great. Throw it right into a nook and it’s just like the Giulia is saying “Yea don’t even worry about it, I got this.” Body roll is non-existent and the Giulia stays planted by means of any curve you throw it into. With dealing with this distinctive, you’d suppose the Giulia’s trip could be stiff or tough. Surprisingly its double wishbone setup manages to ship a cushty trip. Braking is sport car-like with Brembo four-piston calipers that convey the automobile down from pace with ease. One of the explanations the Giulia is so responsive, Alfa says, is its class-exclusive carbon fiber driveshaft which helps preserve weight down and improves engine response.
Speaking of the engine, that was one other shock. The 2.0-liter turbo I4 used within the Giulia can be utilized in all the things from the brand new Alfa Romeo Tonale/Dodge Hornet to 5 totally different Jeep fashions around the globe, together with the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe fashions. So my hopes weren’t excessive on the efficiency entrance. But the engine surprisingly delivered. The turbo appears as if it’s all the time on increase so lag is sort of non-existent. And with 306 lb-ft of torque, it pulls laborious and pulls away from different automobiles with ease.
The Only Downside
The solely knock in regards to the Giulia that I didn’t take care of was the inside. It’s not a foul trying inside and materials high quality was prime notch. But this was not an inside designed with Americans in thoughts. I’m an enormous man, 6 ‘0 tall and just over 260 lbs and this is not an interior I could sit in for long periods on something like a road trip.
The steering angle was awkward: adjust the steering wheel a bit higher, and it hides some parts of the gauges; move the seat down….I couldn’t because it was already at its lowest. Move the steering wheel down and it’s practically rubbing my knees. Another bizarre half in regards to the inside was the infotainment display. The plastic that lined it had a darkish tint on it so in direct daylight it was practically ineffective.
Front legroom is first rate at 42.4-inches, however an intrusive transmission tunnel makes that appear smaller. Rear seat legroom is as tight as a cummerbund round an enormous bellied man in a tux at 35.1-inches. This is all made worse by small door openings and doorways that don’t appear to swing open huge sufficient for entry and exit.
Verdict
What you could have right here is without doubt one of the greatest saved sport sedan secrets and techniques available on the market. It seems improbable, is from a model that you just may not see fairly often, and doesn’t come throughout prefer it’s making an attempt too laborious or being pretentious like some German choices. The draw back is that $50,000+ worth places it proper in keeping with these very German choices, a few of that are genuinely higher. The used market is one other issue. Used Giulias are absurdly low-cost with low miles, even ones which can be only a 12 months previous. New ones will be had with steep reductions although.
But even in case you go for a brand new one, don’t let any preconceived notions about Alfa Romeo cease you from driving a Giulia. You gained’t remorse it.
2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso RWD *Ltd Avail* Specs
Engine kind
Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4
Transmission/Drive
Automatic w/OD
Source: jalopnik.com