Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo has history that dates back to 1910, when Cavalier Ugo Stella acquired the shares of an Italian factory of a French carmaker.
At that time, he decided to rename the plant Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, or ALFA.
Since then, Alfa Romeo has built a reputation as one of the most desirable cars to drive in the world, filled to the brim with emotion and passion. Simply put, there are no other brands like Alfa (save Ferrari, also owned by the same company), especially in the mainstream segments. Unfortunately, Alfa products did not fare well in terms of reliability and build quality over the years, making the “comeback” to North America a very difficult proposition.
What can you say? The brand has so much character, amazing driving feel, and Ferrari-like passion but scores below average in most quality surveys. You will need to decide whether style, passion, and driving fun are more important than a few trips back to the dealership.
In the case of the new Stelvio SUV from Alfa Romeo, I’m tempted to say “who cares about a few trips back to the service department,” simply because the driving experience is so much better than the competitors – the ride and handling is absolutely top notch and world-class.
In fact, when you drive the Stelvio back to back with the likes of Audi Q5, Lexus NX, BMW X3, or even the brand new Acura RDX, you really wonder how Alfa managed to squeeze in this much “fun to drive” character that is really lacking these days in the mid- and compact-sized SUV market. About the only model to come anywhere close to the Stelvio is the Porsche Macan, which is significantly more expensive, though the Macan has an excellent reliability history.
This mid-size SUV is produced in Alfa Romeo’s Cassino Assembly Plant in Italy. Only in its second model year of production, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio remains virtually the same for 2019, save for a few minor changes.
Design
The Stelvio is a reflection of Alfa’s highly cultured birthplace and this shines through both in the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Bold grille, curvy lines, and sculptured shape give the Stelvio a unique and sporty appearance.
Genuine wood, real leather, carbon fibre, aluminum and high quality fabrics are found in each trim level and reflect a luxurious and elegant interior. The only drawback in the interior is the thick roof pillars that limit visibility to a degree. Everything looks like it is well built in terms of material quality, but it’s hard to judge how the Stelvio will fare in terms of mechanical or electrical reliability over time.
Technology is smart and intuitive in the Stelvio, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported. That being said, the voice control option is hard to use and frustratingly inaccurate.
Solid 1,600 litres (56.5 cubic feet) of cargo space is available in the Stelvio, balancing out the luxury and fun nature of the mid-size SUV with a very practical and responsible feature as well.
I would recommend adding the Driver Assist Dynamic Plus package to maximize safety. This adds automatic high beams, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control to your Stelvio. Speaking of packages, I would also recommend the Cold Weather Package for Canadian winters. This adds heated front seats, heated steering wheel and heated washer nozzles to keep you and your Stelvio nice and warm.
The seats are comfortable and trunk quite usable, but do note that the Stelvio doesn’t provide as much space as the larger SUVs such as the BMW X3 or the Lexus RX.
Performance
Engines remain unchanged for 2019, and include two options. The first option with the base model Stelvio and the Stelvio Ti is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine which produces 280 horsepower and 306 foot-pounds of torque. The second option is only available with the top-level Quadrifoglio and it’s a screaming 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V-6 engine that pumps out a heart-racing (best in class) 505 h.p. and 443 foot-pounds of torque. Both engines come paired with an eight-speed transmission.
Honestly, you have to drive the Stelvio to believe the fact that it’s possible to design an SUV that drives like a real sports vehicle. The handling is sharp, light and easy to touch, and the ride is just perfect. The car handles like a dream and other than the Porsche Macan, nothing else comes close. Even the base 2.0-litre engine is impressive, with plenty of torque and get-up-and-go power throughout the rev ranges.
I haven’t driven the Quadrifoglio model yet, as it is extremely limited in availability. But at a price that’s close to $100,000, most people will opt for the 2.0-litre models.
The driver has full and personalized control with the Alfa DNA Pro Drive Mode Selector, featuring Dynamic, Natural and Added Efficiency. For those driving the Quadrifoglio, there is also a Race mode available.
Fuel economy for the Stelvio and Stelvio Ti is 10.8/8.3/9.6 litres/100 kilometres for city/highway/combined. Fuel economy for the Quadrifoglio is 14.1/10.4/12.4 l/100 km, not bad for a super sports SUV.
Summary
Italians are known for their impeccable style and love for luxury. The 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a testament to the Italian way of life, and thanks to this superb vehicle, Alfa Romeo’s brand is beginning to cement itself into the North American scene. By 2020, Alfa Romeo has a goal to release six additional vehicles into the North American market, including a hatchback, a sedan, two utility vehicles and two specialty cars. For a car company that has a long history full of ups and downs, it remains to be seen if it will pay off for Alfa Romeo. With the long-standing mindset of “never second,” Alfa Romeo has a clear goal and a long and exciting road ahead.
The 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio costs $53,345 for the base all-wheel drive model, moves up gradually for the Ti, Sport, Ti Sport, and Ti Lusso models to $55,345. However, if you opt for the Quadrifoglio, you can add a cool $40,000 to that price tag, as it starts from a cost of $95,000. I think for the price, the Alfa delivers astounding performance.
editor@automotivepress.com
