By Ian Strachan.
The sports utility vehicle sector is the quickest growing sector in the UK car market at the moment, taking sales away from more traditional saloons and hatchbacks. So it was no surprise that Alfa Romeo wanted to get in on the act.
Better known for stylish sports cars, the designers at Alfa brought a bit of Italian brio to the SUV sector in the shape of the Stelvio. And in the V6 turbocharged Stelvio Quadfrifoglio it combines style with stunning performance.
Despite its proportions – and this is a big car – the Stelvio is unmistakably an Alfa Romeo. It oozes Italian style, with the distinctive Alfa grille. It may be big but it’s also elegant and sleek.
And rest assured this no staid family SUV. Even with four wheel drive this car’s performance is sizzling. Its 510 bhp 2.9 bi-turbo petrol engine can propel you from 0-60 mph in a neck-snapping 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 176 mph. Most people buy Alfa Romeos for their handling and their excellent engines. This won’t disappoint. Don’t expect good fuel consumption though. Performance like this has a penalty and you can expect about 24.6 mpg in mixed driving.
This Alfa a real pleasure to drive, though. Linked to a smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox, the engine makes all the right noises, with a growl of power on start-up. But on the road it never sounds or feels under pressure and delivers power exactly when you want it.
Ride and handling are exceptional as you’d expect from an Alfa, with crisp and positive steering response and nicely damped suspension to give a smooth ride.
This is a very big car. You’ll get a good idea of its width on a car park, with the wheels getting close to the white lines on either side. The bonus is there’s lots of interior space, with more than adequate room for five adults and plenty of luggage space.
The starter button – in typical Alfa style – is mounted on the three-spoke leather-covered, heated steering wheel which also features shift paddles for manual gear changes.
Equipment levels are superb on the version I tested, with heated, electrically adjustable leather-clad seats, active cruise control, lane assist, blind spot warning, satellite navigation via an 8.8 inch colour screen, infotainment system with DAB radio and MP3 player, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, charging pad, and powered tailgate . You also get some smart Stelvio and Quadrifoglio badging about the car.
This is an easy car to like and I was sorry to see it go. The whole thing isn’t cheap, coming at £73,195 on the road but you get a lot of car, and a lot of style, for your money.
