Alfa Romeo is a name that all auto enthusiasts revere. One of the oldest marques in the world, it has a long and storied racing history and has produced a long list of enthusiast-loved cars since it’s inception. Even Henry Ford admitted that whenever he saw an Alfa Romeo he’d tip his hat our of respect. So when Alfa Romeo returned to American shores, it brought along it’s latest examples of Italian engineering. One of those models was the Stelvio, a handsome modern SUV with as much emphasis on the Sport as on the Utility.
Just look at the lines on it. From the tri-lobular front grille – a long running Alfa Romeo design cue – through the swollen fenders and sexy curve of the belt line to the pert rear-end, the Stelvio is a sexy looking SUV. The SUV isn’t just a cargo carrier, it’s a cargo carrier with sporting ability.
Inside is a high-end interior that continues the Stelvio’s stylish design. The dash and door sills are leather-wrapped with beautiful stitching. The seats are comfortable and bolstered to hold you in place when driving fast. The dash is easy to read at a glance and all the controls are easy to find. The switchgear feels very high-quality, very precise in it’s motion and feel. The only thing missing is ventilated front seats. Even the back seats have plenty of legroom. Those back seats also fold down flat providing even more cargo space should you need it.
Under the hood lies Alfa Romeo’s stellar 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. At this point, you may be rolling your eyes and saying “Four-cylinder?! Puh-leeze.” But this little four-cylinder is impressive. And smooth. You don’t feel any vibration from it at all despite it’s high output. It puts out 280hp and 306 lb-ft of torque. Not incredible numbers, but it feels stronger than that somehow. And the more you wind it out the better is sounds and goes. 0-60 comes up in slightly over 5 seconds and tops out at 150 mph.
But it’s not just quick. It also handles. The Stelvio feels unflappable in corners. Throw it into a tight set of corners and the Stelvio feels better than just about every other SUV on the market. It’s incredibly smooth.The suspension sets up and the Stelvio slips gracefully through the apexes of every corner it encounters. That’s where the bolstered seats come in, holding the driver and passengers in place and in control.
The ride is superb. The suspension is firm and sporting but does it’s best to absorb the harshness of the worst pavement. Surprisingly, the overwhelming sensation is the smoothness of the ride. I’m not sure what magic the wizards of Milan have worked but the smoothness of the ride is wonderful. There is very little wind or tire noise. Just a beautiful graceful ride, an unmatched agility, and an engine that wants to run.
The brakes do an excellent job of reigning in the speed and they feel good doing it too. There’s no squishiness or moment of vagueness when you push the brake pedal. It feels very intuitive and linear. They inspire confidence.
Likewise, the steering is very straightforward and intuitive. It’s easy to place the Stelvio right at the apex of a corner or equally between the lines of a tight parking spot at the local Home Depot.
Adding even more confidence to the driving experience, the Stelvio distributes it’s power through an 8-speed transmission to Alfa Romeo’s Q4 all-wheel drive system. It helps the Stelvio hold the road during performance driving and also provides plentiful traction in inclement weather. How does it do both so equally well? That’s the beauty of the Q4 system and the DNA drive mode selector. The DNA selector allows the driver to tailor the driveline to the task. D represents “Dynamic” and maximizes performance driving ability. N represents “Natural” and is a good everyday drive mode. A represents “All Weather” and reigns in the performance so that it can carefully pick it’s way up a snowy road.
The Stelvio is expected to achieve 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway for a combined 25 mpg. Not stellar but certainly acceptable.
Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio is one of the most inspiring and sporting SUV’s on the market. It’s also one of the best looking, in my opinion. Dare to be different? Dare to drive something unique? Dare to drive something that separates you from the other SUV drones and will earn you a thumbs-up from true automotive enthusiasts? The Stelvio is the answer.
Performance: 7
Handling: 8
Design: 9
Interior: 8
Infotainment: 6
Sound: 7
Fun: 8
Overall: 7.5