Alfa Romeo Giulia Super Petrol 2017 Overview

From the way my mother looked at me through the kitchen, I knew she thought I was crazy. She just kept talking. over and over: "But you said never buy an Alpha...".

I have, many times. You see, while Alfa Romeo has a storied racing heritage, it has recently gained a reputation for problematic quality and questionable reliability. But that was before the advent of Giulia Super. 

It's time for Mom's million-year-old German prestige sedan to leave and her to buy something new. I considered Giulia among cars along with BMW 320i or Mercedes-Benz C200.

My father is already into it, but he is a romantic and is known for coming home with boats we never use, fencing swords and books on alpaca farming. Mother is different; rational.

Maybe the prince story would work? Did you hear it? He was not actually a prince, his real name was Roberto Fedeli and he was the chief engineer of Ferrari. But he was so exceptionally talented that he earned the nickname Prince.

In 2013, the head of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Sergio Marchionne, saw that Alfa was in big trouble, so he pulled the emergency lever and called Prince. Fedeli said Alfa could be fixed, but it would take people and money. Eight hundred designers and engineers plus five billion euros later, Giulia was born.

The Super trim with the petrol engine tested here is not the fastest or most prestigious in the Giulia range. So what's so great about this? And why on earth would I offer this compared to such excellent offerings from BMW and Benz? Have I lost my mind?

Alfa Romeo Giulia 2017: super petrol
Safety Rating
engine's type	2.0 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	6l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$34,200

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

Giulia Super looks great. That long hood with sloping V-shaped grille and narrow headlights, the pushed-back cab and upright windshield, chunky C-pillars and short rear end all make for an emotional yet sensible beast.

I like how the screen sits flush with the dashboard. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

This side profile also seems to be more than just a reflection of BMW and Benz, and the dimensions of the Giulia Super are also almost German. At 4643mm long, it is 10mm shorter than the 320i and 43mm shorter than the C200; but at 1860mm wide, it is 50mm wider than the BMW and Benz, and shorter than both in height by about 5mm.

The Giulia Super salon is elegant, luxurious and modern. The Super trim offers leather-trimmed dashboard and wood trim, as well as higher-quality leather seat upholstery. I love how the screen sits flush with the dashboard, rather than just a tablet that sits on top like so many other cars. I also like the little touches, like the start button on the steering wheel, just like a Ferrari.

I would never choose a bright interior, no matter how beautiful it may look. It started to get dirty when I just looked at it.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

The Giulia is a four-door, five-seat sedan with enough rear legroom for me (191cm tall) to sit comfortably in my own driver's seat and still have room to spare. The optional sunroof fitted to our test car does reduce headroom, but the Giulia's 480-litre trunk is huge and matches the capacity of the 320i and C200.

Storage is good everywhere, with two cupholders in the front and another pair in the fold-down armrest in the back. There are small pockets in the doors and a decent-sized trash can in the center console.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 9/10

The four grade Giulia line starts at $59,895. The Super petrol version sits at the second rung in the lineup and costs $64,195. That's only lower than competitors like the BMW 320i in "Luxury Line" trim ($63,880) and Mercedes-Benz C200 ($61,400).

The Super, while not a weapon like the Quadrifoglio, has an outstanding drive. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

The Giulia Super boasts the same list of standard features as BMW and Benz. There's an 8.8-inch display with a rearview camera, satellite navigation, an eight-speaker stereo system, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, automatic lighting and wipers, power and heated front seats, active cruise control, bi - xenon headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels.

There is also an excellent range of standard advanced safety equipment.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10

The Giulia Super we tested had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This is the same engine as the base Giulia, with identical 147kW and 330Nm of torque. Alfa Romeo says the Super with different throttle mapping is half a second faster in the 0-100 km/h sprint with a time of 6.1 seconds. With more power and torque than the 320i and C200, the Super is more than a second faster from 100 to XNUMX km/h.

The Giulia has enough legroom in the back for me (191 cm tall) to sit comfortably. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

There is a diesel Super with less power and more torque, but we haven't tested this machine yet.

The transmission is simply superb - the eight-speed automatic is smooth and responsive.

If you want insane sledgehammer power, there's the top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio with a 375kW twin-turbo V6 engine.

Now it's not the most powerful four-cylinder in the lineup - the Veloce class above the Super has a 206kW/400Nm version, but you'll have to pay more to upgrade to that level.

The Super powerplant will absolutely delight most of you not only with the extraordinary acceleration, but also with how it works so well with this automatic transmission. The combination makes it feel like the grunt is always under your foot, ready to be used.

The Giulia Super we tested had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

If you want insane sledgehammer power, there's the top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio with a 375kW twin-turbocharged V6 engine, but you'll have to part with around $140,000. Stick to Super, then?

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How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

Alfa Romeo claims the combined fuel consumption of the Giulia Super is 6.0 l/100 km. In fact, after a week and 200 km of country roads and city trips, the trip computer showed 14.6 l / 100 km, but I did not try to save fuel at all, even if I sometimes had the stop-start system activated.

What is it like to drive? 9/10

When I drove the top-notch Giulia Quadrifoglio, I knew the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 were in danger - the car felt so good in its ride, handling, grunts and sophistication.

The Super, while not a weapon like the Quadrifoglio, is also an outstanding engine and rivals like the BMW 320i and Benz C200 are to be feared.

With more power and torque than the 320i and C200, the Super is over a second faster from 100 to XNUMX km/h. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

The Super feels light, sharp and agile. The suspension setup is excellent - perhaps a bit too soft, but the ride is delightfully comfortable and the handling is impressive too.

This four-cylinder petrol engine works great with an eight-speed automatic transmission. You can let the automatic shift for you, or you can take those huge metal blades and do it yourself.

This engine note borders on hot four territory when you load it up.

Super has three driving modes: "Dynamic", "Natural" and "Enhanced Efficiency". I skip the efficiency setting and go to natural city and dynamic if I'm on the open road (or in the city and in a hurry) where throttle response is sharpened and gears are held longer.

That engine note borders on hot-four territory when you load it up with all that drive going straight to the rear wheels and the grip is fantastic.

The Giulia's 480-litre trunk is huge. (Image credit: Richard Berry)

Finally, the steering is smooth, precise, with excellent turning.

Any nitpicks? It's Alpha, right? Oh no. Just the usual quibbles, such as the rear camera screen being too small, although the image quality is excellent. The B-pillar is also close to the driver and interferes well with over-the-shoulder visibility.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / 150,000 km


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

The Giulia has not been tested by ANCAP, but its European equivalent, EuroNCAP, has given it a maximum five-star rating. Along with eight airbags, there is an impressive amount of standard advanced safety equipment, including AEB (works at speeds up to 65 km/h), blind spot and rear cross traffic alert, and lane departure warning.

There are three top straps and two ISOFIX points on the back row.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

The Giulia is covered by a three-year Alfa Romeo warranty or 150,000 km.

Service is recommended annually or every 15,000km and is limited to $345 for the first service, $645 for the second visit, $465 for the next, $1295 for the fourth and back to $345 for the fifth.

Verdict

Giulia Super is excellent in almost every way: ride and handling, engine and transmission, looks, practicality, safety. The price is a little higher than the competition, but the value is still great.

Nobody who loves cars wants Alfa Romeo to become extinct, and over the years many Alfa cars have been hailed as "the one" that will save the Italian brand from destruction.

Is the Giulia a comeback car? I think that it's. The money and resources invested in the development of this new vehicle and its platform have yielded outstanding results. The Giulia and the Super in particular offer a great driving experience in a prestige package at a good price.

Would you prefer the Giulia BMW 320i or the Benz C200? Is Richard crazy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.