Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce Series 2 2016 review
Content
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
- How practical is the interior space? 5/10
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 5/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
- What is it like to drive? 6/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10
- Verdict
- Do you have a "classic" Alfa Romeo experience, good or bad? Tell us in the comments below.
- Click here for more information on pricing and specifications for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce.
Richard Berry road test and review of the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce hatch with performance, fuel consumption and verdict.
No one just buys an Alfa Romeo just like no one goes out and just buys a cylinder. Yes, it's functional and yes, you'll look amazing in it whether you're a man or a woman, and people will compliment you - you might question your judgment too, but it's not an obvious choice and a purchase - it's a conscious decision. See, you don't even know if I'm talking about the top hat or Alpha.
At backyard barbecues and dinner parties across Australia, you'll hear people say, "My heart says yes, but my head says no." They don't discuss robbing the corner store after dessert, but they're more likely to talk about buying an Alfa Romeo. See Alfas are renowned for their stunning beauty, their racing pedigree and their performance, but they have been infamous for their reliability in the past. You knew this, right?
The top-of-the-line Giulietta Veloce with dual-clutch transmission is the brand's best performance benchmark. This version has just hit the market and follows Giulietta's major styling and technology update in 2015.
Like most test cars, we lived with it for a week. Is it too small for a family car? What's wrong with the glove box? Is it as colorful as it looks? What's with all the water? And is it just me or are my hands too small to drive this car? We'll even be able to point you in the right direction for Juliet's reliability guide.
| Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2016: Fast TCT | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | |
| engine's type | 1.7 L turbo |
| fuel type | Premium unleaded gasoline |
| Fuel efficiency | 6.8l / 100km |
| Landing | 5 Places |
| Price from | $18,600 |
Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
Alfa Romeo couldn't design a boring car even if they were handed a picture of a Toyota Camry and told to copy it or something. Juliet is no exception.
There's a deep V-shaped grille, the same as the new Giulia sedan and 4C sports cars that make up Alfa's current lineup. These are bulging headlights with beautiful LED accents and a chiselled hood, a side profile similar to that of a mini Porsche Cayenne and a nice but stiff underbody with elegant taillights and twin exhaust pipes.
The latest update brought a honeycomb mesh grille and a slightly different design for the headlights and LED fog lights. The exhaust pipes have also been changed, as have the alloy wheels.
Despite the appearance of a coupe, it is actually a five-door hatchback with "hidden" rear door handles.
New materials and finishes have been added to the cabin. The Veloce had the Alfa Romeo logo embroidered on the integrated headrests, shiny sports pedals, and faux carbon fiber trim on the doors and dashboard.
You can tell the Veloce from the outside by the red Brembo brake calipers behind the front wheels, 18-inch alloy wheels, shorter exhaust pipes sticking out of the diffuser, red stripes on the front and rear bumpers, and black window surrounds. .
Okay, how big or small is it? Here are the dimensions. The Guilietta is 4351mm long, 1798mm wide and 1465mm high, while the sport suspension Veloce is 9mm lower than other models with 102mm of ground clearance.
Compared to, say, a Mazda3 hatchback, the Giulietta is 109mm shorter and just 3mm wider. But if you're thinking about the Giulietta, why are you looking at the Mazda3 anyway? That would make sense - it's like comparing Cancer Council hats to top hats.
How practical is the interior space? 5/10
Beautiful things tend to prioritize form over function. Giuletta tries to do both and succeeds... but fails in places.
First, successes: despite the appearance of the coupe, in fact, this is a five-door hatch with "hidden" handles for the rear doors, located at the level of the windows next to the C-pillar. So good is the two-door disguise that our photographer climbed into the back seat through the front door.
Rear legroom is a bit cramped and at 191cm I can sit in my driver's seat, but I don't want to sit behind me because my knees are hard on the back of the seat.
There's not a lot of headroom either, and I literally can't sit in the back seat and hold my head up high - the combination of the sloping roofline and the optional dual sunroof reduces headroom.
The main downside to practicality is the lack of storage space throughout the cabin.
Ordering road transport is out of the question.
My wife's phone mysteriously appeared in the footwell every time we left it in the glove compartment, as if there was a tear in the fabric of space-time, but then we realized that it was slipping through the gap.
Up front, there is no storage box in the center armrest – there is no center armrest, in fact. There is a retractable shelter on the dashboard, but it only has enough room for a pair of sunglasses.
The two cupholders in front are small. It's safe to say that unless you have someone with your hands at the ready, ordering a ride might be out of the question.
Or, if you have long arms and can reach the fold-down armrest in the back, there are two decent-sized cup holders and a little storage space. There are no bottle holders on any of the doors, but luckily there is room for a phone and a wallet because there is no place for them anywhere else.
But wait, the Giulietta is saved from total storage failure by a large-for-its-class 350-liter boot. That's 70 liters more than the Toyota Corolla and just 14 liters less than the Mazda3. We could fit a stroller, shopping, and other gear needed for a military operation, such as a trip to the park with a toddler.
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 5/10
In the 2016 update, the Giulietta variants were renamed. There's an entry-level Super Manual for $29,990 with a six-speed manual, then buyers can upgrade to a Super TCT with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic for $34,900, and then there's our test car, the Veloce for $41,990. You have 10 paint colors at your disposal from the color of our car (Alfa Red) to Perla Moonlight. Only Alfa White comes at no extra cost, the rest are $500.
The Veloce has the same features as the Super TCT, such as a 6.5-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, three driving modes, as well as bi-xenon headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather and Alcantara seats. a flat-bottom steering wheel, large tailpipes and sport diffuser, tinted rear window, and then less cosmetic features like a sport suspension and launch control.
There is no reversing camera, which is disappointing considering it comes standard on some cars at half the price.
At that price, you'd buy a Veloce instead of a $120 BMW 41,900i hatchback, a $43,490 Volkswagen Golf GTI, or perhaps a $3 upscale Mazda 25 Astina SP Astina.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
Giulietta Veloce is equipped with a 1.75-liter four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 177 kW and 340 Nm of torque. It's a great engine that makes a wonderful squeal when pushed hard, and the low grunt it makes when shifting while driving usually sounds like a giant enjoying his meal.
The transmission is a dual-clutch automatic, which Alfa calls TCT, or dual-clutch transmission. I'm not a fan of them regardless of the brand of car they're in, but the Alfa version is better than most for its smoothness at lower speeds and determination.
There are so many great driving opportunities here.
And what about the Giulietta's reliability over time? This version of the car is less than two months old, so we can only comment on what it offers as a brand new car, but you'll find some good context in our 2011-2014 used Giulietta review.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Alfa Romeo says you should see your Veloce drink at 6.8L/100km in combined driving, but the dashboard showed more than double what it did in mostly city driving, guiding Enzo Ferrari.
What is it like to drive? 6/10
There is so much potential for great driving here, such as precise and direct steering and great suspension that delivers a comfortable ride and great handling, only to be let down by turbo lag that kills the car's responsiveness.
Of the three steering modes: Dynamic, Natural and All Weather, the Dynamic mode stayed on most of the time and the other two just felt too sluggish.
The Giulietta is front-wheel drive, and there's a lot of torque going to these wheels, but unlike previous Alfas, there's little to no torque control. However, our uphill test on a rainy night showed that the front wheels struggle for traction as they accelerate uphill. However, cornering grip is excellent.
The Alfa Romeo's cabin has some of the ergonomic issues we've gotten used to over the years, but just because you're used to something doesn't mean it's okay. For example, the driver's footwell is cramped, with the brake and accelerator pedals so close that it's easy to press them at the same time.
Such is the intensity of the spray from both the window washers and the headlight washers, as if you were driving a fishing trawler that was caught in a huge wave in the sea.
The turn signal and wiper switches are also so far from the steering wheel rim that it is almost impossible to reach them - I don’t think I have small hands, no one has ever shown or laughed at them.
Speaking of wipers, Giulietta is obsessed with keeping herself clean. Pull the wiper lever towards you to clear the windows, and the intensity of the jet from both the windshield washer and the headlight washer is as if you were the captain of a fishing trawler who was caught in a huge wave in the sea. Engage reverse gear and the rear wiper will splatter and wash.
By Christmas, I want Alpha to update my media block or throw it in the trash - the UConnect system disconnected my phone without prompting and is not intuitive to use.
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? 6/10
Alfa Romeo Giulietta received the maximum five-star ANCAP rating. It doesn't have the advanced safety tech like AEB and lane keeping assist that are now standard on any small sunroof for a lot less money.
There are two top straps and two ISIOFIX points in the rear seat for child and child seats.
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10
The Giulietta is covered by a three-year Alfa Romeo warranty or 150,000 miles. Maintenance is recommended at 12 month/15,000 km intervals and overhaul every two years. Alfa Romeo does not have a capped service price, but does have Mopar car protection that customers can purchase with the car for $1995.
Verdict
So many things are right and some are not quite right - the Giulietta combines the Alfa Romeo good and the bad for which the brand is famous. There is no doubt that this is a unique and sexy looking car that combines the practicality of a five-door hatchback with impressive handling and performance. While it seems like there's more heart than mind here, Alfa's romantic enthusiasts should adore it.
Do you have a "classic" Alfa Romeo experience, good or bad? Tell us in the comments below.
Click here for more information on pricing and specifications for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce.
