Review of Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2019: You

The recently added Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti could be a smart choice for buyers who want their midsize luxury SUV to offer graceful levels of grunt. It's more plush and better equipped than the regular Stelvio, though not as punchy as the flagship twin-turbo V6 Quadrifoglio. 

Sipping on premium gasoline, the Ti is a high-performance, gasoline-powered offering that doesn't require as much compromise on comfort as the top-end version, but like all things that bear the Alfa Romeo badge, it's designed to be a compelling drive.

This spec Ti gets a bunch of extra stuff over the standard model, and it also has a powerful tuned four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It is designed to put "sport" in an SUV. 

So does a sport utility vehicle make sense given the long list of alternatives such as the BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, Lexus NX, Range Rover Evoque and Jaguar F-Pace? And does the offer of the only Italian brand in this segment deserve your attention? Let's find out.

Alpha Romeo Stelvio 2019: TI
Safety Rating
engine's type	2.0 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	7l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$52,400

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

It's undeniably Alfa Romeo, with the brand's family face, including the iconic inverted-triangle grille and slim headlights, and a rugged yet curved body that helps this SUV stand out from the crowd.

At the rear, there's a simple yet stylish tailgate, and underneath that is a sporty look with an integrated chrome tailpipe surround. Beneath the rounded wheel arches are 20-inch wheels with Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tires. There are subtle details, including very compact fender flares and almost invisible roof rails (for attaching roof racks, if you so desire). 

I don't think I really need to say much more. It's a bit pretty - and there are plenty of colors to choose from, including the amazing (very expensive) Competizione Red seen here, as well as another red, 2x white, 2x blue, 3x grey, black, green, brown, and titanium (greenish). Brown). 

At 4687mm long (on a 2818mm wheelbase), 1903mm wide and 1648mm high, the Stelvio is shorter and stockier than the BMW X3 and has about the same ground clearance of 207mm, enough to easily jump over curb, but probably not enough for you to consider going too far into bush-beating territory - not what you want. 

Inside, there are also several trim options: black on black is standard, but you can choose red or chocolate leather. Inside, everything was simple - see the photo of the salon and draw conclusions.

How practical is the interior space? 6/10

There are more practical midsize luxury SUVs because the Alfa Romeo Stelvio can't match, say, the Volvo XC60, BMW X3 or Jaguar F-Pace in terms of passenger space, let alone luggage space.

But overall it's not that bad. There are decent-sized pockets in all four doors, a pair of large cupholders in front of the shifter, a fold-down center armrest with cupholders in the second row, plus mesh map pockets on the seatbacks. The center console at the front is big too, but its cover is big too, so accessing this area can be a little cumbersome if you're trying to drive.

The luggage compartment is not as good as in other cars in this class: its volume is 525 liters, which is about five percent less than most cars in this class. Under the trunk floor, you'll find either a compact spare tire (if you choose it) or additional storage space with a tire repair kit. There are rails and a couple of small bag hooks, and the back can easily fit three suitcases or a baby stroller.

The rear seats fold down with a pair of levers in the trunk area, but you still need to lean into the trunk and nudge the rear seatbacks a little to get them down. The rear seat setup allows you to split the seats in a 40:20:40 split if you need to, but the split is 60:40 when you use the rear arms.

Stelvio makes short cuts when it comes to USB charging ports. There are two on the center console, two at the rear under the air vents, and another at the bottom of the B-pillar. The only pity is that the latter looks so out of place, in the middle of a large empty plate. Luckily, there is a handy smartphone slot where you can place your device upside down between the cups. 

It is a pity that the multimedia system, consisting of an 8.8-inch screen smoothly integrated into the instrument panel, is not touch-sensitive. This means the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto app is frustrating because while both are focused on voice control, the touchscreen makes it a lot easier than trying to skip between menus with a jog dial controller. 

If you're not using one of the smartphone mirroring apps, the menus are pretty easy to scroll through.

However, my biggest disappointment with the Stelvio's interior was the build quality. There were a few poorly crafted sections, including one slit in the bezel below the media screen that was almost large enough to fit a fingertip. 

Oh, and sun visors? Not usually something Cars Guide nitpicks, but the Stelvio has a huge gap (about an inch wide), which means you'll be blinded by direct sunlight at times, despite your best efforts. 

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 8/10

With a list price of $78,900 plus travel expenses, the Stelvio's suggested retail price is immediately attractive. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than most F-Pace all-wheel-drive petrol models, and the price is close to Germany's top three petrol SUVs. 

It is also reasonably well stocked for cash.

Standard equipment for this Ti class includes 20-inch wheels, heated sport front seats, a heated steering wheel, rear privacy glass, adaptive cruise control, aluminum pedals and a 10-speaker stereo. 

Standard equipment on this Ti trim includes a heated leather steering wheel.

And the Ti not only looks sportier - of course, the red brake calipers help it stand out - but it also has important additions like adaptive Koni dampers and a limited-slip rear differential.

All this on top of what you get in the more affordable Stelvio, like a 7.0-inch color instrument cluster, an 8.8-inch multimedia screen with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry. and push button start, leather trim and leather steering wheel, auto-dimming rear view mirror, bi-xenon headlights, tire pressure monitoring, power liftgate, power front seat adjustment and Alfa DNA drive mode selection. system.

Our test car had several options selected, including Tri-Coat Competizione Red paint ($4550 - wow!), a panoramic sunroof ($3120), a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system ($1950 - trust me, it's not worth the money). ), an anti-theft system ($975), and a compact spare tire ($390), since there is no spare tire as standard.

The security history is pretty strong too. See the security section below for a full rundown.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 8/10

Under the hood is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 206kW and 400Nm of torque. These engine specs give the Ti a 58kW/70Nm advantage over the base petrol Stelvio, but if you want maximum power, the Quadrifoglio with its 2.9kW/6Nm 375-liter twin-turbo V600 (ahem, and the $150K tag price tag ) will work for you.

Ti, however, is no fool: the 0-100 acceleration time is 5.7 seconds and the top speed is 230 km/h.

Ti is no fool, the 0-100 acceleration time is 5.7 seconds.

It features an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and all-wheel drive that works on demand.

And since this is an off-road vehicle, and it must be able to perform all the functions of an off-road vehicle, the towing force is estimated at 750 kg (without brakes) and 2000 kg (with brakes). The curb weight is 1619kg, identical to the lower-spec gasoline engine and a kilogram less than the diesel, making it one of the lightest midsize luxury SUVs thanks to measures such as extensive use of aluminum in the body panels and even a stainless steel tailshaft. carbon fiber for weight reduction.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

 The claimed fuel consumption of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti is 7.0 liters per 100 kilometers, which can be achieved if you drive carefully downhill for a long time. May be.

We saw 10.5L/100km in a combination of "normal" driving and short, spirited driving on a road that struggles to mimic this SUV's namesake but falls short. 

Hey, if fuel economy is so important to you, consider calculating petrol and diesel: the claimed diesel consumption is 4.8 l/100 km - impressive. 

The volume of the fuel tank for all models is 64 liters. You will also need to fill petrol models with 95 octane premium unleaded petrol.

What is it like to drive? 7/10

I did read a few things about the Stelvio before I got behind the wheel, and there was quite a bit of praise from overseas for the handling and performance of this SUV.

And for me, it lived up to the hype for the most part, but I don't think it deserves to be called a reset point for the test, as some reviews suggest.

The 2.0-litre turbo engine does a great job and is particularly impressive with its power when you hit the gas pedal hard. It moves forward very well in gear, but there is some stop/start sluggishness to contend with, especially if you choose the wrong drive mode - there are three of them: Dynamic, Natural and All Weather. 

The eight-speed automatic shifts quickly in dynamic mode and can be downright aggressive at full throttle - and although the redline is set to just 5500 rpm, it will find its way and shift into the next gear ratio. In other modes, it is smoother, but also looser. 

The eight-speed automatic shifts quickly in Dynamic mode.

In addition, the Q4's all-wheel drive system adapts to different situations - it tends to stay in rear-wheel drive most of the time to enhance the sportiness of driving, but can distribute 50 percent of the torque to the front wheels if slippage is detected.

I felt this system worked when I drove the Stelvio harder than most people driving a luxury midsize SUV through a series of tight corners, and aside from the electronic stability control absorbing throttle response from time to time, it was very funny.

The steering is snappy and very direct in dynamic mode, although it doesn't have a true level of feel, and at low speeds it can be too direct, making you think the turning radius is smaller than it actually is (11.7). m) - on the narrow city streets, this is generally some kind of fight. 

Alfa Romeo claims the Stelvio has a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, which should help it feel better in corners, and it has a really great balance between cornering and comfort. Koni's adaptive suspension allows you to move dynamically with soft dampers or with a more aggressive damper setting (harder, less bobbing). 

In everyday driving, the suspension mostly handles bumps well. Just like the engine, transmission and steering, it gets better the faster you go because at speeds below 20 km/h it can pick its way through bumps and bumps while on highway B or highway the chassis helps to comfort those in the salon. the surface below is pretty convincing. 

So, it's going pretty well. But stop? This is a completely different matter.

Not only is the brake pedal too high compared to the accelerator, our test car's pedal response was worse than bad, it was just bad. Like, "oh-shit-I-think-I'm-going-to-knock-what" is bad. 

There is a lack of linearity in the pedal movement, which is a bit like a car whose brakes are not properly bled - the pedal travels about an inch or more before the brakes start to bite, and even then the "biting" is more like gum compression without dentures.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

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

In 2017, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio received the highest five-star ANCAP crash test rating, with this score applicable to models sold since March 2018.

In 2017, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio received the highest five-star ANCAP crash test rating.

A comprehensive suite of safety equipment is standard across the range, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection that operates at speeds from 7 km/h to 200 km/h, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and warning. about rear cross traffic. 

There's no active lane keeping assist, no automatic parking system. In terms of parking, all models have a reversing camera with dynamic guides, as well as front and rear parking sensors.

Stelvio models have dual ISOFIX child seat attachment points on the outer rear seats, as well as three top tether points - so if you have a child seat, you're good to go.

There are also six airbags (dual front, front side and full-length curtain airbags). 

Where is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio made? He would not have dared to wear this badge if it had not been built in Italy - and it is built in the Cassino factory.

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

It is short and long at the same time: I am talking about the Alfa Romeo warranty program, which lasts three years (short) / 150,000 km (long). Owners receive roadside assistance included in the warranty period. 

Alfa Romeo offers a five-year, fixed-price service plan for its models, with service every 12 months/15,000 km, whichever comes first.

The sequence of maintenance costs for a petrol Ti and a regular Stelvio is the same: $345, $645, $465, $1065, $345. That equates to an average annual ownership fee of $573, as long as you don't go over 15,000 km… which is expensive.

Verdict

It looks great and might be enough to buy an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti. Or a badge can do it for you, the romantic lure of an Italian car in your driveway—I get it. 

However, there are more practical luxury SUVs out there, not to mention more polished and refined ones. But if you want to drive a pretty sporty SUV, it's one of the best, and it also comes with an attractive price tag.

Would you buy an Alfa Romeo Stelvio? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.