Does the new Alfa Romeo have what it takes to win over its rivals?
Exterior – Front
So, lets go round to the front to find the most significant changes. So, to start with we get these all-new LED Matrix headlights with the Alfa Romeo Tonale design. With this design it makes the car look more aggressive which I do like and it just makes the car look more modern than what it actually is. The bumper is the same as the previous model but we do get new mesh patterns on the grill and central vent.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and we don’t find any new changes apart for some new wheel options. We do get some new colours and I especially like this new mat colour, moonlight grey.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back again changes are kept to a minimum. We get the same bumper as before, but we get some new taillights. They look the same but compared side by side and there are some changes. Finally, something that German cars don’t have are real exhausts. Talking of exhausts lets have a look at the engine options.
Car and engine specs and price
So for this second facelift there has been some simplifying done. To start with you can only get petrol engines. This is a 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engine that has 276 bhp and does 0-62 in 5.8 seconds and it has a 149 mph top speed. This isn’t bad for this car, and it can keep up with its rivals. The 197 bhp version and the 2.2 litre diesel engine has not been brought through for this facelift and this could make this car not a great company car. We are hoping to see the 2.9 litre V6 engine though with 503 bhp in the top of the range Quadifroglio version though. The price of the Alfa Romeo Giulia starts at £43,199.
Interior – Design
Now the inside of the Alfa Romeo Giulia was never a bad car. During its first facelift we got a better infotainment system that added touchscreen and this made the car easier to use. We also had a new steering wheel and gear shifter during that facelift too. With this facelift we now get a digital instrument cluster. This is taken straight from the Tonale and it has 3 display modes. Also, when you enter and exit the car it shows the headlights and taillights on it which I think is a nice touch. The infotainment system is the same as before but there was nothing wrong with it. You also can still control it with a control knob which I like. The seats are also the same and they are very supportive and comfy. This is great for when you want to do a bit of spirited driving in the Alfa Romeo as this is a proper drivers car. Let’s check the rear seats out.
Practicality
So getting into the back of the Alfa Romeo Giulia and you will be pleasantly surprised there is quite a lot of legroom available. Headroom is also not that bad if you are under 6 foot and to be honest I would much rather sit in the back of this car rather than its German rivals. Although if I was going to be sitting in the middle, I would choose its German rivals as you do get a big central tunnel. Let’s check the boot out.
Boot Size
so unsurprisingly opening the boot we are welcomed with 480 litres of boot space. Whilst this is the same as the 3 series and C Class and we get a wide opening the actual width of the boot is not that great which means once you get wide items past the opening it may be a bit harder to get it actually in the boot.
Summary
So, in summary considering the Alfa Romeo Giulia is coming up to 7 years old this year, it can still hold its ground against its rivals and with this facelift it just helps it even more in the design department. The interior is still modern and adding the digital instrument cluster keeps it fresh. Rear seat room is not that bad and is what you would expect on a compact saloon but personally I think the boot could be better. Also, sadly there is no estate option. I would love to have seen an alfa Romeo Giulia estate.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 5/5
Practicality 3/5
Total 13/15
Model | Alfa Romeo Giulia Competizione |
Price | £52,199 |
Engine | 2.0 Litre 4 Cylinder Turbo, 276 bhp, 0-62 = 5.8 Sec |
Transmission | 8 Speed Automatic RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) |
On Sale | Yes |
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