Car UK May 2019

APRIL 2019 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 127

Not the peak

(still a blinder)

One step down from the big-money Quadrifoglio,

is ours the Stelvio to buy? By Mark Walton

Stelvio. Go on, say it. In fact, say it

with an exclamation mark. Stelvio!

The Alfa Stelvio! What a great

name, a classic Alfa name, a name

so good it’s a wonder it’s never been

used before. I think from now on all

Alfa Romeos should be named after

legendary mountain passes: the

Alfa Turini, the Alfa Furka. Maybe

a future model could be named

after that great pass in the Yorkshire

Dales: the Alfa Buttertubs.

Actually that doesn’t work.

Moving on.

So we’re agreed the Stelvio has

an awesome name, and because

I’m shallow I’m already enjoying

casually slipping it into conversa-

tions at dinner parties, because I

think it makes me sound so stylish

and Italian. ‘Yes, I drive an Alfa

Romeo Stelvio,’ I say, with a slight

accent.

Which means Alfa’s new SUV

passes a crucial first test: it’s a cool

car to own and a cool car to admit

to driving; but what about the more

meaty substance? Does the Stelvio

follow the Giulia saloon in being a

proper, well engineered alternative

to the German mainstream? Can

it live up to the positive launch

reviews it garnered back in 2017?

CAR described it as ‘borderline

brilliant’ on first acquaintance.

Bold. Then, late last year, Chris

Chilton compared the top-of-the-

range Stelvio Quadrifoglio with the

Macan Turbo, and declared the Alfa

the winner. Brave.

To find out if the Stelvio stands

up to closer scrutiny, we’re driving

this example for the next six

months, living with it every day and

drilling deeper into its character.

Alfa’s SUV is available with five

engine options: there are two 2.2

diesels (a 187bhp and a 207bhp);

two 2.0-litre petrols (197 and

276bhp); plus the 503bhp turbo V6

Quadrifoglio, of course.

Trim on the non-Quadrifoglio

models comes in four levels: Super,

Nero, Speciale and the top-spec

Milano Edizione. Ours is a 207bhp

diesel in top spec, which means our

car retails at £45,590. It’s finished in

Alfa Red paint with a black leather

interior, both standard specification

on this trim level, and I think the

car looks great.

The stand-out feature has got to

be those optional 20-inch wheels,

which look absolutely sensational

• like they belong on a Lamborghini
  supercar rather than an SUV. I also
  love the mad-staring bi-xenon ⊲

MAY 2019 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 127

Hello

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Month 1

The story so far

The Stelvio has won praise

in road tests over the last 12

months, but can it now win our

hearts in the daily grind?

+Another good-looking Alfa

Romeo, riding on a wave created

by the Giulia

• With a four-cylinder diesel, can
  it live up to its sporty aspirations?

Price £45,590 (£47,510 as tested)

Performance 2143cc turbodiesel

4-cyl, 207bhp, 6.6sec 0-62mph,

134mph Efficiency 43.5mpg

(official), 31.9mpg (tested),

147g/km CO2 Energy cost 16.2p

per mile Miles this month 376

Total miles 2218

Logbook

Posh Alfa battles
posh cobbles
in middle class
showdown!