► Alfa’s sports SUV reviewed
► 2023 facelift simplifies range, retains diesel
► On sale now, priced from £49,740
Think of a typical Alfa Romeo and an SUV wouldn’t be at the top of your list – and for good reason. It’s a brand you associate with classic curves, timeless design – and more recently, the incredibly capable Giulia saloon. With that in mind, we were sceptical when Alfa Romeo first revealed the rather unwieldy Stelvio SUV. Large inside and out and with a decent-sized boot, it’s clearly practical – but does it live up to its Alfa heritage? Spoiler: yes it does.
If you like the Alfa Romeo Giulia (and why wouldn’t you?) the Stelvio is the closest you’ll get to a Giulia estate. Yes, it’s a mid-sized SUV, but Alfa had to make one sooner or later. Just think of it as a practical version of the Giulia – as well as a rival to unashamedly great-driving SUVs like the Jaguar F-Pace or Porsche Macan.
Keep reading for our full review on the newly facelifted and still impressive Stelvio.
What does the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio facelift consist of?
The Stelvio was originally launched in 2017, so recently underwent a mild facelift to keep it fresh for 2023 – aligning it visually with the much newer Tonale SUV which it sits above.
Changes are pretty much the same as you’ll find on the Giulia. You get new headlights, which have a triple DRL motif similar to the Tonale and inspired by cars like the SZ and 159. The taillights are smoked, too.
All of these small tweaks add up to make the Stelvio a fantastic bit of design. It’s deceptively large in person, because all of these design cues make the car seem fast and flowing – and not the practical SUV it actually is.
The trim levels and engine lineup are also simplified. Three trim levels are on offer, though base ‘Sprint’ is anything but with most of the kit you could want as well as 19-inch alloy wheels and plenty of sporty aluminium trim.
Stepping up to Veloce nets you the limited-slip differential, heated and electrically adjustable seats, 20-inch alloys and black body trim and body kit. Top-spec Competizione gains 21-inch alloys, leather-wrapped dash, sports seats with red stitching, and adaptive dampers. We tested the Veloce here.
What are the engine options?
You’ve a choice of two engines with the Stelvio. The first is the 276bhp/295lb ft four-cylinder petrol, shared with the Giulia. Despite the Stelvio’s increased weight, four-wheel drive means it matches the Giulia’s 5.7 second 0-62mph sprint. CO2 emissions of 195g/km and official WLTP economy of just 33.6mpg means it’ll be rather pricey to run, though. We’ll get on to how the Stelvio handles later, but these 0-62mph stats already give away just how much fun this Alfa Romeo SUV can be…
There’s also a 2.2-litre diesel, a boon for those who want better long-distance economy or need the extra torque to tow. It has 207bhp and a mighty 345lb ft, so it’s no slouch in performance terms – 0-62 takes 6.6 seconds. Official economy tops out at 47.9mpg and CO2 at 162g/km – you might see around 40mpg in daily use. Regardless, neither of the Stelvio’s engines makes a particularly compelling choice when all of its main rivals have plug-in hybrid options that exist way further down the BIK tax brackets.
There will, of course, be a standalone Stelvio Quadrifoglio model, which we’ll drive in its facelifted format soon.
But does it drive well?
It does. It always did – and this facelift hasn’t changed that. Few cars make you laugh out loud when cornering or accelerating – and even fewer SUVs – but the Alfa is in that select group. Simply put, it has no right to be as entertaining, as quick and most important as engaging as it is.
The reasons for this are four-fold: the Q4 four-wheel drive system biases towards the rear, and there’s double wishbone suspension at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Add in 50/50 weight distribution, a quick steering rack and the aforementioned limited-slip diff on mid-spec cars and above, and there’s the sense – as ever – that this is a car designed around those for whom dynamics are king.
The Stelvio’s centre of gravity doesn’t feel that much higher than the Giulia’s, and body roll’s kept well in check around the corners. The payoff is a slightly firm ride, which you can make firmer on top-spec cars with their adaptive dampers. Still, it’s not uncomfortable by any stretch, and excellent seats help keep you cosseted.
More of an acquired taste is the steering. It’s nicely weighted and actually offers some feedback from the road – a rare treat – but it’s also very quick, which may become tiresome if your main journeys are on motorways, where it can feel a little twitchy.
Of course what’s annoying on the M5 is fantastic on a sinuous B-road, and the Stelvio’s a pleasure to go quickly in. Set the drive selector into ‘D’ (for ‘Dynamic’) and the engine and gearbox make the most of the available power, so the Stelvio feels eager. It’s also pretty light for such a large SUV, which aids the feeling of agility.
All of the above makes the Stelvio a riot if you’re in a mischievous frame of mind. You’ll find yourself balancing the accelerator through corners, hacksawing at the wheel and quickly forgetting how high you are off the road – or the shopping in the boot several metres behind you.
What’s it like inside?
Again, like the Giulia, the Stelvio is a mixture of excellent and sub-par here. We love the steering wheel with its racy starter button and the best gearshift paddles in the business. The new digital dials are pretty swish, too – there’s a retro-inspired layout that’s clear and looks good. Almost as clear and good-looking as physical instruments would have been.
Then as you move further away from the main controls into incidentals, you find dials and switches that’d have an Audi engineer feeling queasy as well as an infotainment system that would have felt old five years ago. It does have a few saving graces – the screen is pleasingly compact at 8.8 inches and doesn’t dominate the cabin, and Alfa’s retained a rotary controller so you’re not forced into using the touchscreen.
You can also bypass it with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which seems a very sensible thing to do in our book.
The rear seats are more spacious than those in the Giulia, and there’s a decent amount of space for four adults to sit. That roominess extends to a 525-litre boot with a low, wide, and electrically-opening tailgate.
Verdict
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio remains an SUV to buy with the heart firmly involved. Though it’s more of a pragmatic choice than the Giulia is – you’ll fit the family in for a skiing holiday, for example – it’s still destined to remain a niche choice if only due to its old-school lineup of engines.
If you’re a private buyer, the diesel’s not a bad choice at all, while those willing to endure mpg in the 20s will find a warm sports SUV to love in the petrol model. Can we recommend either? Not wholeheartedly – but as enthusiasts, they’d be on our shopping list for family transport. There’s just something special about a Stelvio that you don’t get with an X3, don’t you think?