First drive Alfa RomeoGiulia
Updated saloon has some great attributes, but reduced fleet appeal. Sean Keywood
It’s something of a cliche in motoring journalism to say that Alfa Romeos are cars you choose with your heart rather than your head. But for us it feels unavoidable when considering the newly facelifted Giulia saloon - a car that would be ineligible for many company car choice lists these days, yet from behind the wheel is simply terrific. We’ll get the bad news out of the way first. Following the model’s mid-life update there’s only one engine option, and it’s a 280hp, 2.0-litre petrol. There’s
no EV, no hybrid, not even a diesel. As such, the Giulia emits 167g/km of CO2 in official testing, putting it in the top 37% BIK company car tax band, and has an official fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg, therefore giving every financial reason for company car drivers to instead look to the various German alternatives (the Alfa’s projected residual value and SMR costs aren’t that competitive either).
Standard equipment: 18in alloy wheels, full LED matrix headlights with automatic high beam, electrically adjustable folding door mirrors with electrochromic dimming, rain- sensing wipers, keyless entry, climate control, 12.3in TFT instrument cluster, 8.8in touchscreen with sat-nav, Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless charging pad, front and rear USB ports, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, active cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring system.
Engines: Petrol: 280hp 2.0
Equipment grades: Sprint, Veloce, Competizione
Transmissions: Eight-speed automatic
Positive
Great to drive and look at, huge subjective appeal
Negative
No electrifi ed powertrain option, running costs not great
8/10
However, it’s hard to be too concerned about any of this from behind the wheel, because the Giulia is an absolute joy to drive. It features wonderfully precise steering, and superb handling from its rear-wheel drive chassis (a limited slip differential is fitted with the Veloce equipment grade tested here), with a ride that’s sportily firm without compromising comfort. In addition, although the petrol engine is only a four-cylinder, it makes a nice sound and provides strong acceleration. And the Giulia’s appeal isn’t only about driving dynamics. Its interior is stylish with generally good quality materials – though the overall standard is probably just a bit behind the Germans – and the seats are supportive and comfortable. The central infotainment set-up is what you might call an older- style arrangement – but you’ll hear no complaints about that from us, with a rotary control wheel and physical knobs making it easy to use on the move. A new feature with the facelift is a full 12.3in driver display, and this works well too. Ergonomically, the only annoyance is
Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce 2.0 Turbo Petrol 280hp
P11D £47,058 On sale Now Residual value 37.1% Depreciation £29,581 Fuel £10,460 Service, maintenance and repair £3,814 Cost per mile 73.09p Fuel consumption 38.2mpg CO2 (BIK %) 167g/km (37%) BIK 20/40% a month £290/£580 Luggage capacity 480 litres Engine size/power 1,995cc/280hp
one we also noted last month when we reviewed the Tonale SUV – oversized gear shift paddles that get in the way of reaching the indicators. Rear passenger space is reasonable, as is the boot, though the luggage compartment is perhaps on the shallow side.
The Giulia was already a good-looking car, so there was no need for a major exterior overhaul, but there have been minor changes to the air ducts, and the provision of full LED matrix headlights, which are standard throughout the range. Overall, the updates are welcome, but not game-changing, and for the reasons outlined, sensible company car drivers will probably be looking elsewhere – especially when a plug-in hybrid BMW 3 Series is only a few hundred pounds more on P11D. However, we hope that there are enough romantics out there for the Alfa to find a market – and would like to predict that those who do take the plunge won’t regret it.
38 | June 2023 |
www.businesscar.co.uk
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