Let’s get this out of the way: I don’t think anyone asked for an SUV that could keep up with a Ferrari. Yet, for some reason, Alfa Romeo has created the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, a “sports SUV” that aims to do just that. To be fair, this Italian SUV keeps up with the promise of being fast and powerful. However, it sort-of forgets to be an SUV while it does that. Let’s talk odd Italian cars!
Performance
We’ll cover what the Stelvio Quadrifoglio wants to be known for first and foremost, the performance. It delivers in that respect: it’s fast, it accelerates well and it’s fun to drive on a long stretch. It’s got a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine under the hood, and that Ferrari comparison from earlier was literal. This is a Ferrari engine, sourced directly from the Italian carmaker. And it shows! However, the question remains: why is this in an SUV with 505 horsepower? This feels like something that was made because Alfa Romeo could, not because they should.
The biggest issue this vehicle runs into is when it’s being driven in the city. While its engine is awesome on a racetrack, the handling and brakes make it awful in heavy traffic. Start-and-stop traffic becomes a chore rapidly, which is dangerous in a car with this much power under the hood. The suspension is tight, and the brakes are touchy, making the car feel anxious and jumpy in normal traffic. This shouldn’t be a problem for a vehicle this expensive.
Interior
The Stelvio Quadrifoglio has a luxurious interior at first glance but is actually somewhat disappointing upon inspection. While there is soft leather and brushed metal in some places, there are also patches of plastic and cheap-feeling finish in several places. The buttons on the console feel cheap and would be more at home in a Subaru. Additionally, the infotainment screen is somewhat small, at 8.8 inches, and it’s difficult to use with the dial. You can opt to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay instead, and you should.
Oddly, a number of advanced features that you’d expect to be standard are option on this “luxury” car. Features like forward collision warning, high-beam assist, and lane departure warning are added in the Driver Assist Dynamic Plus Package, which runs $1,500. That’s pretty much unacceptable, as the base price is $79,795.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Bottom Line
Avoid this one unless you really want an SUV with a Ferrari engine. It’s hard to recommend something this expensive when it fails to deliver on the basic things an SUV of this price should come with. Good performance in city traffic and standard tech should be no-brainers, and yet the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio opts to go fast instead. If this was a sports car, these problems could be overlooked. However, it fails to deliver on what it says it is, and as such, you should look elsewhere for a luxury SUV.
Feature Image Credit: Car and Driver
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.