When Alfa Romeo launched the Giulietta Quadrifoglio a few years back, they were praised for returning to their roots, then they released the Stelvio shortly thereafter and were derided for once again turning their backs on heritage in favor of sales.
Everyone was wrong. It just so happens that this particular SUV handles just as well as any performance car and is just as practical as any equivalent SUV, what’s the catch, you might rightly ask? Well, a car like this does not come cheap, with top spec models getting frightfully close to the six figure mark, and it is, after all, an Alfa, with the quirks that go along with the ownership experience. It is far from perfect, but if you want an all conquering super SUV, look no further than this Italian thoroughbred.
10 Ferrari Derived Performance
To be clear, nobody who works for Stellantis will be willing to confirm this, but you need only take one look at the engine block.
It is very much a Ferrari V8 with a couple cylinders removed, a bit of a developmental shortcut that pretty much everyone meets with approval. The results are a stirring soundtrack, and 500 horsepower.
9 Tech Rich
One thing Alfa Romeo is often criticized for is being a bit behind with their technology, but being an all new model just a few short years ago means it benefits from getting developed with all the latest technology and safety equipment in mind.
Having said that, even with dated technology Alfa has an awful reliability record, so one has to wonder how long all that tech will work before things start going haywire.
8 Gorgeous Design
Most car companies stumble when it comes to making a half decent looking SUV, even Lamborghini made a bit of hash of it (subjectively speaking).
The Stelvio designers had no such difficulties, it doesn’t look like it is on stilts, it doesn’t look overweight, it just looks absolutely gorgeous.
7 Super SUV
When the Stelvio first came out, it wasn’t immediately obvious that they were targeting the upper echelons of the lucrative luxury SUV market, but the Quadrifoglio changed all that.
With a 3.3 second 0-60 time that betters almost everything out there, the Stelvio isn’t just a pretty face. It also handles better than most of the other so-called super SUVs, but unlike those sports cars on stilts, it retains a comfortable ride.
6 A Practical Side
At its core, it is still a big SUV and remains as practical as any other modern SUV on the road.
Like most, fuel efficiency is not its strong suit, but unlike some other super SUVs, this is still pretty easy to drive.
5 Dynamic Driving Experience
What sets the Alfa apart is how it is able to handle like a sports car, but remains comfortable for daily use.
Any sports car will usually have a pretty firm ride, even the other high performance SUVs that have since bettered the Stelvio’s Nordschleife lap time are all painful to drive. The Stelvio somehow finds an optimum balance, arguably better than her Giulia sister.
4 Huge Presence
Over the years, Alfa Romeo have made a name for themselves as a small sports car manufacturer. The Stelvio is not a small car.
This is a huge break from tradition, the Giulia was already one of the biggest cars they have ever made, but this took it to another level, but contrary to what most of us thought when it was announced, this isn’t the sell-out traditionalists wanted it to be, it is a genuinely good car.
3 Ridiculously Fast
The turbo V6 is one of the best modern engines money can buy, that much was proven by the Giulia, but the Stelvio proves just how much it has to give.
The way it gets this monster off the mark is just incredible, the torque delivery is sumptuous, and the all-wheel drive gives it fantastic traction. We would have all expected it to lose the plot in corners but, it doesn’t, it is balanced and if you are brave it will carry all the momentum through the corner.
2 An Unusual Return To Form
Everyone was crying for Alfa Romeo to make sports cars again, nobody really wanted them to make an SUV. We are glad they did.
The Stelvio is far from perfect, but it is everything a hot SUV should be and so much more, it is practical fun at its very best, putting the hot hatches of the past to shame.
1 Pure Alfa
It is worth mentioning, although the price is steep, finishing is not exactly on par with the Germans, and as is the case with any Alfa, the reliability record is checkered.
Somehow Alfa did it, they managed to bake their DNA into an SUV. Now, even all the sports car fans who used to hate SUVs want one.