Used 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

The 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio puts an Italian twist on the American crossover-SUV theme, adding Alfa’s flair for style and sporty handling to an already crowded segment that includes the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace and Lexus NX. To its credit, the Stelvio doesn’t look like the other SUVs it competes against, especially when you get around to that unmistakable Alfa Romeo grille and front-end treatment. But more important, the Stelvio places performance and handling on the same pedestal as luxury and style, making it a truly unique crossover SUV destined to stand out wherever it goes.

Just about every luxury automaker aspires to put the “sport” in their sport-utility vehicle, but few have found a formula that fights the physics inherent in a higher-riding, 2-ton hauler. Count Alfa among the minority that has made a crossover SUV that is legitimately fun to drive. With 280 horsepower/306 lb-ft of torque on tap, the Stelvio is among the most powerful in its class, with gusto to go 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds. A rear-drive or rear-biased all-wheel-drive system and near-perfect 50/50 weight balance further the Stelvio’s SUV-as-sports-car cause, as do a quick-shifting 8-speed transmission and drive-mode selector with a “Dynamic” setting for a sportier feel. Thankfully, the Stelvio’s athletic nature doesn’t come at the cost of comfort. Away from the mountain passes and in more typical ordinary driving, we found the Stelvio compliant and easy to maneuver, only wishing for less wind intrusion and grabbier brakes.

Although not as modern as the latest Audi or Mercedes-Benz interior, the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio retains classic Italian flair, with lots of attractive shapes covered in high-quality materials including leather, wood and aluminum. The thickly bolstered sport front seats are a snug affair, which is great for performance driving but may be too tight for those with a bit of bulk on their frame. The standard seats might be a better fit and are probably more comfortable on longer trips. Rear-seat legroom isn’t as generous as in slightly larger SUVs like the BMW X5 or Lexus RX, but at 31.9 inches, it’s about par for the class. Cargo space is also about middle of the road; at 18.5 cubic feet it’s considerably smaller than in the Audi Q5 but nearly identical to the Jaguar F-Pace.

It’s easy to see this Italian SUV emphasizes “sport” rather than “utility.” The Stelvio boasts a sleek and flowing profile, with a long hood whose face looks like nothing else out there. Called the “Scudetto,” Alfa Romeos have been using this prominent triangular design for eight decades. The Stelvio’s sides have an upward sweeping beltline that meets muscular rear haunches and a sloped rear window, which is certainly more stylish than practical. On the utilitarian side, the new Stelvio has a power-operated tailgate and 8.1 inches of ground clearance — good to help deal with snow or light trails.

REASSURING WARRANTY
As we noted above, the Stelvio’s long-term reliability is yet to be determined. As such, Alfa Romeo looks to calm nervous buyers with a 4-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and powertrain coverage that extends to five years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO
Those who know Alfa Romeo know it is one of the great European performance brands. But for Americans experiencing the brand for the first time, what better way to get acquainted than in the 505-horsepower Stelvio Quadrifoglio. With a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo V6, this version can reach 60 mph in less than four seconds.

The 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio comes in six trims, with the base Stelvio and Sport offered with rear- or all-wheel drive (RWD, AWD) and the Ti, Ti Sport, Ti Lusso and Quadrifoglio equipped solely with AWD. Standard equipment includes 10-way-adjustable-power front seats, 18-inch wheels, leather seating surfaces, dual-zone automatic climate control, power heated and folding side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive HID headlights, 6.5-inch touch-screen radio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors and tilt/telescopic steering wheel. The Quadrifoglio brings a twin-turbo V6, carbon-fiber trim, 200-mph speedometer, navigation and a 900-watt, 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The mid-trim Stelvio Ti still represents a good value and adds heated front seats and steering wheel, heated windshield-washer nozzle, front parking sensors and the larger, 8.8-inch-wide screen display. Ti Sport models include 20-inch wheels and 12-way-power-adjustable sport seats with premium leather, while the Ti Lusso swaps aluminum trim for warmer wood accents and luxury leather upholstery. Options include navigation, Harman Kardon premium audio system and dual-pane sunroof. Packages bundle features like hands-free tailgate, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with forward collision, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam assist.

The base motivator for the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is an impressive 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that spits out 280 horsepower and over 300 lb-ft of torque. These figures are higher than most of the Stelvio’s rivals. Also in the Alfa’s favor is standard all-wheel drive on the Ti Sport and higher trims, although for those who prefer rear drive, it is available on the base and Sport trim. The Alfa has a 3-mode selector called Alfa DNA, for Dynamic, Natural or Advanced Efficiency drive modes. The Stelvio uses a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission that pairs well with this engine. Like many of its rivals, the Stelvio has an engine start/stop system that cuts engine power at idle to save fuel. Thankfully, it can be manually defeated. The Stelvio is rated to tow up to 3,000 pounds. At the high end of the Stelvio line is the high-performance Stelvio Quadrifoglio, powered by a Ferrari-derived twin-turbocharged V6 good for 505 horsepower.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Stelvio, Ti)
280 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
306 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (RWD), 22/28 mpg (AWD)

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (Stelvio Quadrifoglio)
505 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
443 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg