2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Roads in and around major cities will supply plenty of sightings of Lexus SUVs, and a similar number of German counterparts. An Alfa Romeo Stelvio is going to be a rarer occurrence and a more special event, thanks to its Italian design flair. Driving one is also special, because Italians can make engaging vehicles as well.

We realize the Stelvio is not the roomiest contender and Alfa Romeo dealers are hardly on every other corner. It’s also older than much of the competition, having debuted in 2018. But there’s an overall appeal to the Stelvio that continues to grip our imagination.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of compact luxury SUVs, including the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Subtle revisions to the front end bring new LED headlights and tweaks to the air intakes. The tail end also sports slightly different LED units. All versions of the 2024 Stelvio gain a 12.3-inch digital driver information display. And a new Competizione variant comes in under the top Quadrifoglio model. It has an active suspension as standard, plus many other features that raise both the sport and luxury quotients.

If you’re spending this much money, we recommend stretching a bit beyond the base trim to the Ti for more equipment (including all-wheel drive as standard) and access to a greater number of options.

Lower trims are more affordable this year by around $1,800. Even the Quadrifoglio has $300 shaved off its price, which still tops the range at almost $88K. A limited-run 100th Anniversary Quadrifoglio version started at $94,875.

Among the many and varied alternatives are the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Lexus NX, Genesis GV70, and Volvo XC60. Most start in the mid-40s, with the BMW and Mercedes-Benz a little higher and the Lexus kicking off more in the low 40s.

Before buying a new Stelvio luxury compact SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. This may not be a deal-breaker at this luxury vehicle level, but the Stelvio languishes at the bottom of its class in our resale value tables. However, keep in mind, recouping more of the original sale price when selling or trading in a vehicle, translates into more to put down on the next vehicle.

Most versions of the 2024 Stelvio enjoy 280 horsepower from a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. That’s one of the more muscular base engines for the class, beaten only by the Genesis GV70’s 300 horses. With this much energy, the Stelvio can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Again, good for the class, although the GV70 is a tenth or so quicker.

The Stelvio is the choice for drivers who still want their SUV to have some agility. We appreciate the immediacy of its responses that can make us forget momentarily how the Stelvio is also a practical family vehicle that’s civilized on the highway and around town. For even greater traction (and fun), a mechanical limited-slip differential comes in at the Veloce trim level.

The elephant in the Alfa Romeo garage is the Quadrifoglio model. Zero to 60 mph happens in just 3.6 seconds. A twin-turbocharged V6 generating 505 horsepower conspires with a standard active suspension and upgraded Brembo brakes to make this one of the rare SUVs that can thrill on a track. We’ve been in that situation and loved every lap. We’re not sure “practical” is the right word for it, but we found the Quadrifoglio model to retain its ability to tackle everyday errands comfortably, albeit less efficiently.

Fuel Economy

Both Stelvio engines prefer premium gasoline. The 4-cylinder unit returns 25 combined mpg (22 city, 29 highway) when driving just the rear wheels. All-wheel-drive variants achieve 24 combined mpg (22 city, 28 highway). Compare those figures with the BMW X3 xDrive30i at 24 mpg, Audi Q5 at 26 mpg, and Acura RDX AWD with a 23 mpg rating.

Although we don’t expect many people to be especially concerned about the high-performance Quadrifoglio’s fuel economy numbers, we’ll include them here: 19 combined mpg (17 city, 23 highway).

There are some lower-quality plastics in a few out-of-the-way places, rear passenger space only has 31.9 inches of legroom (the BMW X3 has 36.4), and the overall interior design is not as striking as the exterior.

Those gripes out of the way, though; there’s still a lot to like about the 5-seater Stelvio’s cabin. Such as the general tidiness of the dashboard, stowage areas in the center console, and the engine start/stop button — set right in the steering wheel. Also, we’re suckers for the exposed carbon fiber trim in the Quadrifoglio model, reminding us we’re in a premium performance vehicle.

We found the infotainment controls by the shifter to be satisfyingly similar to other Euro luxury SUVs. Drivers used to BMW or Mercedes-Benz controls won’t have to deal with much of a learning curve.

Cargo space behind the rear seats measures 18.5 cubic feet, expanding to 56.5 when they’re folded down. For reference, the BMW X3 has about another 10 cubic feet in its luggage area.

As students of the automotive world, we’ve always had a bit of a thing for Alfa Romeo designs. They’re part of a broader category encompassing marques like Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini — all purveyors of a particularly Italian style that nods to great heritage yet still looks forward.

That’s exactly what the Stelvio does. We see the history in the shape of the grille (not oversized, mercifully), and, although this luxury compact SUV has been around since 2018, it would look just as contemporary had it first launched this year.

So the few changes this year didn’t have to be sweeping. Just some mild redrawing of the front air intakes, plus new LED headlights and taillights.

Real leather
Where some rivals offer simulated leather seating surfaces in their base versions, the Stelvio has the real stuff as standard. You can smell as well as feel the difference.

12.3-inch digital driver information display
Good to see Alfa Romeo keep up with the technology. This kind of feature is now common in most luxury vehicles and even many mainstream examples. Now it’s standard in every new Stelvio.

Premium Interior and Sound package
Although we like the growl from either engine in the Stelvio, there are times when a decent sound system is preferable. A 14-speaker Harman Kardon setup comes with this package that also brings leather covering for the dash and upper door sections. It’s optional in the Ti and Veloce, standard in the Competizione.

Active Assist Plus package
Optional from the Ti trim and up, this is worth the $700 investment. It adds active steering to the blind-spot monitoring system and helps the driver stay centered in the lane with automatic steering inputs while adjusting speed according to the traffic ahead.

Quadrifoglio
Yes, a hot Alfa Romeo will bring out our inner enthusiast. A Ferrari-derived turbo V6 makes the Quadrifoglio faster and more powerful than the Porsche Macan GTS. That still doesn’t make it a bargain, but it’s a ton of fun.

A turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is found in the Stelvio up to and including the new-for-2024 Competizione trim. It makes 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. The base Sprint trim has rear-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive as an option. The rest of the lineup includes all-wheel drive as standard. An 8-speed automatic transmission is deployed across the board.

The Quadrifoglio packs a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 developing 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Alfa Romeo’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This arrangement is common among European manufacturers in the luxury sector. Roadside assistance is provided for the same period. The first service is also included as long as it takes place within 12 months or 10,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Stelvio hasn’t been crash-tested by any agencies in the United States. And it’s several years since it went through any safety European program. When it did, it took a maximum 5-star overall score — but tests are stricter these days. Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.