Alfa Romeo Giulia is smooth, sharp and responsive

Smooth, Sharp and Responsive

It is also a very good-looking car. It has that appeal that says, ‘drive me’. Alfa aficionados will know what I am talking about. But apart from being aesthetically good to the eye, does the Giulia tick all the boxes. Let’s find out...

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I found the car to be bulky in size when compared to other models in its class, notably the BMW 3 series and the Audi A4. The front had that distinctive long nose. But whilst it has this ‘larger’ look on the outside, the interior was spacious.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia is the most authentic expression of the Alfa Romeo spirit, successfully combining all the elements which have made it one of the most desirable automotive brands: distinctive Italian design and high-performance engine. But at 9.3l/km, I found this to be a tad heavy on fuel.

Responsive

Press the accelerator and it goes, reaching 0 to 100kms in 4.0 seconds. Once on the highway, the drive was smooth as expected with this Italian marque. A real pleasure to be behind the wheels at speeds of >120kmph on the open road. Taking the bends and cornering was also impressive as the Giulia held its shape and ground, without faltering once A comfortable and smooth ride. The ability to come to a grinding halt from speeds of 120kmph to zero, thanks to the integrated Braking system and active suspension. Impressive.

Base

The Giulia is available in four trim levels with three being utilised by the 2.0l Turbo petrol engine versions. The Giulia Base features a high level of standard equipment without compromising on the value for money this entry-level model offers. The Base models features 16” alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, cruise control as well as Stop / Start technology.

Image by Naresh Maharaj

The top model in the 2.0l range, the Super with Stile Pack, features everything available on its sibling plus the addition of 18” alloy wheels, Uconnect 8.4 Cd/DVD/Mp3/Nav, Sports Pack and Convenience Pack for added uniqueness in the range.

Giulia is available with a choice of 13 exterior colours; 3 solid and 8 metallic and the QV will additionally be offered with a choice two optional Tri-Coat paints.

Safety first

On the safety front, the Alfa Romeo Giulia recently earned five prestigious Euro NCAP stars, scoring 98% in adult occupant protection. This is the highest score ever achieved by a car despite the more severe evaluation system introduced in 2015. This outstanding result was achieved by implementing two key elements: firstly, the adoption of a wide range of innovative safety systems, and secondly, the efficiency of a bodyshell that is light and rigid in equal measure and makes extensive use of ultra-lightweight materials.

Dashboard

Depending on the trim levels with 3.5-inch or 7-inch colour display, the device offers the driver all the essential information about the car. Organised in four screenshots, the visible contents depend on the DNA mode selected and offer lateral acceleration and fuel consumption readings as well as suggested gear changes. I found this feature to be handy indeed. It is profoundly Alfa Romeo style, the central position being the driver. All the main controls, including the start button, are incorporated in the steering wheel while the human-machine interface consists of two simple, user-friendly knobs for adjusting the Alfa Romeo selector and the infotainment system.

No navigation systems in the Base model I tested which I did not really miss. But I did miss the front and rear park distance controls and beeps, which I have become very accustomed to. These are available in the Super and Sports models.

Lane Departure Warning

The package of driving assist systems includes the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) that detects unintentional lane changes and the Blind-Spot Monitoring (BSM) device (optional) that assists the driver during lane changes and when overtaking or being overtaken by vehicles hidden from view. Also handy is the Speed Limiter and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Image by Naresh Maharaj

The ACC reduces the speed set when the vehicle approaches another in the same lane or when another vehicle joins its lane. The system reverts to the speed set when the vehicle in front accelerates or moves to another lane. Active Cruise controls, all of which, is right there at your fingertips, i.e. on the steering wheel.

Light me up

Front and rear light clusters: a compendium of style excellence and technology. Made by Magneti Marelli in partnership with Alfa Romeo, the front and rear light clusters on the new Giulia reinforce the stylish design and ergonomic silhouette of the car, identifying it at first glance.

All Giulia models come with an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard and are powered by engines made in Italy, in areas dedicated exclusively to Alfa Romeo engines, using state-of-the-art processes and methods affording them top performance and efficiency.

All Alfa Romeo Giulia models come standard with a 3 year/100,000 km warranty and 6 year/100,000 km maintenance plan.
Price on application at your nearest Alfa Dealer.