2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Road Test and Review

19 alfa giulia front ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

At the forefront of Alfa Romeo’s drive to restore its position as a maker of exciting, stylish, and fun-to-drive premium mid-size sport sedans is the 2019 Giulia. It’s a segment Alfa Romeo practically invented in the 1950s and 1960s and now along with the Stelvio SUV offers buyers credible, Italian-made alternatives to offerings from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Jaguar. While other automakers continue to introduce more driving aids and semi-autonomous systems designed to handle a greater percentage of driving chores, the 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia emphasizes more engagement between the driver and machine, celebrating the driving experience.

There are three models for 2019. Including the destination charge, this includes the base Giulia at $39,590, the more upscale Giulia TI at $41,790 and high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio at $75,590. All are built in Italy on Fiat Chrysler’s Giorgio platform that includes generous use of weight-saving aluminum for the suspension, doors, fenders, hood, and roof, while the Quadrifoglio also uses carbon fiber. The sedan rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on the base and TI models.

Totally Turbocharged

All Giulias feature turbocharged power. The base and TI trims are equipped with a lively 280-horsepower twin-scroll 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo with a more-than-ample 308 lb-ft of torque. The four-cylinder Giulia can scoot to 60 mph in about 5 seconds and is available with either rear- or all-wheel drive, the latter being a RWD-biased system that can send up to 60 percent of the drive torque to the front wheels if needed. Dubbed the Q4, the AWD Giulia is an attractive option to buyers who have to drive in snowy weather. EPA fuel economy estimates are 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway/27 mpg combined with rear-drive and about 1 mpg less for AWD models.

The Ferrari-derived 2.9-liter bi-turbo V6 pictured here headlines the Quadrifoglio. With a smile-inducing 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, the most ever in an Alfa production sedan, the Quadrifoglio can hit the 60 mph mark in an eye-watering 3.8 seconds. The Quadrifoglio is only available with rear-wheel drive and is EPA-rated at 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway/20 mpg combined. Both turbo engines are teamed with a super-fast-shifting and very smooth ZF eight-speed automatic with available aluminum steering-wheel shift paddles for those who want to choose their own gears.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Taking the Helm

The Giulia’s cabin is welcoming with a choice of 10 interior color combinations; wood, piano black, aluminum, or carbon fiber trim; and a preponderance of leather-wrapped and soft-touch surfaces. The control interface is driver-oriented with a prominent analog speedometer (160 mph for Giulia and TI and 200 mph for Quadrifoglio) and tachometer flanking a 7-inch full-color driver-configurable information display.

A standard dual-zone automatic climate control system features simple rotary knobs and large buttons for easy access without the need to scroll through menus. The flat-bottom three-spoke steering wheel with tilting and telescopic adjustments offers handy thumb grips, and in the Quadrifoglio trim it boasts leather, aluminum, suede, and carbon fiber accents.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Making the Music

On the infotainment front, a rich-sounding eight-speaker AM/FM/HD radio stereo with Bluetooth and a 6.5-inch display screen is standard fare on the base Giulia. The TI model brings a wider 8.8-inch display screen with SiriusXM satellite radio and optional navigation. The Quadrifoglio makes navigation standard (including a selectable 3D view not shown here) and upgrades to a 900-watt, 14-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound premium audio system that audiophiles will appreciate when they’re not listening to the sweet music burbling from the car’s quad-exit exhaust system.

Regardless of the sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cellphone pairing are standard to enable you to bring your phone’s familiar home screen and certain apps with you on the road. Also standard are remote start, passive entry, sonar rear parking sensors, and a backup camera.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Take Your Seat

You’d expect nothing less from an Italian car, but it’s worth mentioning that all Giulias come with standard leather-covered seating. The driver and front passenger buckets are power-operated, have adjustable lumbar support, and driver memory, plus front seat heaters in the in TI and Quadrifoglio trims. The standard front buckets are as attractive and comfortable as they are supportive for long stints behind the wheel.

Moving up to the sport front buckets shown here — available in the TI and standard in the Quadrifoglio — greatly increases thigh and lower-torso lateral bolstering to hold you in place when you're threading the needle through the twisties. The sport seats feature power-operated bolsters and manual-adjusted thigh supports and literally hug you firmly in place but have no hard edges or hot spots to cause discomfort. In the Quadrifoglio, the seats are covered in leather and Alcantara trim and set off with dual contrasting accent stitching.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Along for the Ride

A pair of gown adult passengers can reside in the Giulia's back seat in reasonable comfort, though the center position is for small fry only. Deep butt pockets help keep back seat occupants in place and carved-out recesses in the rear of the front seatbacks aid knee room.

The rear seatbacks are split 40/20/40 and fold down to bring additional cargo space or room for longer objects such as skis or other bulky sports equipment. Heated outboard positions of the rear seat are a new option for 2019 across the Giulia sedan line.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Push This

This button is where the Giulia driving experience starts. Regardless of powerplant, the Giulia is a car for buyers who would aren’t keen on surrendering their driving involvement to a bank of computers running untold lines of code.

Perhaps to drive that point home, the Formula One-inspired engine-start button sits smack dab on the flat-bottom steering wheel. It’s crimson red in Quadrifoglio models. And when you push it, music happens — from the engine.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Checking Your DNA

Speaking of humans, Alfa calls its console-mounted drive mode switch the DNA button. The DNA settings are Dynamic (sport), Natural (touring), and Advanced Efficiency (Eco).

Natural delivers baseline throttle response and transmission shifts, lighter steering effort, and — if equipped with the optional active damping system — more compliant ride quality. Dynamic mode quickens throttle response, increases steering weighting, provides later upshifts and earlier downshifts, and firms up the suspension on vehicles equipped with active damping. Advanced Efficiency eases up on throttle response and in the Quadrifoglio deactivates three cylinders under light road load or coasting conditions to save fuel. The DNA switch in Quadrifoglio models also has a Race mode that turns off the stability control, enables short bursts of turbo overboost, and opens up baffles in the mufflers for an epic exhaust signature.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Everyday Epic

Epic even in your everyday commute, the Giulia celebrates the driving experience. Its electrically boosted rack-and-pinion steering is very direct and synaptic in response; it can quickly change headings with surgical precision. The Giulia’s near-perfect 50/50 front/rear weight balance and lightweight aluminum suspension componentry convey exceptional poise. Run-flat tires ranging from 225/50R17 and 225/45R18 all-season skins up to Pirelli PZero 245/35ZR19 front/285/30ZR19 three-season performance tires provide excellent stick and a torque-vectoring differential in the Quadrifoglio enhances turn-in by overdriving the outside rear wheel.

The ZF eight-speed automatic executes very quick dual-clutch-like 100-millisecond shifts with rev-matching throttle blips in the Dynamic or Race modes. The four-cylinder Giulia’s dual-exhaust note says “sporty” but doesn’t intrude or drone in around-town driving or highway cruising. The Quadrifoglio V6’s four outlet pipes are part of a dual-mode system with a bypass around the mufflers for lusty crackle-and-pop leadfoot throttle bursts, yet purr safely under the radar during normal driving.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Decelerating With Style

In Italian lore, what’s behind you doesn’t matter. What’s ahead, however, does and the Giulia abides with a standard Brembo four-wheel disc brake system, smartly dressed with calipers in silver, red, black, or yellow and smartly displayed through the spokes of any of the car’s 17 different wheel options.

The Quadrifoglio gets larger calipers and drilled and vented rotors, with even-larger carbon-ceramic ultra-high-performance binders an extra-cost option. A brake-by-wire system eliminates the vacuum booster for quicker pressure buildup and outstanding top-of-pedal response.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo Finish

With the Giulia’s high style and engaging driving dynamics, it would be easy to forget about more sanguine subjects such as safety. The Giulia is available with a capable dynamic cruise control system that will maintain a set distance to the vehicle ahead and bring the car to a full stop. There is also a lane-keeping system that can warble the audio speakers on one side or the other when you cross over a painted lane marker without signaling. A backup camera is onboard along with blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring systems on the lookout for vehicles or pedestrians lurking just out of sight.

As an affordable exotic or perhaps a refreshing alternative to German and Japanese luxury sedans, the sexy and scintillating Alfa Romeo Giulia is worth a look.

Photo by Ron Sessions