Alfa Romeo may be in a tough position, but there’s no denying the company gave us some pretty good models in recent times. Under Stellantis’ banner, the brand is planned to become a global premium brand – something that starts with Alfa Romeo’s gradual transition to electrification, said to happen in 2027. Meanwhile, one of their most important models – the Giulia – is getting refreshed for the 2022 model year. The Italian sporty sedan has already proven a worthy alternative in the segment, and 2022 will see an updated version of it.

What can we expect from the new Giulia?

For starters, the 2022 facelift will feature more generous standard equipment, which would probably result in a slightly higher starting price. The trim levels have also been restructured, with four different trims being available for the Giulia. First is the Sprint, followed by the luxury-focused Ti. The Veloce, combines the sporty character of the Sprint with the luxury aspect of the Ti, while replacing the Ti Sport.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrofoglio

As before, a ZF eight-speed automatic sends power to the rear, resulting in a 3.8-second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) and a top speed of 191 mph (307 km/h).

More performance for the base engine

The base 2.0-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged inline-four engine still makes 280 horsepower, but torque is up from 295 to 306 pound-feet (from 400 to 415 Nm). The same ZF eight-speed sends power to the rear or, optionally, all four wheels. This allows for a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) sprint in 5.1 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 149 mph (240 km/h). More importantly, the optimized eight-speed automatic is capable of shifting in under 100 milliseconds, which is impressive for a non-DCT unit.

2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia specifications

Model

2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia

2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Engine Type

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6

Drivetrain

RWD (Standard), AWD (Optional)

RWD

Transmission

8-speed shiftable automatic

8-speed shiftable automatic

Power 

280 HP @ 5,200 RPM

505 HP @ 6,500 RPM

Torque 

306 lb-ft @ 2,000 RPM

442 lb-ft @ 2,500 RPM

0-60 (MPH) 

5.5 seconds w/ RWD, 5.1 seconds w/ AWD

3.8 seconds

Top Speed 

149 MPH

191 MPH

Front Brake Rotor Size (Inches)

13.0

14.2

Rear brake Rotor Size (Inches)

12.5

13.8


New standard equipment

In terms of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the Giulia now comes, as standard, with active blind-spot assist, active cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and front and rear parking sensors. The updated Giulia will feature Level one and two autonomous driving.

The Giulia’s update will include a more upscale interior with improved connectivity

While the Giulia’s interior was both stylish and functional, there was room for improvement. Convenience-wise, the updated Giulia will feature front and rear heated seats, GPS navigation, wireless charging, electro-chromatic rearview mirror, air-quality system, and more. The Sprint and Veloce trims also get column-mounted aluminum paddle-shifters, while the Sprint, Ti, and Veloce also come with aluminum sport pedals and an aluminum footrest.

The 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia comes standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen and features a new leather shifter, “premium” selector switches, and knobs. The revised interior will feature a very similar design to what we already know, but with improved personalization options and advanced connectivity, in the form of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM Radio, as well as SOS Call, roadside assistance, and more.

Two additional packages

Despite the more generous standard equipment, the manufacturer still has to charge you extra for something. If you so choose, you can opt for two packages, both of which are available for the Ti and Veloce.

The “Premium Interior and Sound Package” adds a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with a subwoofer as well as a leather dashboard and upper door panels.

The second package is the “Active Assist Plus Package”, which additional driver aids, such as intelligent speed assist, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, active blind spot assist, highway assist system, and more.

Conclusion

The Alfa Romeo Giulia is Alfa Romeo’s first rear-wheel-drive sedan in 30 years. Being around since 2015, the current generation is already showing its age, but mostly in terms of the standard equipment. The model already proved capable of keeping up with the best Germany has to offer, while even offering better performance, in some cases. We’ll just have to wait and see how much longer the Italian carmaker can keep up in its current state.