The Stelvio – Alfa Romeo’s first SUV – arrived at a time when the Italian company really needed to do something to improve its presence on the market. And, what a presence it made: launched in 2016 the Alfa Romeo Stelvio only needed two years to become the company’s best-selling model with over 43,000 units sold in 2018. The SUV was named after the Stelvio Pass in northern Italy - one of the most amazing roads in Europe, and over time, it proved itself worthy of the name. Priced a little over $45,000, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is currently one of the best mid-sized luxury SUVs, delivering great performance figures, impressive safety ratings, and one of the best driving experiences you can find.
10 The Stelvio Is One Of The Lightest SUVs In Its Class
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio was built on the same Giorgio platform as the Giulia. The SUV, however, has been slightly modified and raised by 8.7 inches. Despite this, the company was still able to obtain a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. The Stelvio is also one of the lightest SUVs in its class, mostly due to the extensive use of aluminum parts. This light material was used for many body parts like the fenders, hood, or the tailgate, but also for the suspension, brakes, and engine. As a result, the Stelvio weighs "only" 3,901 pounds - figures that make it 178 pounds lighter than the BMW X3 and 250 pounds lighter than the Porsche Macan. Even the Audi Q5 is heavier at 4,079 pounds. The same goes for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: with a total weight of 4,313 pounds, it is significantly lighter than the BMW X3 M (4,610 pounds) and the Porsche Macan GTS (4,400 pounds).
9 The Stelvio Looks Very Classy
If there is something Alfa Romeo has always been capable of, it is creating cars that will catch everyone's attention. The Stelvio is no exception. The idea behind the SUV's design is the perfect balance between proportions, simple lines, and relentless attention to detail. Even though it's built on the same platform as the Giulia, the Stelvio is a little bit more than just a buffed-up sedan. It is longer, wider, taller, and rides higher from the ground. The easiest way to separate it from the Giulia sedan is the curvaceous nature of the hood, body panels, and tail end. In the back, you will notice LED taillights and twin-exhaust pipes, while the rear sports diffuser has been aerodynamically designed to increase airspeed underneath the vehicle while decreasing drag.
8 The Alfa Romeo Comfort Runs Deep
Just like the Giulia sedan, the Stelvio has a luxurious interior and a comfortable driving position. The cabin is smaller when compared to the competition, but Alfa Romeo tries to win in other aspects. The front electric seats are trimmed in high-quality leather, and they offer small cargo areas both in front and rear. Aluminum accents adorn the dash, doors, and center console, but if you go for a sportier trim, you can also opt for carbon fiber or various wood inlays. The steering wheel features high-end materials and bezel finishes, while the gear shifter is wrapped in high-quality leather with bright accents. The 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio has an 18.5 cubic-feet cargo room with the seats up, but that can be increased to 56.5 cubic-feet by putting down the seats. And this is where the Stelvio loses in front of the competition: the BMW X3 offers a cargo space of 28.7 cubic-feet with the seats up and 62.7 cubic-feet with the seats down, and models like Genesis GV70 offer 28.9 cubic-feet with the seats up and 56.9 cubic-feet with the seats down. The Stelvio wins one more time in front of the Macan which has a standard cargo space of 17.2 cubic-feet, or 52.9 cubic-feet with the seats out of the way.
7 The Stelvio Might Make You Feel Like A Formula 1 Driver
One of the coolest features of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the start engine button. Just like in the Giulia, it is placed on the steering wheel offering you a driving experience similar to Formula 1 cars. And, even if we are only talking about an SUV, the Stelvio is available with steering column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters, something that you would expect from a Ferrari model. They make the driving experience a lot more enjoyable and help you shift gears in less than 100 milliseconds.
6 The Stelvio Boasts An Impressive Lineup Of Useable Technology
The Stelvio is only offered with an 8.8-inch infotainment integrated into the dash and with a quite full-color touchscreen - which can be a big loss in front of the competition. It can be controlled either from the rotary controller on the center console or by touch inputs which are very responsive. It comes with standard features like Navigation, Apple CarPlay support, and Android Auto compatibility. The Stelvio can also be had with an available Harman Kardon audio system with a high-powered amplifier and fourteen precision-tuned speakers. There are also four USB ports: two up front and two in the year, plus many other cool features. The list can be very long, but it includes keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, heated steering wheel, and seats.
5 The Stelvio Has One Of The Best Transmissions Of All Time
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is only available with an eight-speed automatic transmission, considered by many as one of the best coming from the Italian maker. The gearbox is quick, engaging, and intuitive, especially in the Dynamic mode. Speaking of which, the SUV features Alfa Romeo's DNA Mode Selector with four different driving modes: Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency, and Race. In Dynamic, Natural, and Advanced Efficiency modes, you get to change the settings for the steering, torque limiter, steering, gear shifts, all-wheel drive system, and fuel efficiency in order to obtain the best driving experience. The Race mode, on the other hand, is for those moments when you want to have a little bit more fun behind the wheel and head to the track.
4 The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Is Faster Than The BMW X3 And Porsche Macan
On the U.S. market, all five trims of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (Sprint, Ti, Estrema, Lusso, and Veloce) are powered by the same 2.0-liter, direct-injection turbocharged engine that delivers a total of 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. While you may think that this is not a lot, it is a lot more when compared to the entry-level Porsche Macan - rated at 261 horsepower – or the BMW X3 sDrive30i rated at 248 horsepower. The Stelvio sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and up to a top speed of 144 mph. When compared to both the Macan and the X3 sDrive30i, the Stelvio is 0.6 seconds faster, while the top speed is identical to the Macan and 14 mph higher than the BMW. European customers can also opt for a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that delivers a total of 207 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque.
3 The Stelvio Quadrifoglio With Ferrari Power For The Win
While there is only one engine available for the entry-level Stelvio, Alfa Romeo is also offering a more powerful Quadrifoglio version of the Stelvio for enthusiasts. Just like the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the SUV is powered by a Ferrari-derived 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine rated at 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. These numbers once again put the Stelvio Quadrifoglio on top of its competitors. The Italian SUV is more powerful than both the BMW X3 M that delivers 473 horsepower and the Macan GTS rated at only 434 horsepower. The same goes for the performance figures. With a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 3.6 seconds, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is faster than both the X3 M (3.9 seconds) and the Macan GTS (4.3 seconds).
2 The Stelvio Is Loaded With Safety Features
The Stelvio was not only built to offer great performance and comfort features, but it is also one of the safest mid-sized luxury SUVs. Euro NCAP crash tested a 2017 Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the results are impressive: the SUV scored a perfect five-star rating with 97-percent for adult occupant safety (matching the ratings of the Volvo XC90) and 84-percent for child passenger protection. The Italian SUV is offered with a host of standard safety and driver assists features, including front, side, overhead, and knee airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, active cruise control, forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. The higher trims will also offer standard Active Blind Spot Assist, a Driver Attention Alert, Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), Lane Keeping Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, and Highway Assist.
1 The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Is Cheaper Than Most Competitors
Pricing for the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio starts from $46,200 - which represents a $1,050 increase when compared to the 2022 model year. This puts the Stelvio right next to the X3 sDrive30i - also priced at $46,200 but makes it a lot more affordable than models like the Porsche Macan that starts from $57,500 or the Lexus RX 350 priced at $48,550. Prices for the Stelvio however escalate quickly so that the Stelvio Ti starts from $52,185, the Stelvio Veloce from $53,985, and the Stelvio Estrema from $59,825. As for the 2023 Stelvio Quadrifoglio, it has a starting price of $88,175, making it one of the most expensive models in its segment. Just to compare things the Macan GTS is priced at $82,900, the BMW X3 M at $74,400, and the Lexus RX 500h F-Sport at $62,750.