2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia
Overview
Few sports sedans can match the 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia when it comes to joyful road manners and grin-inducing thrills. It also doesn’t hurt that it wears a stunning wardrobe of Italian couture that outshines even the most beautiful cars in its entry-luxury class. A turbocharged four-cylinder provides lively acceleration, and its natural-feeling handling is designed to make you feel one with the road. The cabin isn’t quite as posh as those of its rivals, nor is its onboard technology as groundbreaking, but there’s still a generous list of standard and optional equipment. The expected infotainment and driver-assistance features are standard across the board and additional niceties don’t increase the price beyond reason. The Giulia is a great choice for driving enthusiasts. The more extreme Giulia Quadrifolio (reviewed separately) brings performance to another level, but it also costs nearly twice as much as the standard car.
What’s New for 2023?
The Giulia’s lineup expands by two trims this year. The midrange Lusso trim returns for 2023 and features posher interior environs than the Ti. Its leather seat upholstery is of a special Cannelloni design. The Lusso model’s dashboard and door uppers are wrapped in genuine leather as well, and it comes standard with a 14-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo system. A new Estrema model now sits at the top of the range and takes the Veloce trim up a notch with a standard adaptive suspension and a limited-slip differential.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
We’d go with the new Lusso model as it gives the Giulia the premium interior environs that best match rivals such as the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes-Benz C-class. Not only does it come with fancier leather upholstery and a 14-speaker stereo, but it also wears dual chrome exhaust tips, satin-finished aluminum window trim, and gloss-black-painted brake calipers. Honestly, it’s a vibe. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and we’d stick with that, but all-wheel drive is available and adds $2000 to the bottom line.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Giulia’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes 280 horsepower, sounds intoxicating, and feels gutsy when driven hard. The Giulia pulls away from stoplights with zeal while singing soaring Italian arias. Our rear-wheel-drive test car’s 5.7-second zero-to-60-mph time and an all-wheel-drive model’s time of 5.5 seconds place the Giulia midpack in its segment in our acceleration testing; the Audi A4 did it in 5.2 seconds and the four-cylinder BMW 330i managed 5.4 seconds even though both cars have less horsepower than the Alfa. All Giulias come with a drive-mode selector with three unique settings: Dynamic, Natural, and Advanced Efficiency—cleverly making the acronym DNA—each of which alters the car’s transmission, engine management, and steering feel. Agile and lively at all times, the Giulia is a driving enthusiast’s sports sedan. The front tires are very responsive to driver inputs and speak clearly to the driver through the leather-wrapped steering wheel. Body roll is well controlled, and in hard corners the Giulia remains flat and predictable. It’s easy to drive quickly and aggressively, but it’s equally comfortable when driven sedately.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Among its turbocharged four-cylinder rivals, the Giulia has competitive fuel-efficiency numbers from the EPA, just shy of class-leading. Rear-wheel drive models are rated at 24 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. All-wheel-drive models see a slight deficit at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, but that’s common in this class. In our real-world highway fuel-economy test, our rear-wheel-drive Ti test vehicle nearly delivered on its EPA number with a 32-mpg result. For more information about the Giulia’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The interior of the Giulia features soft-touch plastics, fine leather, and either textured metallic or genuine wood trimmings. It’s an elegantly styled cabin, with a wide, sweeping dashboard that acts as a visor to shade the integrated infotainment screen from the sun. The seats are comfortable and well bolstered, especially the optional sport seats. Pack your sunnies, though: The Giulia’s sun visors are laughably small and ineffective when driving head on into the sun. The Giulia managed to fit five of our carry-on cases inside its trunk; with its rear seats folded, it managed 14, lagging segment leaders by one carry-on.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
All Giulias feature Alfa Romeo’s 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system tucked in between the dashtop and the central climate-control vents. Three USB ports, an auxiliary input jack, in-dash navigation, and Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity are all standard. The infotainment interface is relatively intuitive and offers customization options, but we found the navigation to be occasionally slow to update at crucial times during turn-by-turn directions. Also, several of the onscreen icons are small and difficult to activate while driving. In addition to touchscreen commands, users can also interact with the system using an auxiliary rotary knob controller on the center console. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration are standard, and a 14-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system is optional.
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Alfa has included several driver-assistance features as standard, but those seeking more advanced semi-autonomous tech will find it requires an option package. For more information about the Giulia’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Standard automated emergency braking Standard lane-departure warning Standard adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Warranty coverage may be an important issue to keep in mind when buying an Alfa Romeo; the brand’s reputation for reliability is among the worst in the business. Alfa Romeo’s warranty coverage follows the same convention as most of its rivals, although Jaguar bucks the trend here with lengthier warranties. Giulia owners are treated to complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first year, but the 3-series offers better value here.
Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Complimentary maintenance is covered for one year or 10,000 miles
Specifications
Specifications
2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE (C/D EST)
$41,500
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled SOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
122 cu in, 1993 cc
Power
280 hp @ 5200 rpm
Torque
306 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.0 in
Length: 182.8 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 56.5–57.1 in
Passenger volume: 94 cu ft
Trunk volume: 13 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3650–3700 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.4–5.6 sec
100 mph: 14.0–14.6 sec
¼-mile: 14.0–14.2 sec
Top speed: 149 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 26–27/23–24/31–33 mpg
More Features and Specs
