2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Overview

If you want to simply transport people and stuff from one place to another quietly and unobtrusively then don’t buy an Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio. But if you want something that’ll handle those everyday tasks while delivering performance and handling that’ll make you want to sing a Puccini opera, then the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and its 505-horsepower twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 could be your ride. The Stelvio QF offers the attractive aesthetics and visceral driving experience of the superb Giulia Quadrifoglio super sedan crossed with the rational attributes of all-wheel drive and crossover practicality. While it excels in performance, it’s by no means the most spacious, most comfortable, or most luxurious of compact luxury SUVs. The Mercedes-AMG GLC-Class, Genesis GV70, and BMW X3 all offer more passenger room, more cargo room, substantially nicer interior materials, and better fit-and-finish. That said, the Stelvio QF can still be the right choice for someone who’s primary concern is sorrisi per miglio with practicality and usability as secondary requirements.

What’s New for 2023?

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio remains unchanged for the 2023 model year, meaning that its lovely twin-turbo V-6 still sends power through a standard all-wheel drive system. Alfa’s DNA drive mode selector allows you to adjust throttle mapping, steering response, shift speed, and suspension stiffness. Notably, the Stelvio QF was updated with a host of standard safety tech for the 2022 model year, including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and heated seats for front and rear passengers.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The spec we’d choose would forgo the optional Sparco racing seats due their restrictive qualities and lack of heating elements. However, we’d add the Carbon package that dresses the exterior mirrors, V-shaped grille, and steering wheel with carbon fiber and includes a leather-wrapped shift knob.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The sole engine is a hypnotic twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 that makes 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. It pairs exclusively with a paddle-shifted eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. One version we tested rocketed to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, making it one of the quickest SUVs we’ve ever tested. The most impressive trait of this hot crossover—along with its stunning body—is an ethereal chassis that rides as well as it turns. A set of standard adaptive dampers allows you to select the firmness of the ride, but only the bumpiest roads diminish the ride quality. Otherwise, the Stelvio QF corners with remarkable poise and rewards the driver with communicative steering feedback. The sticky performance tires and beefy brakes on our test vehicle helped bring the QF from 70 mph to zero in 157 feet, performance befitting that of a sports car.

More on the Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The 2023 Stelvio Quadrifoglio has an EPA-rating of 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, which results in a combined rating of 19 mpg. Those numbers are considerably better than those of the BMW X3 M, which sees 15 mpg city and 20 highway. The last Stelvio QF we ran on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route—part of our extensive testing regimen—fell short of expectations with a result of 21 mpg. For more information about the Stelvio’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Stelvio QF’s interior has some build-quality flaws, but its leather-covered and contrast-stitched surfaces are much improved versus the materials found on the regular Stelvio. The QF’s supportive front seats, nearly perfect driving position, and enormous column-mounted paddle shifters ensure the driver never feels too far from the racetrack. It also has many desirable standard features such as 14-way power-adjustable front seats, ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel and front-seat cushions, and more. The Stelvio has a comfortable back seat, but headroom and interior cubby storage are unremarkable. Still, we managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases behind its back row and another 11 bags with the seats folded.

The Car and Driver Difference

Infotainment and Connectivity

Every QF includes an 8.8-inch touchscreen that also operates through a handy rotary controller on the center console. Along with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in navigation and a wireless phone charger are standard; a Wi-Fi hotspot is optional. The infotainment system features crisp graphics, intuitive menus, and a customizable layout. Unfortunately, some of the icons and information are hard to see and some navigation directions were delayed. Audiophiles will appreciate the Stelvio’s standard 12-speaker, 900-watt Harman/Kardon audio system.

How to Buy and Maintain a Car

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Stelvio QF comes with an assortment of standard driver-assistance technology, including automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. For more information about the Stelvio’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 adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist Standard automatic high-beam headlights

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Alfa Romeo’s limited and powertrain warranties align with luxury rivals such as Audi and Porsche. However, none of these brands can compete with BMW’s lengthy complimentary maintenance period.

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 Stelvio Quadrifoglio Q4

VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE AS TESTED

$94,095 (base price: $82,095)

ENGINE TYPE

twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection

Displacement

176 in3, 2891 cm3

Power

505 hp @ 6500 rpm

Torque

443 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

TRANSMISSION

8-speed automatic

CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): control arms/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 15.4-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic disc/14.2-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic disc

Tires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4, F: 255/45R-20 101Y AR R: 285/40R-20 104Y AR

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 110.9 in

Length: 185.1 in

Width: 77.0 in

Height: 66.3 in

Passenger volume: 89 ft3

Cargo volume: 19 ft3

Curb weight: 4309 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

Rollout, 1 ft: 0.2 sec

60 mph: 3.3 sec

100 mph: 8.5 sec

130 mph: 15.8 sec

150 mph: 23.9 sec

Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.3 sec

Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 sec

Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.0 sec

¼-mile: 11.8 sec @ 116 mph

Top speed (mfr’s claim): 176 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 152 ft

Braking, 100–0 mph: 305 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.94 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 13 mpg

75-mph highway driving: 21 mpg

Highway range: 350 miles

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 19/17/23 mpg

More Features and Specs