Johannesburg – With Alfa Romeo’s new CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato at the helm, it would seem as though everything is going quite well at the Centro Stile, and there seem to be big plans on the horizon for the brand globally. Six years after the announcement of the Giulia and Stelvio, South Africa have now received the updated duo which we recently had the chance to drive in Johannesburg.
The Stelvio rides on the FCA’s Giorgio platform, a platform which was designed to take the fight to the German trio in terms of handling, driver engagement and ride comfort. The rear-wheel-biased modular platform underpins the rear-wheel-drive-only Giulia sedan, too, and in the Stelvio it features Alfa’s trick Q4 all-wheel-drive system, but more on that in a bit.
Key to the growth of what was FCA, now Stellantis, and in particular the Alfa Romeo brand, was the Giorgio Platform, the modular chassis that was set to underpin a slew of new Alfa-Romeo, Maserati, Dodge and Jeep products. Giorgio cost a whopping $1 billion to develop, so they had big plans for it.
Unfortunately, none of those plans involved electrification and thanks to a poor example of futureproofing, it was recently announced that Giorgio is to be canned, having seen the light of day in only Giulia and Stelvio. Luckily, this decision doesn’t affect how good or bad these two products are, and if anything makes them unique in today’s landscape of platform sharing and badge engineering.
Stelvio sales in South Africa since its local launch in 2018 have been somewhat disappointing, with many deciding on the SUV’s fate before having even sampled it. Add to that some pretty scary depreciation and hugely compelling rivals such as Mercedes-Benz’s GLC, BMW’s X3 and the Audi Q5 and it becomes quite apparent that the Stelvio needed and indeed still does need a trick or two up its proverbial sleeves.
And tricks it has – goodness it handles well. It was noted several times during the presentation that a ‘connection’ to the driver was important, and it’s safe to say that, as with the pre-facelift model, the Stelvio nails this. The quick steering rack is communicative and offers plenty of feel, giving the front end an almost dart-like personality when given direction change inputs. It instils quite a bit of confidence and as cliched as it is, the Stelvio really does shrink around you when you choose to have a bit of fun and give it the beans.
However, that’s just half of this battle won – the tough challenge that all SUV’s face is that there’s an expectation for them to be both comfortable and sporty. The ability to achieve this duality is what often separates the wheat from the chaff with the ride often being a little crashy while offering up the sporting goods, or a little floppy and dull, serving up floatiness and comfort instead.
The Stelvio strikes a good balance here, thanks in part to adaptive dampers, as well as Alfa Romeo’s trick double wishbone suspension with a semi-virtual steering axis. Essentially, this patented technology consists of two separate lower levers which are hinged to the strut in what Alfa Romeo themselves refer to as “a different fashion” to a conventional double wishbone setup. This double lower link performs a scissor-like movement which keeps the linear steering feel in all conditions, something which just cannot be achieved by a conventional suspension setup with single lower link. It’s trick stuff and one really can feel the difference, especially when comparing it to the steering/suspension setup one would find in other SUVs.
The Q4 all-wheel drive system is well tuned, too. A big focus was to allow for the safety of an AWD system while still retaining the “fun” associated with a rear-wheel driven vehicle. By means of a compact active transfer case, the system is able to send up to 50 per cent of the torque to the front wheels as it deems necessary, while retaining a rear-bias in all other conditions. It is important to note, though, that while the Stelvio may be able to handle a gravel road or two, an off-roader it is not…
The Q4 system is also influenced by which drive mode has been selected on the ‘dna’ rotary knob – Dynamic, Normal and Advanced Efficiency modes are available, and they adjust everything from the dampers to the amount of steering assistance provided to the sensitivity of the throttle and gearbox mapping.
Speaking of the gearbox, it’s the tried, tested and well-known ZF 8-Speed automatic unit a la BMW, Jaguar, and a plethora of other vehicles on the road today. Its slick, efficient, and able to provide the goods when you’re looking for a little thump in the back as you change gear, but also willing and able when you’re in the mood for some imperceptible cog swops. Now one must make mention of the Stelvio’s column mounted paddles – they’re big enough to hurt should you lob them at someone and because they’re fashioned from real metal, they will. Who would have thought that something as simple as gearshift paddles would add another 10 points to the whole “engagement” thing, but they do, and they’re great.
Power in the ‘Super’ model which we sampled comes from a 2,0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol motor with an impressive 206 kW and 400 N.m on tap. There’s ample power available and the claimed 0-100 km/h time of 5,7 seconds seems spot on, despite a smidgen of turbo lag when setting off. The Stelvio’s powertrain and chassis complement each other wonderfully. Alfa Romeo claims a combined fuel consumption of 7,0 l/100km, which is a little off the 10,6 l/100km we achieved on the 140 km round trip through the Magaliesberg.
As far as the model range and spec options go, there are just two models in the range – the 2,0-litre ‘Super’ and the rambunctious 2,9-litre 375 kW ‘Quadrifoglio’ – and on both there are no option boxes to tick. The Stelvio comes specced to the hilt as standard, a smart move on Stellantis’ part as we all know how certain manufacturers love a good options list.
Adaptive dampers, selectable drive modes, 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, a new 7-inch digital TFT screen in the instrument cluster, an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible 8.8-inch infotainment screen, leather sports seats, dual-zone climate control, park distance control, a reverse camera, tyre-pressure sensors, USB ports for both front and rear passengers, a wireless charging pad, auto lights and -wipers, as well as a heated steering wheel are all standard fitment here, and it’s worth noting that a similarly specced Mercedes-Benz GLC is notably more expensive.
A few questionable materials and some cheap feeling interior padding do let the package down a little, however, despite the good ergonomics and appealing design. It would appear as though black leather is the only upholstery option available too, disappointing for those who recall just how lovely an Alfa Romeo’s ‘Tan’ interior looks, but this is just down to personal preference and undoubtedly a function of what customers will gravitate towards.
At R1 159 900, the Stelvio Super offers a surprisingly compelling package in its segment when one considers that the pricing of Alfa Romeos has always been a moot point. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio can be had for R1 749 900 which again, considering the specification level, is hugely competitive.
The Stelvio really does deserve to do well, but only time will tell and when one considers the fierce opposition it faces along with a smaller dealer network, Stellantis certainly have their work cut out for them.
Fast facts
Model: Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2,0T Super Q4
Price: R1 159 900
Engine: 2,0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbopetrol
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 206 kW @ 5 250 r/min
Torque: 400 N.m @ 2 250 r/min
0-100 km/h: 5,7 seconds
Top speed: 230 km/h
Fuel consumption: 7,0 l/100km (claimed)
CO2: 161 g/km
Service Plan: Five-year/100 000 km
