For those who don’t already know: I am an alfista (a gender neutral noun, alfisti for plural – ed). Even though Alfa Romeo ceased operations in South Africa during my childhood (and early enquires as to the defining characteristics of the brand were met with “if you want trouble, buy an Alfa” retorts), I fell in love with the Walter d’Silva-designed 156 back in ’99 and duly bought one. I loved the car (a 2,0-litre Twin Spark) and it served me well. Later, I bought a 2,2 JTS example of the under-appreciated 159, and felt pangs of sadness when I sold the beautiful car because my career in motoring journalism had eliminated the need to have a vehicle of my own. Today, I still miss my Alfas and long for the day that my finances will allow me to buy another one!
In the meantime, I stoically perform the core duty of an alfista. That duty, to the otherwise uninformed, is to defend Alfa Romeos from those who disparage them. They may have been prone to rust and expensive breakdowns in the past, but modern Alfas are no more likely to cause heartache than other brands, apart from the fact that they don’t (usually) hold their values particularly well. Following the launch of the Giulietta, the successor to the long-serving 147, I feel that I can cautiously lay down my sword and shield. The Giulietta isn’t just aimed at brand loyalists. It is refreshingly conventional in its packaging, offers class-leading warranties and service plans and, moreover, comes with competitive pricing and specification.
Now that its competitors at the premium end of the compact market, the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 Sportback, are nearing the end of their product cycles, and the more mainstream manufacturers have major gaps between their middle and flagship models, the Giulietta arrives at the perfect time to recruit new alfisti with its head-turning style and performance, along with practicality, safety and economy! The range starts with a 88 kW 1,4-litre turbocharged model (R243k) and ends with the 1750 TBi Cloverleaf that churns out a Golf GTI-stomping 173 kW, but it is the middle-of-the-range 125 kW MultiAir model that has impressed me the most so far.
Not everyone has been bowled over by the Giulietta’s looks and a possible explanation is that when viewed directly from the front, the model looks like a more elegant, but nonetheless derivative, version of its Mito sibling. Some might not like the proportions or positioning of the “suspended grille” design at the front of the car, but, believe me, the allure lies in the detailing. Just behind the recessed rear door handles, the shoulder line sweeps gently away from the flanks before curving back into the apex of the rear hatch, itself replete with a subtle kick just above the ornate LED-adorned rear tail-light clusters. If the Giulietta isn’t the best-looking car in its segment, I don’t know what is… the Cloverleaf model is particularly striking.
The interior, in turn, is particularly conventional by Alfa Romeo standards and even though I appreciate the soft-touch materials on the facia, the circular climate controls, shapely side air vents, metallic gearknob and traditional Alfa dials in the instrument binnacle, the overall impression is one of neat and tidiness as opposed to design flair. That factor should appeal to those who appreciate Teutonic austerity (a target market!), but leave some alfisti feeling a little short changed. What’s more, the adaptation of the Giulietta from left- to right-hand drive configuration has compromised the driving position to an extent… A driver is forced to sit a trifle skew in order to line up directly behind the centre of the steering wheel boss, and the pedals are placed in offset positions in the (frustratingly) narrow footwell. There is no footrest, so if you don’t want to rub your shin against the hard edge of the transmission tunnel ad nauseum, the only alternative is to keep your left leg straight and rest your foot under the clutch pedal.
Once you have become familiarised with the cockpit, however, the biggest strengths of the Giulietta are revealed in the newcomer’s driving experience. Although the previous generation petrol engines from the Milanese marque (such as those in the 159 and Brera) were not all that spectacular, the award-winning MultiAir engine, mated with a delightfully slick six-speed gearbox, steals the show as soon as you bury the loud pedal. Producing peak outputs of 125 kW and 250 N.m of torque, the 1,4-litre turbocharged engine features, inter alia, an electrohydraulic system that independently controls each cylinder’s inlet air charge (thereby eliminating pumping losses), and it’s claimed to produce only 134 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. What’s more, the motor always sounds raspy and eager when revved – and that’s exactly what one wants from an Alfa Romeo powerplant!
It’s no chore to hustle the Giulietta along your favourite twisty stretch of blacktop, I found. In Dynamic mode, the steering feels just quick enough and near-perfectly weighted to keep the driver informed of the attitude of the front wheels when pressing on. Turn in is true, grip abundant and the accelerator and brake pedals feel sharp and responsive in their reactions. It needs to be said that I discerned a some roll in the corners at the limit, but the body lean is arguably a worthwhile trade-off considering the otherwise forgiving ride quality under normal driving conditions.
Evidently, the Giulietta will appeal to young families in a way that its 147 predecessor could never have hoped. The boot capacity is a handy 350 dm3 and the rear legroom, if not ample, can transport two adults in relative comfort even if the rear headroom is a little tight. In terms of safety equipment, dual front side and curtain airbags are supplemented by ABS with EBD, vehicle dynamic control, anti-slip regulation, cornering brake control, dynamic steering torque, hydraulic brake assist and a hill holder. The list of interior appointments on this model is quite competitive too; the Blue&Me (Bluetooth with voice commands and MP3 media player with USB port) and multi-function steering wheel are standard for example, but I wish the Visibility Pack, which would include a rain sensor, electrochromic rear-view mirror and automatic headlamps, could be thrown in.
Still, with a price tag of R279 900, the 125 kW MultiAir model comes with a five-year 150 000 km warranty, a six-year/90 000 km service plan and 30 000 km service intervals. If the Giulietta had a German marque’s badge on its nose I swear there’d be showroom stampedes across the country. For now, however, there is merely a satisfied smile on my face. Yes, it’s that good. Go and check it out for yourself…