Test drive Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.2 Multijet 180 CV Aut, the Italian spirit

The Alfa Romeo saloon was one of the cars that was most eagerly awaited after the famous 159 left the market in 2011. From that moment on, the Giulia generated anticipation year after year, with people waiting to learn the details of the new Italian-powered saloon. At Frankfurt 2015 the Quadrifoglio Verde was previewed, and a few months later, at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the Alfa Romeo Giulia was finally unveiled.

The new macchina from the Milan house is a saloon with a design that only Alfa Romeo could offer, while allowing us to enjoy a level of driving fun typical of certain German saloons. On this occasion we tested the Alfa Romeo Giulia with a 2.2-litre Multijet II diesel engine with 180 CV and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, a rear-wheel-drive car that is frugal yet very fun to drive.

Exterior design: the Italian vision of sportiness and elegance

The Giulia is a premium-style saloon that doesn’t go unnoticed wherever it goes. Although it has been on the market for several years, it remains a car with a very striking design, a worthy successor to the Alfa Romeo 159, and I would even dare say it has more personality.

At its imposing front the huge badge of the Italian brand stands out, a hallmark of its models. The front bumper with its large air intakes adds a sporty touch, while the headlights (on our unit, adaptive xenon) convey elegance thanks to their elongated lines.

From the side we again see the elegance of the lines, flowing and clean yet eye-catching. Once more the sporty contrast comes from the 18-inch alloy wheels in a sporty 225/45 R18 size, with the brake calipers standing out. Finally, at the rear the double exhaust outlet and the LED headlights stand out, both giving a sense of width.

Interior design

The interior of the Giulia stands out for its lines. Once again Alfa Romeo has put its best craftsmanship into designing a purely Italian interior, elegant and with sporty touches, with materials that are generally of good quality apart from small details that let down an otherwise remarkable whole. That said, the leather upholstery and the wood inserts are part of an optional pack.

The dashboard mixes soft-touch materials with good fit and finish, with hard plastics in some areas and controls (such as the infotainment system knob), all in a two-tone colour scheme that adds elegance to the cabin. The sporty character is present in the steering wheel, which has the engine start button recalling the brand’s cavallino, and also in the instrumentation, simple yet complete and sporty (with part analogue and part digital).

Special mention goes to the infotainment screen, (6.5″ as standard) with a glass-style finish that always offers excellent visibility in any condition and gives the cabin a premium look, together with some interior trim. Another design and quality detail is the aluminium paddle shifters (optional), which some sports car costing well over six figures would love to have.

In the centre console there are two controls: the DNA selector and the one that controls the infotainment system, which is very intuitive once we get used to it. The position of the volume knob, on the right-hand side, is surprising, as if it were a German car.

The driving position is low, with little lateral support, the seats aiming for comfort and fulfilling that role well, although they lack electric adjustment and lumbar support. The rear seats are comfortable and hold the body perfectly, although access is difficult because there is little space and the door opening is high. Despite it being a saloon, access is more typical of a lower segment. Legroom is more than adequate, and there are air vents and a USB port to charge our devices.

The boot has a capacity of 480 litres, with regular shapes although with the narrow loading aperture typical of a three-box saloon.

Engine and performance

Under the bonnet of this Alfa Romeo Giulia lies a well-known engine developed by the Fiat Group: the 2.2-litre Multijet II, available in several power levels: 136 CV, 150 CV, 180 CV and 210 CV.

This 180 CV version is more than enough to keep us entertained behind the wheel, and it is very performance-oriented. It takes time to respond; until we reach 1,800–2,000 rpm it feels sleepy, but once there it pushes forcefully thanks to its 380 Nm of torque, a force that goes straight to the rear axle, adding an extra dose of sportiness.

Surprisingly, despite not reaching 200 CV (in the version we tested), it presses us into the seat as soon as we select Dynamic mode, being not very progressive but very effective in responding to throttle inputs. It is clear the main premise is sportiness, above efficiency or even smoothness, which is welcome since it keeps a hallmark of the Italian brand, even in a diesel saloon.

Our unit had the ZF 8-speed gearbox with metal paddle shifters, which works correctly, being quick and comfortable when changing gears. However, given the engine’s response, for those who want to bring out the wilder side of this Giulia, the manual gearbox is more recommended.

Handling

Worthy of the name Alfa Romeo, since this Giulia not only attracts attention with its unmistakable Italian design, but behind the wheel you can feel its origins and the DNA of the Milan house. The chassis setup is perfect for enjoying a well-judged balance between comfort and precision on demanding roads.

Added to this is the rear-wheel drive, with an optional limited-slip differential, letting us enjoy every bend or mountain pass and forget that we are driving a 180 CV diesel saloon. The braking system performs its role outstandingly, and the steering is extremely direct, an ideal complement for having fun with precision; it also has speed-sensitive assistance.

Its low weight, 1,449 kg, is noticeable on the road, making it a very agile car. In terms of comfort, the Giulia is pleasant for long trips or long-distance journeys. That said, it has one area to improve, which is interior soundproofing, as quite a bit of road noise gets through.

Consumption

In terms of consumption, this Giulia is quite frugal. On our usual route between Madrid > Vigo > Madrid the average consumption was 5.4 litres per 100 km. A figure very similar to what we obtained on our road route, where averages of 5.5 litres per 100 km are easy to achieve. Finally, in the city the figure rises to 6.5 litres per 100 km on our usual test through the streets of Vigo.

Equipment

The equipment of the Alfa Romeo Giulia is structured in three trim levels: Giulia, Giulia Super and Giulia Veloce. From the base trim it includes multiple airbags, stability control, 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, among other features. It is also worth noting that in terms of safety the Giulia achieved the five stars in Euro NCAP, with a particularly high adult occupant protection score of 98% (making it one of the best in its class).

The Giulia Super trim (our unit) adds elements such as xenon headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather and cloth upholstery, exterior chrome trim, among other features. Finally, the Giulia Veloce focuses on offering more complete and sporty equipment for the most radical versions of the range.

The rest of the equipment is divided into option packs, which include everything from a premium sound system with 14 speakers and 900 W, to more powerful xenon headlights with cornering assistance. Noteworthy on our unit is the quality of the sound system, signed by Harman/Kardon (1,250 euros), or the extensive range of safety systems: blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, rear traffic alert, rear view camera, among other features (all included in an assistance pack costing 1,300 euros). The leather seat finish with wood inserts and seat heating is also optional, an extra that adds 3,325 euros to the final price.

Review and price of the Alfa Romeo Giulia

The wait for the successor to the Alfa Romeo 159 has been long, but it was worth it, since the new Alfa Romeo Giulia is the pure essence of Italian sportiness. Precisely the driving sensations are its best feature, regardless of whether we are driving a 180 CV diesel, because the response is always in line with what is expected of a Alfa Romeo.

The level of comfort also surprised us: it is not only dynamic and fun, but also comfortable on long journeys, with fairly restrained fuel consumption. That said, the rear seats should improve both in terms of access and the space they offer occupants.

The Giulia can be equipped with all kinds of safety and entertainment systems, a pity that many of them are optional, as is the premium interior finish (which includes leather seats, wood inserts and a sports steering wheel), since all of this inflates the final bill and the Giulia does not have a very competitive starting price, especially when premium brands are launching basic equipment packs with everything necessary for their entry-level models. That said, it is commendable that part of the safety equipment is standard, apart from a few elements, which undoubtedly contributed to its high score in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

Who do I recommend the Alfa Romeo Giulia to? To lovers of saloons with character who want an extra dose of driving fun, since the Giulia is a car that makes you enjoy the road, while also having a very personal, typically Italian line.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia starts at 33,531 euros for the 136 CV diesel, while the 200 CV petrol goes up to 38,915 euros. For our unit, the Giulia Super, the starting price is 37,736 euros for the 150 CV diesel engine, while the 180 CV diesel rises to 39,536 euros. Adding the extras on our unit, the final price comes to around 48,940 euros.

You can see the full technical specification of this unit, the Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.2 Diesel 180 Super Auto, in our Technical Specifications section.

Photos | Test team

Technical specifications of this car

SedanAlfa Romeo Giulia6 versions · from 49,600 €