2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged engine that comes with an eight-speed transmission. The Giulia comes in two trim levels, and also gets a performance trim known as the Quadrifoglio which will be covered in a review later on. The Giulia offers excellent handling, chassis control, with a decent fuel economy and an exceptionally good-looking interior. The Giulia however follows in line with Alfa's reliability concerns and also has a tight rear space.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan has a major competitor in the form of the 2017 BMW 3-Series, and also goes up against the 2017 Audi A4 and the 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-class. The rivals have been in the game for a long time now, and have a well-established market share in the compact car segment. Can Alfa Romeo improve their market share with this all-new Giulia? Let's find out.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan is offered in two trim levels: Base, and Ti. The pricing for these trims starts at $37,995 and goes up to $41,995 for the top trim. The Giulia comes with FWD as standard and has AWD as an optional extra with a premium of $2,000. Both the trims come with power-adjustable front seats, keyless ignition, remote start, a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster, leather upholstery, Bi-Xenon headlamps, LED DRLs, and LED taillights.

Both the trims come with specific packages, namely the Sport Appearance package, Sport interior package, Navigation package, Cold Weather Package, Premium Audio Package, Leather Package, Ti Performance package, and two safety packages, Driver assistance package, and the Driver assistance plus package.

We Recommend

We recommend the AWD Ti version of the Giulia. It has more luxurious features over the Base trim, and more functional features as well. In terms of safety, the Ti is well equipped and has a ton of advanced safety features. The available packages on the Ti offer a vast range for customization, in terms of interior, exterior, and even performance. With all these packages, the Ti costs close to $45,000 which is a lot but is worth the money.

"Alfa Romeo made some bold performance statements about the Giulia, and from what we've experienced so far, it appears Alfa followed through. Both Giulia and high-performance Quadrifoglio models boast strong engines for their respective segments, and all deliver an entertaining driving experience." - Edmunds

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Engine and Transmission

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan comes with a  2.0L I-4 engine that outputs 280 hp @ 5200 rpm and 306 lb-ft @ 2000rpm. The car comes with RWD as standard, with AWD as optional. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard and has no optional gearbox.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan comes with the Alfa DNA Pro drive-mode selector that offers three driving modes: Advanced Efficiency, Natural, and Dynamic. The first one has slightly delayed throttle responses for more fuel efficiency, whereas the Dynamic mode makes responses and shifts more aggressive. 

All the cars are powered by an I-4 engine with either RWD or AWD. The Alfa is the cheapest of the lot at $37,995, whereas the Mercedes is the most expensive at $41,500. The Giulia makes the most power and the most torque as well, whereas the other three cars have similar power output numbers in the range of 240 hp to 250 hp. The peak torque on the C-class is more accessible than the others. The Giulia comes with AWD as an option.

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Acceleration

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan with the 2.0L engine and the RWD setup has a 0-60 mph run time of 5.1 seconds, with the quarter-mile coming up in 13.6 seconds. The top speed is rated at 155 mph. With the AWD, the sedan sees a drop in performance time by an increase of around 0.3 to 0.5 seconds.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan is the quickest car out in the group, but it is not very ahead of its rivals. The German cars benefit with a lighter and more aerodynamic shape, assisted with their precise and right gearboxes. The Benz is the lowest, taking over 6 seconds to complete the 0-60 mph run. The same follows for the quarter-mile as well. However, the BMW is quicker in the 0-60 mph rn ahead of the Audi, whereas the Audi is quicker in the quarter-mile run.

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Handling and Steering

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan is a great handler and there are no complaints in that section. The car is the heaviest in this comparison, but its handling and steering are right on point, similar to a light-weight sports car. The handling is nimble, with the steering turning as per inputs. The Giulia in turn is very sure-footed, with the responsive steering inspiring confidence of all sorts to go faster. The Natural mode is perfect for the city, with its right shifts and smooth steering. The drive system, be it the RWD or the AWD, works excellent in managing the car's weight around turns and under braking. We recommend the AWD trims for their better control. The ride quality is consistent, but some may find it hard. The car's suspension setup of double wishbone and multi-link absorb all undulations on the road and make the ride a comfortable one.

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Braking

The 2017 Alfa Romeo sedan comes with a set of potent brakes from Brembo to match its quick acceleration for quicker stopping power. The car has a 13-inch front brake and a 12.5-inch rear brake. ABS is standard. The Giulia is the heaviest car in this comparison but still takes a decent 123 feet to stop from 60-0 mph.

The 2017 Audi A4 gets the largest front and rear brakes at 13.3-inches and 13-inches respectively, which enables it to stop the earliest at 105 feet from 60-0 mph. The C-class comes in second with a stopping distance of 109 feet. The BMW takes the same distance as the Alfa at 123 feet. The BMW is the lightest car, but gets smaller brake rotors that limit its braking performance.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan returns 24 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined, with the RWD setup. The AWD Giulia drops the returns to 23 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. The car gets a 15.3-gallon fuel tank that provides it with a combined range of 413.1 miles. 

The lighter BMW and the Mercedes do not benefit much in terms of fuel economy compared to the Alfa. All four cars have the same combined mileage at 27 mpg. In terms of city mileage, apart from the BMW, all three cars have a mileage of 27 mpg. The BMW returns 23 mpg in the city, and has the most highway mileage at 34 mpg. The most range is offered by the Benz, at 417 city miles and 539 highway miles, thanks to its 17-gallon tank. The Alfa has a range of 367 city miles and 505 highway miles.

"What the performance and creature comforts gain, the comically awkward infotainment system takes away." - TheCarConnection

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Seating and Comfort

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia's interiors are super stylish and true to their Italian origins. Everything about the interior, from the layout, to the materials, to the placement; all are very appealing and satisfying. The design follows the traditional Alfa design, with materials and trim inserts to match Giulia's luxury levels. Now, this is not luxury as you would see on luxury cars: the Giulia still has a few hard plastic surfaces here and there, but the consistent use of soft-touch materials and carbon trim make the interior very sporty and substantial. This interior is better on the Ti than on the Base trim, and the creature comforts do help. The main stand-out point about this interior is the well-isolated noises from the outside. There is little road noise, however.

The car seats five people. As a driver-centric car, the comfort levels in the Giulia are limited. In both the rows, the seats have a flat bottom, making this a good car for shorter journeys. There is just enough support as well, with the bolstering not doing a good job. Also, the front row is roomier compared to the second row, where there's a slightly tight headroom and limited legroom. Ingress and egress are not at all an issue, as the doors open wide and the seats are just the right height. In terms of visibility also, the Giulia has good visibility all-around except for a few blindspots due to the side mirrors. There are a lot of interiors and trim customization options on offer as well.

The 2017 Giulia and its rivals all seat five passengers. The rivals offer more room, however. Upfront, the BMW has the most headroom and the Giulia has the maximum legroom. In the second row, the BMW again offers the most headroom, and the Audi offers the most legroom. Some interior features on the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan are:

• Keyless entry
• Leather seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• Cruise control
• Heated Leather Steering Wheel

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Infotainment

The 2017 Giulia has a simple and sorted infotainment system. It has great touch responses, with no lag and a composed operation. The buttons are different to touch and do not merge well with the car's remaining interiors. The 8.8-inch touchscreen on offer has vibrant colors. As standard, all Giulias get a 6.5-inch screen, voice recognition, AM/FM radio, HD radio, three USB  ports, Bluetooth, and an eight-speaker sound system.

Some other salient features of the infotainment unit are:

• Speed Compensated Volume Control
• Window Grid Diversity Antenna
• Satellite radio
• 10-speaker audio system
• Harman Kardon premium audio system
• Graphic Equalizer

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Cargo Capacity

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia has a compact truck. It is not very spacious, and pretty tight in this class, but is on par with its competition. The cargo capacity stands at 13 cu-ft. The opening is shallow and narrow as well.

Folding the rear seats down does open up some extra cargo space. 

The Giulia, the A4, and the BMW all three share the same cargo space at 13 cu-ft. The C-class has a lower cargo capacity at 12.6 cu-ft, 0.4 cu-ft less than the rivals.

"The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia's design combined elements of the past with a modern look and a sporty stance in a unique and exciting way matched by few cars today." - TheCarConnection

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Exterior Dimensions

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia is Italian on the outside as much it is on the inside. This compact car has a long wheelbase. The overall body style and profile of the car are long and very sporty, with a sharp front, deep wheel arches, and a sleek tail. Upfront, we see the familiar trefoil grille as seen on other Alfa cars, matched with the sleek headlamps. The hood is long, but sweeps down into the front bumper. Along the side, the deep wheel arches, with the thick lines and the curved roof all give this 4-seater a distinctive look.

At the rear, we have LED tail lamps and a sporty bumper with a dual exhaust setup. The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan measures 182.5 inches in length, 73 inches in width, and is 56.5 inches tall. It has a curb weight of 3632 lbs, with a wheelbase of 111 inches, which keeps it on par with its German rivals.

Placed next to each other, dimensional differences are hard to make out on these four cars. The Audi is the longest car, with a length of 186 inches, 4 inches more than the Giulia. The Giulia is the widest of all, whereas the C-class has the better height. In terms of wheelbase, the cars come very close, except the BMW which has a slightly shorter wheelbase.

Some exterior features on the Giulia are:

• Alloy wheels
• LED DRls and taillights
• Bi-Xenon headlamps
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-folding and heated mirrors
• Optional active suspension

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan has not received any ratings from the NHTSA, but the IIHS gave it a rating of 'Good' and the Giulias manufactured after May 2017 were rewarded with the Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. As standard safety fitment, the Giulia gets eight airbags, rear park assist, a rearview camera, traction control, stability control, and hill start assist.

Some other safety features are:

• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Rear cross-path detection system
• Forward collision system with emergency braking
• Lane departure warning with active lane control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring system
• Adaptive Cruise control

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs 2017 BMW 3-Series

The 2017 BMW 3-Series is a great all-rounder. It has a variety of engine outputs on offer, and comes with RWD and AWD. In terms of handling, both the cars are very well on par with each other with good corner stability and controlled steering. The BMW is a better daily driver thanks to its more plush suspension setup and better-cushioned seats. The BMW has less city mileage, but has more highway mileage and more range overall because of a larger fuel tank.

The interiors on the BMW are more balanced than the ALfa in terms of seat comfort and space and interior features. The BMW is well-equipped in terms of driver assistance features and has a better reliability record as well. 

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs 2017 Audi A4 

The 2017 Audi A4 is available in a long trim list, with every trim suiting as per requirements. The Audi A4 has a powerful engine, but makes less power and torque compared to the Alfa. In terms of handling, the Giulia is a mark ahead because of its sharp steering which the Audi lacks. The fuel economy and range are very similar but the Audi is less efficient on the highway. Inside, the Audi A4's interiors are much more premium than the Giulia's and are better equipped as well.

The interior space on the Audi A4 is excellent as well. The Giulia lacks in some creature comforts seen on the Audi. In terms of pricing, the Alfa is affordable, even with the affordable packages. The A4 however, has a better safety rating and is more reliable than the Giulia.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan surely does have the raw power to go up against the German cars, with enough strength in its performance and comfort. It is the least expensive car on the lot, and has a very quiet, composed, and consistent ride. The suspension might be on the stiffer side, but it's bearable. The Giulia however lacks the seating comfort and the creature comforts that the rivals offer, and lacks overall refinement. It has great safety ratings as well, and as a cumulative opinion, we would recommend you to stop over at the Alfa dealership before deciding on your next compact car.

Also Read:

• Check out the 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio!
• The Jaguar XE: competition across the Atlantic

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia FAQs

Is the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia a reliable car?

The Giulia has not been rated for its reliability.

Does the 2017 Giulia have expensive maintenance?

The spare parts and service on the Giulia are expensive, leading to a more expensive annual maintenance compared to the rivals.

Does the standard Alfa Romeo Giulia get a Ferrari-powered engine?

No, the Giulia Quadrifoglio gets a Ferrai-derived engine.

Does the Giulia hold value in the long run?

The Giulia is a rare and limited car, which helps it maintain its value over the years.

Is the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia a luxury compact car?

Yes, the Giulia is a luxury compact sedan.