2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Competitors include the beautiful Jaguar XE offering a desirable balance of athletic performance and luxury. The Kia Stinger may be dismissed for its brand here but overlook that and you will find a proper sports sedan. The BMW 3-series needs little introduction as it basically started the whole 4-Door Sports Sedan segment.

The base 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia starts at $37,995. A 2.0L twin-turbo I4 powers the Giulia and Giulia Ti while the Quadrifoglio is powered by a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 (developed with assistance from Ferrari!). Also, 8-speed automatic is the only available transmission.

Highly recommended Aluminum Paddle Shifters are available in Giulia sports with $750 sports interior package. It’s part of $1500 Ti performance package in Ti and Ti Lusso along with active suspension and limited slip differential. Ti sport and Quadrifoglio get them as standard. If all weather performance is your priority, AWD is available for $2000 on all Giulia except Quadrifoglio.

Infotainment option includes 8.8-inch navigation radio with SiriusXM package in base trim. Moonroof ($1350) and Harman Kardon premium audio system ($900) are available across the range. The star of the range, the Quadrifoglio will cost you $73,500. However, you can drive the price even higher with $8000 carbon ceramic brakes.

 

MODEL	GIULIA	SPORT	TI	TI LUSSO	TI SPORT	QUADRIFOGLIO
MSRP (RWD)	$37,995	$39,245	$39,995	$42,495	$42,495	$73,500
MSRP (AWD)	$39,995	$41,245	$41,995	$44,495	$44,495	N/A
Key Features
	Back-up camera with dynamic grid lines	Equipment over Giulia	Equipment over Giulia	Equipment over Giulia Ti	Equipment over Giulia Ti	Equipment over Giulia Ti
	Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror	Colored brake calipers (Red/Black/Yellow)	Heated front seats	Genuine Dark Gray oak or Light Walnut wood interior trim	Sport leather-wrapped steering wheel	Carbon fiber active aero front splitter
	Dual-zone climate control	Sport-tuned suspension	Heated steering wheel	12-way front power seats	Steering column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters	Carbon fiber rear spoiler
	6.5-inch widescreen color display		8.8-inch widescreen color display with Bluetooth, AM/FM radio and MP3	Air Quality System (AQS)	Aluminum pedals and footrest	Dual-mode quad exhaust
					Carbon fiber rocker panel	Aluminum pedals and footrest
						Carbon fiber hood and roof

The Giulia Ti ($40,990) hits the sweet spot between being affordable and special when equipped with optional Ti Performance package ($1500) that gets:

• Adaptive suspension with driver-selectable three-setting dial
• Steering column mounted aluminum shift paddles

However, if you can afford, get the top of the line Quadrifoglio ($73,500) as Alfa Romeo has blessed it with their century-old love for racing.

“The Giulia’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four makes 280 horsepower, sounds intoxicating, and feels gutsy when driven hard.” – Car and Driver

The Giulia gets a 2.0L turbocharged Inline 4 developing 280 hp. This engine can scoot the 3000-pound car from rest to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Although the time is average among the competition, the Giulia feels far more sprightly and eager in real word conditions.

The unhinged Giulia Quadrifoglio has a Ferrari developed 2.9 L twin-turbo V6 belting out 510 hp. The engine block is made of aluminum to reduce weight on the front axle for a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Surprisingly, even with two turbos scavenging on the exhaust gases, the quad tailpipes emit an orchestra that can make the whole public go weak on the knees – Italian quirks.

Models	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
MSRP	$37,995	$35,725	$31,900	$34,900
Engine	2.0L 280 hp Direct Injection I4 Turbo Gas Engine	Ingenium 2.0L I4 Turbocharged Gas engine	2.0L I4 GDI Gas engine	2.0L TwinPower Turbo inline I4 Gas engine
Transmission	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Power	280 hp @ 5200 rpm	247 hp @ 5500 rpm	255 hp @ 6200 rpm	180 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque	306 ft-lbs @ 2000 rpm	269 ft-lbs @ 1200 rpm	260 ft-lbs @ 1400 rpm	200 ft-lbs @ 1250 rpm

The Alfa Romeo is getting nostalgic about their racing heritage and they have unleashed years of their race-track longing in the Giulia. The result is a steering bustling with feel resembling an Italian exotic more than a German sports sedan. While the chassis and suspension are equally eager to drive you to ecstasy, they are perfectly complemented by the engine emitting a pleasant mix of tones.

Those fantasizing the same in a wilder package can take a look at the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. It completed Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:32 minutes – fastest for a 4 door saloon. Here is a video of one being driven in the green hell. As we have said, the car is very eager to excite so beware of some hair-raising moments.

Acceleration

The Alfa Romeo Giulia with 2.0 L I4 can do 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Although the competitors here are slower, they are lesser priced too. If similarly equipped, the Giulia’s acceleration figures would be average. That said, the Giulia feels far more eager than the rests and that heightens the excitement on your way to commute. The Quadrifoglio can do 0-60 in 3.8 seconds – faster than the M3.

Models	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
0-60 MPH	5.1 sec	6.6 sec	4.6 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter mile	13.6 sec @ 130.7 mph	15.0 sec @ 94.0 mph	12.9 sec @ 110 mph	15.4 sec @ 89.4 mph
Engine	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L
Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year	6.6	6.3	7.0	6.3

Ride and Handling

“Turn-in is incredible due to an ultra-quick steering ratio, and it accomplishes this without feeling darty.” - Edmunds

We said earlier that the Giulia loves to dance around the corner. Here is why: The front suspension is exclusive “Alfa Link” type. It uses double wishbone construction but the spring rates and damping are tuned for agility. The rear suspension is a truly special 5-link “Alfa Link” with a vertical rod. The end result is a car that does not hesitate to dive into corners.

The whole car settles in well-balanced oversteer when poked but it’s especially lovable through direction changes with the steering wheel wiggling in your hand. The optional Ti performance package in Giulia Ti heightens the excitement with Active Suspension and Mechanical Limited Slip Differential.

Braking

The braking is handled by 13.0-inch brake rotors at the front and 12.5 rotors at the rear. The Giulia can stop from 60 mph in 123 feet – same as Jaguar XE. However, the BMW 3-series has considerably better brakes stopping from 60 mph in just 111 feet.

Model	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
Brake pads-front(in)	13.0	12.8	12.6	12.3
Brake pads Rear(in)	12.5	12.8	12.4	11.8
Curb weight(lbs)	3029	3395	3611	3295
60-0 MPH (ft.)	123	123	113	111

The Quadrifoglio has better brakes offering more bite. However, the star is the optional carbon ceramics costing $8000. But spending that much money on brakes is not worthwhile unless you plan to attend track days regularly. However, if you do, it’s a genuine upgrade with almost zero brake fade even after thrashing them a full day at the track.

“The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia offers reasonably good fuel economy given its impressive standard and optional engines.” - Carconnection

When you buy an Italian car and enjoy it, you also have to prepare for its quirks – like sub-par fuel economy. However, the Giulia brings a pleasant surprise here with close to best in class fuel economy figures – 24 mpg in city and 33 on the highway for a combined EPA rating of 27 mpg.

Model	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
Mpg city mpg	24	25	22	24
Mpg highway mpg	33	34	29	35
Mpg combined mpg	27	28	25	28

The competitors offer similar efficiency with only the Jaguar XE besting the Giulia by just 1 mpg. Even the hardcore Quadrifoglio features fuel-saving technology. It can deactivate a whole bank with 3 cylinders under lighter loads for efficiency. The result is 17 mpg in city and 24 mpg on the highway from a 510 hp engine.

“The car’s execution is spot-on. The well-assembled interior resembles a Mazda 6’s businesslike environment, and the front seats are well bolstered and graciously accept the human form.” – Car and Driver

The Alfa Romeo Giulia interior is snug – like a typical Italian sports car. There is a start button right on the steering wheel like a Ferrari - urging you to wake up the engine. Everything else is driver-focused readying you for an immersive driving experience.

However, the quality falls short of the Germans and many controls do not look or feel like they belong to a luxury sedan. The air vents will remind you of some budget cars in the FCA group – not impressive. The Giulia Ti Lusso, however, adds real wood accents and abundance of soft leather.

Seating and Comfort

While seats on base trim are sub-par, sports seats on Giulia Ti are extremely supportive and they wrap around you like your favorite pet. Although the front seats offer sufficient legroom, the rear seats are cramped so if you plan on using the rear seats often, the competitors make more sense.

Model	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Passenger Volume (ft cube)	95.4	91.0	93.8	88.5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.6/56.1/42.4	38.2/56.8/41.5	38.3/56.4/42.6	40.3/55.1/42
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.6/53.6/35.1	37.3/54.7/35	37/54.8/36.4	37.7/55.1/35.1

Cargo Capacity

The Giulia offers 14 cubic feet of luggage volume – average among the competition. A cargo convenience package ($250) is available for the entire 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia model range. However, in-cabin storage is an area of concern as noted by car and driver:

“When it comes to storage cubbies and bins, the Giulia falls short, offering the least amount of small-item storage in this matchup. All of the available bins inside the cabin are small and shallow” – Car and Driver

Model	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
Volume (ft cube)	14.0	14.7	-	13.0

Infotainment System

The base Giulia features a 6.5-inch display in the swooping dash that looks considerably larger due to the large glass area. A larger and better 8.8-inch display with 3D navigation is available as an option in base Giulia and its standard on the Giulia Ti and Quadrifoglio.

The infotainment is controlled by dash-mounted rotary controls. A 14 speaker Harman Kardon Premium Audio system is available across the range for $900 for the audiophiles. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available as an option.

“Though the standard audio system is perfectly sufficient, the optional Harman Kardon audio delivers clear, crisp, rich sound without any distortion when the volume is cranked way up. The navigation system is displayed on a sleek-looking 8.8-inch screen and works well.” – Edmunds

“The sex appeal expected of an expensive, high-performance Italian car drips from the Giulia’s every curve.” – Car and Driver

If you search for the word “Italian” in this article, there will be 22 instances. If you need a reason for this, look at that exterior. From trademark shield grille, plenty of lines radiate out to the rest of the car. The design is overflowing with suggestive curves and a sculpted bulge protruding into the airstream tapers into headlights that are not actually aggressive – they just stare at you and you don’t know why.

Renaissance of Italian automobile art? The side profile is tight and muscular with short overhands and a number of lines seem to flow tightly into the front shield grilles. The rear end is dominated by twin exhaust and the taillights have sharp LEDs. The unique Alfa “5-hole” wheel looks curious.

Even more mind-blowing is the Quadrifoglio (4-leaf cover in Italian). All the beauty of standard Giulia is topped with naughty details like twin air vents on the hood, a carbon front-splitter, spoiler and those exotic diffuser flanked with quad exhaust. However, nothing evokes the Old Italian racing nostalgia more than the Quadrifoglio insignia on the shoulder line – it’s properly special.

Dimension and Weight

The Giulia is 182.5 inches long – same as the BMW 3-series but less than Jaguar XE and Kia Stinger. Accompanied with lowest in class ground clearance (3.9-inch), small wheelbase (111-inches) and low overall height, it looks like a light agile sports sedan. It weighs lowest here too at just over 3000 pounds.

Model	ALFA ROMEO GIULIA	JAGUAR XE	KIA STINGER	BMW 3-SERIES
Curb weight(lbs)	3029	3395	3611	3295
Length(in)	182.5	183.9	190.2	182.5
Width(in)	73.7	72.8	73.6	71.3
Height(in)	56.5	55.7	55.1	56.3
Ground clearance(in)	3.9	4.0	4.4	6.3
Wheelbase(in)	111	111.6	114.4	110.6
Track width(in) F/R	61.3/63.9	62.8/62.9	62.8/64.8	60.3/61.9

The active safety features and driver assistance systems are optional upgrades in the 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia across the range. A $650 Driver assistance static package gets you following:

• Auto-dimming exterior mirrors
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert

A more expensive $1500 package adds more advanced systems like:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic high-beam headlamps
• Auto emergency braking

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Safety Features:

• Rear Back Up Camera and Rear Park Assist System

• Integrated Brake System

• Forward Collision Warning Plus

• Side Impact Beams

• ParkSense Rear Parking Sensors

• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning

• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags

• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Rear Center 3 Point and Pretensioners

• Driver And Passenger Knee Airbag

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia gets Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS. Peculiarly, the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia got Top Safety Pick + rating. Crash test results of 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia is still not available from NHTSA.

NHTSA Ratings
Small overlap front driver side	Good
Small overlap front passenger side	-----
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good

Alfa Romeo Giulia vs Jaguar XE

Just as Giulia brings Italian flavor against more mainstream German sedans, Jaguar XE has all English aura. It combines luxury and driving dynamics nicely and looks distinctive and gorgeous too. However, Italians arguably have better racing pedigree and that’s a definite draw if you are shopping for a sports sedan.

Alfa Romeo Giulia vs Kia Stinger

The Kia Stinger is a curious challenger to European sports sedans. However, if you overlook the badge, this car is actually special. The acceleration is intense and the handling is lithe with a properly sporty sound. Interior will immediately reveal it’s a Kia no doubt but the quality is top-notch. However, the Giulia is far more desirable with similar performance and price.

Alfa Romeo Giulia vs BMW 3-Series

This is the car that actually founded the 4-door sports sedan segment and it continues to lead. It combines the sublime dynamics with German luxury, build quality and reliability. On top of that, the flagship M3 is among the best drivers car currently on sale. However, the Giulia is far more exotic and the Giulia Quadrifoglio is faster around the Nurburgring too.

If you need a sports sedan and have set aside over $40k for it, some of the most respected automotive brands are within your reach. The Germans will offer you with a tactile driving experience and high-end luxury and their cars will be solidly built inside out. The Jaguar XE will give you a taste of British motoring with all these and there are American and Japanese options as well.

When scanned with your head, the Giulia seems to lose the battle with the more established competition – interior is comparatively simple and has some cheap trim, rear seats lack legroom and it’s not as refined as the competition. So why pay more? The answer is, none can seduce you the way an Italian Alfa Romeo can.