2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV

The luxury crossover market is the evolved version of a rather new segment, but that doesn’t mean the competition is left dry. Other luxury oriented crossovers like the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X6 and Maserati Levante are keeping the Stelvio on its toes. Not much has changed since it was relaunched in 2016. The design is stunning and can give the curviest coupes a run for their money. Other luxury oriented crossovers like the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X6 and Maserati Levante are keeping the Stelvio on its toes.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio sits at the pinnacle of Stelvio line up. The engine harbors Alfa Romeo’s top of the line powertrain, a 2.9L V6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine’s power is transferred to all wheels of the car. The standard feature list on the Stelvio may feel desirable but things go greedy on the Quadrifoglio. You get the driver assist package standard on the Quadrifoglio plus the other safety and convenience features.

Trim	Alfa Romeo Stelvio
MSRP	$41,440
RWD	$40,195
Key Features	20-inch wheels
	Brembo brakes
	Xenon headlights
	Power liftgate
	Keyless ignition and entry
	Dual-zone automatic climate control
	Power-adjustable front seats and adjustable drive settings
	Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support
	Technology features include a large driver information display
	Rearview camera
	6.5-inch central touchscreen
	Navigation system
	Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
	Harman Kardon sound system

We Recommend

The Stelvio Quarifoglio is already loaded with everything you want, however, we recommend you to add the Sport package for unique interior and exterior accents, paddle shifters

“The Stelvio is an SUV for people who love driving. It has a strong and responsive engine, a sporty transmission and engaging handling. It's of the more entertaining SUVs on the road”- Edmunds

Engine and Transmission

The base turbocharged engine is a winner in its own but the 2.9L Twin Turbo V6 engine is a conqueror. Backed by an 8-speed automatic transmission the V6 engine can muster 505 horsepower and 443-pound-feet of torque. The linear power delivery shows its engine’s aggression with every push of the pedal. The crossover takes no time in hitting the top speed of 144 mpg.

Models	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
MSRP	$80,590	$98,600	$77,700	$86,100
Engine	2.9L V6 Twin-Turbo	3.6L Twin-Turbo V6 w/Direct Fuel Injection	4.4L 32 Valve V8	3.0L Twin Turbo V6
Transmission	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
Power	505 hp	440 hp	445 hp	424 hp
Torque	443 lb-ft	443 lb-ft	480 lb-ft	428 lb-ft

Coming to the engine’s backbone, the 8-speed automatic is the main highlight on the Stelvio. The shifts are pretty quick and calibrated to deliver better efficiency. The transmission’s full potential is met in the dynamic mode where shifts get a little hard.

Acceleration

There is no impurity with the V6’s power delivery, its linear with a fast response. As you jab the pedal the Stelvio rockets into the road and pin you back to the seat. From a standstill, the Quadrifoglio attain a 60 mpg speed in just 3.9 seconds. On a straight road, the Stelvio hits the quarter mile light in just 12.9 seconds. There is no other luxury crossover which can match the Stelvio's time.

Models	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
0-60 MPH	3.9 sec*	4.9 sec	4.6 sec	5.0 sec
Quarter mile	12.9 sec*	13.2 sec	12.8 sec	13.6 sec
Engine	2.9L	3.6L	4.4L	3.0L
Emission (Tons/yr. of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	10.6	9.3	10.3	11.0

Ride and Handling

The crossover segment is largely tied with ferrying people and more cargo than a hatch, but Alfa Romeo had sporty intentions for the Stelvio. The steering feels nice in hand and resembles the one in Giulia with little changes. It has a good on-center feel and gives enough response for decent road communication. Traction is another thing where this beauty makes a statement, around the corner it feels planted with minimal body roll.

The All-wheel-drive gives it off-road capabilities but the low ground clearance keeps it from extreme madness. On the civilized urbanity, the Stelvio delivers a flawless ride, hardly any noise of bumps infiltrate the cabin keeping it a smooth ride. You won’t be disappointed to buy the Quadrifoglio for daily commuting and highway cruising.

Braking

Probably the only thing where Quadrifoglio does not impress us with its braking. The engineers installed a bigger set of brakes then that in the base Stelvio. The front brakes are rated at 14.2 inches and the rear at 13.8 inches, which is fair since its 300 pounds heavier. In low speed, the brakes are not that predictable but things get better as you accelerate. The Stelvio halts from a speed of 60 mpg in 120 feet which is fair but the class has seen better. An option for Brembo ultra high-performance brakes is present with three color options for the calipers.

Model	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
Brake Front(in)	14.2	15.3	14.4	15.0
Brake Rear(in)	13.8	14.1	13.6	13.0
Curb weight(lbs.)	4360	4652	5080	4650
60-0 MPH (ft.)	120*	106	107	113

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio is fun! But how much money you need to fuel this fun? Not a lot, as the Stelvio is pretty economical for a car powered by 500 Italian horses. In the city, the Stelvio delivers 17 mpg mileage while on the highway the number is stretched to 24 mpg. Combined the Stelvio can amass a total mileage of 21 mpg. No other luxury SUV has yet matched the Stelvio for the same.

Model	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
MPG (city)	17	16	15	14
MPG (highway)	24	23	21	19
MPG (combined)	21	19	17	16

“The Stelvio has a good amount of space both front and back. The controls are clearly marked and easy to find, and basic infotainment functions are streamlined nicely. But the settings menus are convoluted. The biggest demerit is poor visibility due to thick roof pillar”- Edmunds

Seating and Comfort

Stylish is the most fitting word for Stelvio’s interior. Largely inspired by the Giulia, the Stelvio is an amalgamation of style and substance. Everything is smartly located and all the switches and nobs are easy to use, however, you will find some plasticky touches and issues with the electronics, otherwise, the cabin is pretty capacious and the driving position is pretty fair for adults. The seats are carved from Leather and Alcantara with red or white stitching.

Model	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.2/60.2/36.6	39.6/58.9/40.2	39.3/60.5/40.3	40.2/55.8/38.5
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.9/58.6/35.9	37.3/56.2/35.7	37.2/57.9/35.6	39.1/55.9/34.6

The cabin is roomy and is build to harbor 5 people with comfort and it gets the job done. Front seats are carved in leather and are heated and power adjustable but you need extra dough to get the same for the rear. The front cabin is delivered 40.2 inches of headroom and 36.6 inches of legroom which is ideal for the average adult though too cozy for anyone over that. The rear cabin does not face the space crisis like in other crossovers, its pretty fair with 38.9 inches of headroom and 31.9 inches of legroom space.

Cargo

Though its an SUV the Stelvio is not big of a utilitarian when it comes to cargo. The standard cargo bay is rated at 18.5 inches but it's narrow and deep rather than being wide, this limits easy boarding of cargo. With all seats intact the Stelvio’s cargo is rated at 18.5 inches. You can expand the cargo volume to 56.5 cubic feet. The cabin utility it not that fantastic either, you have sleek door pockets for bottles, a console, and a glove box.

Model	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
Behind 2nd Row (ft. Cube)	18.5	27.1	26.6	19.4
Behind 1st Row (ft. Cube)	56.5	60.3	59.7	57.0

Infotainment

There is an 8.8-inch infotainment screen which is controlled through a rotary knob. The usability is simple but not true user-friendly, it will take some time to get a hang of the system. Other features include a 14-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Audio system. For 2019, you get phone integration features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features on the Stelvio.

Interior Features

• Electrochromatic Inside Rearview Mirror
• Front And Rear Door Pockets
• Leather And Simulated Alloy Steering Wheel
• Electric Power Steering
• Rear View Camera
• Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Universal Remote Transmitter (For Garage Door, Security System, Etc.)
• Interior Air Filtration
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Heated Steering Wheel
• Transmission, Cruise And Audio Controls On Steering Wheel
• Dual Illuminating Vanity Mirrors
• Front And Rear Cupholders
• Rear Parking Sensors

“With hardly a straight line in sight, the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio reminds us that SUVs don’t have to be blocky. The Alfa Romeo name has adorned some of the best-looking cars in history, so it’s no surprise that the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a head-turner too” The Car Connection

Design and Styling

The majority of Stelvio’s design is inspired by the Giulia, it’s like the same car but forged in the SUV mold. Alfa Romeo’s signature trilobo grill looks better on the SUV design. The curvaceous body is not the segment standard but the brand's intentions on making a beautiful SUV. The hood looks long a flowing while the rear end is more muscle oriented. The colossal color options will spoil you as a customer, colors like Verde Visconti Green, Alfa Rosso Red, Montecarlo Blue and more.

Model	Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio	Porsche Cayenne GTS	BMW X6 xDrive50i	Maserati Levante S
Curb weight(lbs.)	4360	4652	5080	4650
Length(in)	185.1	191.1	193.8	197.0
Width(in)	77.0	78.7	78.3	77.5
Height(in)	66.3	67.0	67.0	66.1
Ground clearance(in)	8.1	6.6	7.8	9.7
Wheelbase(in)	111.0	114.0	115.5	118.3
Track width(in) F/R	61.2/63.3	64.7/65.2	64.7/67.2	63.9/66.0

Dimensions and Weight

The base Stelvio weighs over 2 tons and this is even more jacked up, rest its similar to the base variant. The dimensions are pretty average and ideal for a compact crossover, the length is rated at 185 inches, width at 77 inches and height at 66.3 inches. The wheelbase is rather short giving it a short turning radius and making city driving easy. The 8.1-inch wheelbase is average too which limits Stelvio’s off-road capabilities.

Exterior Features

• Colored Brake Calipers
• Trailer Tow Hitch
• 20" X 8.5" Sport Aluminum Wheels
• 18" X 8.0" Double Y-Spoke Aluminum Wheels
• Dual-Pane Sunroof
• Gloss Red Calipers W/White Script
• Gloss Yellow Calipers W/Black Script
• Headlamp Washer

The Stelvio has not undergone any third party crash testing but it has a respectable safety feature list. However, factoring other cars in the luxury segment the safety suit is quite mediocre with only Electronic Stability Control, Dual Advanced front airbags, engine immobilizer, and more features to back the Stelvio.

• 4-Wheel ABS
• Self-Leveling Headlights
• Turn Signal Mirrors
• Daytime Running Lights
• Engine Immobilizer
• Rear Center 3-Point Belts
• Child Seat Anchors
• Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
• Stability Control
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Dusk Sensing Headlamps
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Traction Control
• Ventilated Front Disc / Solid Rear Disc Brakes
• Xenon High Intensity Discharge Headlamp

Porsche Cayenne GTS vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Porsche Cayenne was updated and made better this year, all the miniature issues were ironed out and you have an exciting SUV on the offer. However, Stelvio is Alfa in its own league and Porsche’s hefty price and power ratio makes their offer less intriguing. The Quadrifoglio, on the other hand, offers more power off the bat. Class-leading performance wrapped around magnetic styling is what you get on the Stelvio. While Porsche also happens to get both rights it still suffers from bad pricing decision. It's better to get the Stelvio and keep the remaining cash for other add-ons.

BMW X6 vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Speaking of deals the Beemer has got you a better one. When pitted against the Quadrifoglio the X6 might lack power but it makes optimum use of all 445 horses by delivering nimble handling dynamics and comfortable ride quality. However, the rare cabin is plagued by the sloping roofline by cutting down on headroom. The traits of mileage are mirrored on each car while BMW trumps practicality with a well-planned cargo bay. As a buyer specific deal, the BMW X6 emerges superior in terms of deliverables and the overall deal.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is more focused on delivering an athletic ride rather than being a sensible car. It’s a nimble chariot fueled by 500 horses which can cut corners, counter traffic, and deliver a carefree ride. The price tag surely defines luxury which can be clearly traced on the SUV’s curvaceous exterior design, the same would have been true for the interior if the hard plastic feel would have not ruined the experience. The Quadrifoglio comes with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen which has some flaws of its own, but the rotary knob grows on you and the movement becomes easier with time.

All in all, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is more keen on delivering ride quality but has sidelined everything else. Other aspects like the economy and practicality are either average or lower than the segment standard. So, if you want a compact crossover and prioritize performance over everything else then the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is the car to go with.