Motor News: Alfa Romeo Joins SUV Segment
The Alfa Romeo line-up has always been counted upon for precision performance, premium fittings, and eye-catching style. With the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio, they’re taking an impressive step into the SUV segment, and excitement is already building.
The Stelvio should bring all the luxurious creature comforts you’d expect from a premium SUV, with features parcelled out across three available trim levels: Stelvio, Stelvio Super, and Stelvio Tecnica.
Even the entry-level Stelvio will sit on stylish 17-inch alloy wheels and boast elegant black fabric seats, with an 8.8-inch Alfa Connect infotainment system and an 8-speaker audio system included as standard. The Alfa Connect system will be controlled via either the Rotary Pad or the display, giving drivers the choice between tactile feedback and the natural effortlessness of voice control.
Safety should be similarly impressive, with state of the art driver assistance technologies including:
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB)
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
- Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) with Rear Cross-Path Detection
- Active Cruise Control (ACC)
Further features include an electric tailgate, parking sensors, and dusk and rain sensors. An available Luxury Pack will bring the rich and supple support of full grain leather seats in a choice of black, brown, red or beige, while the Sports Pack can deliver a heated sports steering wheel, race-inspired leather seats, aluminium inserts, and steel pedals.
Such features are impressive, but you shouldn’t be worried that the Stelvio will be leaning on Alfa’s luxury credentials. Initial power choices will include a 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine, rated at 280hp, or a 2.2L diesel engine, rated at either 210hp or 180hp, and the vehicle is expected to reach 62mph in just 5.7 seconds for a top track speed of 143mph. ZF automatic 8-speed transmission will shift smoothly and seamlessly.
To combine SUV styling and power with the kind of capability you might expect from the segment, an Alfa D.N.A selector will let you cycle between Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency modes, and a sophisticated Q4 all-wheel drive system will help your Alfa Romeo Stelvio overcome testing terrain or adverse weather conditions without breaking a sweat.
The Alfa Romeo family is known for producing premium vehicles that always seem to fire on all cylinders. They might not be a manufacturer currently associated with the SUV market, but, with the upcoming introduction of the Stelvio, that could be about to change.