2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: Driver’s crossover
Spicing up the utility class with Italian style and performance
Seemingly from out of nowhere, Alfa Romeo’s latest Italian stallion has established a beachhead in North America.
The Stelvio — named for Italy’s highest mountain pass — stands ready to capitalize on buyer obsession for utility vehicles that have seductive styling and frothy performance.
The Stelvio follows the Giulia sedan as Alfa’s latest stalwart and is a critically important model for the division controlled by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Fortunately, the Stelvio has arrived at a time when buyers are mad for utility vehicles of all types and sizes, and especially those at the luxury end of the scale.
The Stelvio could pass for any number of similarly shaped and sized models with rooflines that are more sloped than square, thus putting form ahead of function. The Stelvio stands out from the others with a unique triangular grille that for decades has been applied to every Alfa Romeo. From most other angles, however, the Stelvio is a study in anonymity.
The same can’t be said of an interior that oozes elegance in a way that only the Italians seem capable of designing. The extra-thick flat-bottom steering wheel, oversized gauge pods, delicate transmission shifter and finely tailored leather-covered seats are signals that passion is alive and well at Alfa Romeo.
The Stelvio competes in a group of premium models that includes the Porsche Macan, BMW X3 and Audi Q5, to name a few. All are roughly the same size inside and out, and all combine sporting behavior with more mundane tasks, such as hauling the youngsters to events or handling bulky building-store purchases.
A strong connection to the Giulia is beneficial to the Stelvio in numerous ways, starting with the powertrain. Calling the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder the “base” engine is a total misnomer considering its prodigious output.
With 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque, this wagon can sprint, as evidenced by a zeroto-60-mph time of 5.4 seconds and a 144-mph top speed, as measured by the manufacturer. This level of performance simply cannot be duplicated by any other wagon in the Stelvio’s class that shares a similar starting price.
The king-of-the-hill Stelvio Quadrifoglio — Italian for fourleaf clover — that’s due to arrive in late 2017 will be equipped with a Audi Q5
Base price: $42,500
New-for-2018 model has improved looks, added power. AWD is standard. BMW X3 xdrive 30i
Base price: $43,000
2018 model receives a modest power boost, but still lags behind the Stelvio. Jaguar F-pace
Base price: $42,000
New-for-2017 wagon appeals to the heart as much as the head. twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 that puts out 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque.
The 2.0 is connected to an eightspeed automatic transmission with available steering-wheel paddle controls. Fuel economy is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.
All Stelvios come with Alfa Romeo’s Q4 all-wheel-drive that in normal driving sends 100 percent of the engine’s power to the rear tires via a carbon-fiber driveshaft. When the rear tires begin to lose traction, up to 60 percent of the power can be directed to the front wheels.
Along with leather-trimmed seats, the base Stelvio has plenty to show for a $43,000 base price (including destination charges). It comes with dual-zone climate control, eight-speaker audio system and a power liftgate.
The Stelvio Ti Sport adds genuine oak interior trim, 19-inch wheels (18s are standard), 12-way powered heated front sport seats and aluminum paddle shifters and sport pedals. The optional Lusso Package for the Ti raises the bar with premium leather seats and other interior upgrades.
The list of options includes a navigation system, headlamp washers, auto-dimming headlights, hands-free power liftgate, 14-speaker Harmon-kardon audio system and a number of dynamic/active safety systems.
The Stelvio’s avant-garde uniqueness coupled with a fast-acting powertrain promises to grab the attention of early-adopting buyers wanting to drive and be seen in something quite apart from the everyday.
They’ll certainly get that from this new Alfa Romeo, at a price that’s not that different from the everyday.