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2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio – First Drive

Boring Need Not Apply

I get it. Housing is expensive and money is short. Matters only get worse when you’re starting a family, and that typically means driving a bigger car, better practicality, and more boring. Fortunately, all of this is just a nightmare because, we have the Alfa Romeo Stelvio to the rescue.

Welcome to another weekly episode of Know Your Cars, and this week, we’ve got our hands on the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. It’s a 5-door cross-over SUV, so that means it looks good, it’s easy to drive, there’s plenty of practicality. But what you probably didn’t know is it can do this!

Unlike the mainstream all-in-one sporty-looking bandwagons, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is actually a very capable and fun car to drive. You see, Alfa Romeo is under the Stellantis group who also owns Jeep, Dodge, Fiat and even has Ferrari under its wing, which means they have A LOT of technical prowess. Take for example the highest performance trim Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV, which packs an INSANE 505 horsepower that puts it right up neck and neck against the world’s fastest cross-over SUVs.

Our Q4 Estrema model under test’s only got a four-cylinder turbocharged engine outputting just 280 horsepower. But, it’s got a really good ZF 8-speed transmission, which in my opinion, is one of the best out there. Typically speaking, US buyers are blessed with the option to configure most cars in RWD, or AWD as is the case with the Stelvio. But for Canadians, you’re limited to AWD, which is not necessarily a bad thing, because the Stelvio still drives exceptionally well.

Let’s start with the good news and first off, there are some pretty unique features such as the engine start/stop button mounted on the steering wheel, which kind of tricks you into thinking you’re in a supercar. You’ve also got these MASSIVE aluminum paddle shifters which is totally awesome. On the instrument cluster, you’ve got these two bubbly covers and both the speedometer and tachometer, are analog. And I really like analog, I think it gives cars so much more life. And the overall quality isn’t bad either. You’ve got carbon fibre panels throughout the interior and on the side mirrors and the overall construction is pretty good. The instrument panel’s got some pretty cool graphics that also features this DNA configuration screen. I’m still don’t know what it stands for, but I’m pretty sure, Red, means FAST.

So what’s the bad news. Well first off, these bucket seats are TIGHT with a lot of lateral support. It’s a good indicator that this car can handle, but if you’re E-Honda, or just generally a big dude… uhhh, good luck. You’ve also gotta read the instruction manual on how to activate the turn signals because these paddle shifters gets in the way. The correct technique is Up, and over.

And finally what I really hate most about the interior is this instrument cluster. It’s just so slow. Like, turtle slow. It’s like this thing is being run on a Casio calculator watch or something. I don’t know, it’s just not fun to use.

Nevertheless, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio offers plenty of practicality. The rear seats have adequate legroom that can also be folded down easily for extra cargo and our tester model even comes with an electronic rear lift gate for ease of access.

Saving the best for the last – this, is why you’d want to buy the Alfa Romeo Stelvio – THE DRIVE. Yea I get it. It’s only got a conventional turbocharged four cylinder engine and it only outputs 289 horsepower. But man, this thing CAN handle like a champ, which is RARE in a cross-over. I mean, the steering, is razor sharp. I can feel every bit of the road at the wheel! Am I driving a sports car here?

Now the transmission is an 8-speed automatic, but what’s more important is it’s built by ZF, in which other high-performance brands like BMW uses. What this means, is Ultra crisp gear shifts with practically zero delay, and using these massive aluminum paddle shifters is just orgasmic!

All in all, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a great luxury cross-over alternative to the likes of BMW, and Mercedes. The Italians have proven themselves capable with unique design features with a supercar-inspired interior, and an adrenaline booster thanks to its razor sharp handling and rapid-fire shifters. Yea sure, I mean some parts of the interior and electronics can be tidied up a bit, but all in all, the Alfa Romeo is a great all-around package with plenty of practicality, all while keeping you young at heart.

Specifications

  • Vehicle : 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
  • Vehicle Type : Full-Size Crossover
  • Seating Capacity :2+3
  • Engine : 4 Cylinder Turbocharged
  • Transmission : 8-Speed Automatic
  • Price as tested: $64,839

Pros

  • Unique Italian Styling
  • Sporty interior with carbon fiber and other unique features
  • Great balance between performance and fuel efficiency
  • Razor sharp handling and crisp gear shifts with 8-speed transmission

Cons

  • Other competitors with similar price point have nicer interior
  • Dated electronics and sluggish infotainment performance.