At $80K Is The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio The Best Bargain In A Performance SUV?

Press junket breathless review...

$80K is $30K too much for a Stelvio.

The Stelvio simply isn't special enough for any of its price points. It would have made a great Dodge Journey.

The Stelvio is a really nice Crossover - its driving Dynamics cannot be touched by any Hemi Powered Jeep - it is actually one of the few Crossovers that actually drives like a performance vehicle.

In Europe - where Alfa is still remembered - it may actually sell afew. In the USA - the reputation of the Marque is of poor Quality and lack of reliability - Funny - JEEP has that same lack of reliability - and that is completely ignored by buyers.

Agreed and a nicely put together interior as well. The only slight failing is that the infotainment system could be better. But this is a fantastic SUV and built on an all NEW platform along with the Giulia it really is a great bargain. There are some that believe this vehicle and the Giulia are built on a modified LX platform and I was not totally sure (even though ALL the literature says it is all new). A friend of mine that used to work at a Dodge dealer now works at a Fiat/Alfa dealer and he checked it carefully. His verdict is that they are not related at all. No common hard points, different construction methods etc...

Actually there is plenty "literature" that says the Giorgio was derived by shortening and narrowing the LX and then modernizing it for crash safety (which it failed initially) so that enough changes were made that it was "new".

This is kind of like how the current Mustang's platform is "all new" but is really the previous platform (DEW Lite) with IRS, revised front suspension, and a moved firewall. "Yikes, we've changed so much it's practically all new."

As for fit and finish, Alfas are not "nicely put together". While they have gotten better than the initial Giulias that had some pretty bad lapses, quality definitely lags what you'd get from Mercedes or Audi.

Different construction methods? Where in hell did you pull that out of? You poop chute? A Charger is built by robots and people. A Stelvio is built by robots and people.

........Actually there is plenty "literature" that says the Giorgio was derived by shortening and narrowing the LX and then modernizing it for crash safety (which it failed initially) so that enough changes were made that it was "new"........

BASTA! Enough of this BS, yea you hate Alfa, Maserati and Marcchione because he saved a dysfunctional bankrupt company like Chrysler.

Know your facts stop relying on lazy journalists. How come you aren’t blasting the Mercedes S Klasse Cars? Like the LX which is an evolution of the Mercedes W220 platform as is the W221 and current W222 platform used on the current S Klasse. The W222 is as far removed from W221 chassis as is the Quattroporte and Ghibli chassis is from the LX.

The Giorgio platform is a completely new chassis and not derived from the LX.

Basta NOTHING! FCA engineers themselves said early on that Giorgio was LX based, but IT WAS SERGIO that trumpeted it as all new for PR purposes BECAUSE he was reamed for the Quattroporte and Ghibli being rebodied LX sedans. That is widely documented. You can be a fanboy and claim it isn't. May I interest you in a full-price Giulia or Stelvio? I'm sure with it being so all new that you'd obviously not blink at paying full price.

“FCA engineers themselves said early on that Giorgio was LX based, but IT WAS SERGIO that trumpeted it as all new for PR purposes BECAUSE he was reamed for the Quattroporte and Ghibli being rebodied LX sedans. ‘

Please name these engineers! Or did Allpar just do the usual unnamed source? I sitting in Maserati HQ in Modena when Marcchione walked in to and replaced Harald Wester with Reid Bigland as President of Maserati/Alfa. Wester remained as chief technical officer and lead engineer on the Giorgio platform team Philippe Krief still reports to Wester.

This like the same BS you’ve been spouting that the Maserati V6 is a pentstar based motor. It is not. the Chrysler end of FCA produces crap products and has been for the past 30 years it always had the lowest build quality and used the cheapest materials. There was a reason that Daimler took a 28 billion dollar loss to rid themselves of Chrysler products and its personnel.

@foncool The Maserati V6 is indeed a Pentastar and the blocks are indeed cast in Kokomo.

https://www.carscoops.com/2014/09/how-about-that-maseratis-v6-engine-is/

http://www.pentastars.com/engines/ferrari.php

Ferrari took the Pentastar and "worked" it.

The reason the Giulia doesn't use the Maserati engine is that getting major horsepower out of the Pentastar in naturally aspirated form is difficult. That's why FCA did the trailer trash thing and sawed two cylinders off a Ferrari V8 to create the V6 in the Giulia.

That’s your source, a couple of blogs? You can’t be serious. Do you know anyone in senior management in Auburn Hills? Torino? Modena?

What I will tell you there is a war going on between Detroit and Torino/Modena, it has been going on since 2014. Detroit for now has the upper hand operationally and are constantly trashing the Italians. The Italian pushback is coming especially if Altavilla replaces Marcchione next year, maybe even sooner. Maserati/Alfa will be spun off to control by Exnor just like Ferrari. The Chrysler brands will be sold off, probably to the Koreans or Chinese, and Auburn Hills will be updating their resumes. Chrysler is just a orphan car company that goes from one Foster Parent to the next.

These "exotic crossovers" - the supermodel you were meeting for dinner can't make it - but here's her brother to fill in.

Some men would enjoy the brother more.

Indeed. if you MUST drive an Alfa, lease it. The service department is very busy.

There is no price that is a bargain when it comes to an Alfa....

Based on it's interior quality I think it would be fairer priced at a starting price of 60K with a loaded one under 70 K. It has a decent chassis and a great engine. However its drivablility is tuned a bit too much to the sporty side of the equation. This is where the base Stelvio is a better proposition. You can still get decent performance and handling in a mid 40K package. It also is a little bit smoother and easier to drive around town. While the interior is still not up to "luxury" snuff at least your not paying so much more for a virtually identical interior.I've driven the base car and its a really nice drive.

Oh that name RDXASPEC! I lived with a Stelvio for a day to see if I wanted one as my company car and it simply isn't worth the price given that stunning lack of quality in it. I agree that an RDX is a far better choice. Hell, go incognito and get a Cadillac XT5 for $10K off list. LOL

What is interesting is that much of the car is sourced from the same suppliers the Germans use. I don’t know all of them nor do I claim to have a ton of insider knowledge of Alfa, however what is public knowledge says that many of the components used in the Giulia/Stelio like electronics transmissions, major engine components (pistons) are sourced from the very same suppliers. In reality the quality differences between the best and worst mainstream auto makers is significantly narrowing.