If there is a large SUV that seeks enjoyment on mountain roads, this is the one. Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Available with all-wheel drive from the Q4 brand, the model launched in 2017 is renewed for 2023.
We have been able to drive it one morning, during its international presentation to the press, which this time was at home. It was not the Stelvio pass where the Italian model takes its name, but the curves of the Sierra de Madrid, which we know better and which are not so crowded during the week.
The SUV has design and equipment innovations, but there are no mechanical innovations. For that, we have to wait for a new generation.
It is available at dealerships from €53,200, a rate without discounts. You can find offers for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio at coches.com. In our new car section, the brand’s official dealers publish their offers and keep them updated so that you can find the car you are looking for at the best price. And if you need to finance the car, try our tools that help you pay for it more comfortably month by month.
Abroad
Although some time has passed, I perfectly remember the previous Stelvio that we had thoroughly tested. And it changes very little with respect to it, just a few details that, yes, significantly improve the appearance compared to its predecessor.
The front continues with the characteristic Alfa Romeo brand image, with the trelobo with an inverted central triangle where the logo is located and two lower side air intakes. But it is also there where we find the great novelty, Full LED optics, technology that we missed in a model of this lineage.
The design of these headlights, with a shape that is repeated three times, follows that of the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the brand’s latest launch. It also refers to classic models from the Italian firm, as it is a resource used for the first time by the SZ Zagato and which was replicated in the Proteo Concept, the forerunner of the 156.
In the side area, the great work of proportions and volumes is perfectly observed, with sculptural forms and musculature that define the character of a car that looks very resounding. What’s new? few. Just singularities of the Competizione finish. It is new to the range, which is still made up of the Super, Ti and Veloce. With this finish, it gains a new gray color in the palette, red calipers that can be seen between the wheels or the tinted rear windows.
The rear retains that truncated tail so characteristic of the Stelvio, in the image and likeness of the Giuleta SZ, demonstrating that the historical link is always present in the details. What’s new? Back to the opticians. The encapsulation of the headlights is totally new and in some finishes it is darkened.
Inside
Few changes also inside, where there are no differences in terms of the arrangement of elements on a dashboard that is very slim and flat to give a greater sensation of width. Another aspect that those from Milan take care of in a special way is the steering wheel that integrates the ignition button and where we continue to have (and that is very good) paddles.
What’s new? Well, now we have a fully digital instrument panel, inserted, yes, in the usual design Cannocchiale (telescope) of the mark. It changes the presentation of the information depending on the driving mode you choose on the dna controller, which is still on the console.
The screen of the infotainment system does not vary, in a very landscape way. And the rest of the novelties have to do with the Competizione finish. Case of the leather upholstery of the seats, with the name of the finish on the headrests, the matching covering on the dashboard or the Harman Kardon sound system.
There are no changes in the space of the rear seats or in their 525 liter trunk capacity. All these aesthetic novelties, both exterior and in the passenger compartment, are shared with the Alfa Romeo Giulia 2023. With this saloon the Stelvio shares the Giorgio platform and numerous elements.
Engine
No surprises in the mechanical section. We have a 160 CV diesel version that sends power to the rear axle and a 210 CV version with all-wheel drive Q4. In gasoline, a 280 CV power also with all-wheel drive (prelude to the high-performance Quadrifoglio Verde that will be added at the end of 2023).
The protagonist under the hood of our Stelvio unit is the most powerful diesel block. It is a 2.2 four-cylinder engine that delivers its 210 HP of power at 3,750 rpm, with 470 Nm at 1,750 rpm. accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. It is not as fast as the 280 hp gasoline but it uses much less fuel. Specifically, it approves 6.4 l/100 km in the combined cycle.
Behavior
The Stelvio hasn’t changed its driving feel one iota. And this is good. It is not a car that stands out for ride comfort, especially with the diesel engine, but for how direct it is to drive. It goes very well and the car reacts very agilely and quickly to any order you send it from the wheel.
He does it, moreover, in any type of circumstance. The Alfa Romeo product manager told us during the presentation that the brand stands out for offering technology that cannot be seen. And in that sense there are two elements for the car to be so reactive and with that good behavior when it comes to enjoying the road.
The first is a perfect weight distribution. And the other is the Alfa Link suspension, which no other brand on the market is equipped with. This makes it especially good on curvy roads. It was before and still is. Even with winter tires that our unit equipped.
And as if that were not enough, with the Competizione finish you have an active hydraulic suspension. With it the car sways less and pitches less. Being independent for each wheel, there is always more grip on each wheel and improves the comfort of the car. Of course, it is more expensive and its maintenance, too.
Many people (and I include myself) have pointed out that the car is somewhat behind the competition in terms of infotainment. That may be true when it comes to screens, but the Stelvio informs you much more from behind the wheel than others and is more entertaining simply by driving it, not looking at screens.
Little entertainment? All engines are associated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Maybe something slow in the changes, but very fine. You can always use the paddles behind the wheel to make it go a little faster, fixed on the steering column, large and with a sublime touch. Another detail that no other competitive model offers.
Opinion cars.com
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio continues to have a dynamic behavior that falls in love. If you like to drive, it is one of the best alternatives in the large SUV segment.
It is a pity that this update has not been used to give a touch of electrification to the mechanical range, with which to be able to compete on equal terms with its rivals. It is true that this would have resulted in a more expensive car and spending money on its development that the brand surely plans to allocate to new 100% electric products that arrive from 2024.
Perhaps the aesthetic changes are very few, but the truth is that it is a car of timeless beauty, it did not need many. We would like to have been able to test the effectiveness of those Full LED headlights at night, but we’ll have to save that for further testing.
The new Competizione finish gives the model a sportier air without having to go to the Quadrifoglio Verde versions, which will arrive. It will be necessary to see now if it is enough to maintain a good rate of sales from here to the end of its commercial life.
Photo gallery:
1/46Photos
