10 Things You Need to Know About the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

2017 Alfa Romeo Stelvio exterior front angle ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Here’s the short take on Alfa Romeo’s new Stelvio Crossover SUV.

1. Its name has some serious pedigree.

There are some pretty amazing roads on this planet, but few are better known than the Stelvio Pass, an Italian switchback-laden expanse of paved nirvana, which was the inspiration for the name and impressive driving characteristics of Alfa Romeo’s new crossover.

2. It’s the second vehicle from a new platform Alfa is using to compete on a world stage.

The platform – or base components of a vehicle including its frame, structural components, and powertrain configurations – comes to market as an all-new design dubbed the Georgio platform. Shared with the new-for-2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan. These are the first in a half-dozen or so new vehicles to share this new Italian DNA. Each has been designed to compete with the best offerings from Germany, Japan, and the United States.

Photo by Matt Landish

3. It looks great.

By and large, most Italian vehicles elicit lustful thoughts because of their stylish lines, beautiful interiors, and tantalizing power which ultimately lead to whimsical daydreaming. 

While perhaps not reaching Ferrari-levels of desire, the Stelvio is certainly handsome, especially in Montecarlo Blue Metallic, the color of our test vehicle. With its signature Alfa Romeo Trilobo grille and a chiseled front end design that rises into a sharp, athletic profile, we think it’s a breath of fresh air in an otherwise blandly designed vehicle segment.

Photo by Matt Landish

4. Technology is plentiful.

In today’s world of nearly limitless automotive product offerings, an all-new vehicle must introduce itself with enough draw to lure shoppers away from what’s tried-and-true. For many, this means outfitting the interiors with lots of cool technology. 

And the Stelvio delivers in spades. From the available 900-watt audio system to a dashboard filled with big dials and LCD screens, to a steering wheel flanked by two gorgeous, column-mounted shift paddles, the driver’s seat feels more like a race car than an SUV.

Photo by Matt Landish

5. The performance is no joke.

In recent years, we’ve seen automakers downsize their engines and add forced-induction to eke more power from fewer cylinders. This typically takes form in a turbo- or supercharged engine, and the Stelvio is no different. Power comes from a 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 cylinder that makes a commendable 280hp – putting it at the top of its class. Mated to an 8-speed automatic, the combination is right for an under six-second run to sixty miles per hour and a top speed of over 140mph. 

Most of us aren’t lucky enough to live near an Autobahn on-ramp to test that latter claim. However, we were able to drive the Stelvio on some closed roads and happily report that it can, indeed, swing the speedometer into major speeding ticket category very quickly.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

6. It’s also a balanced daily driver.

Alfa Romeo includes a selectable drive mode in the Stelvio and calls it DNA – which makes sense because the three different programs allow you to connect with the vehicle at its core level. "Dynamic" is exactly what you’d expect – with crisp, athletic reflexes that are best meant for spirited runs on sparsely populated roads. "Natural" is a comfortable setting that offers some sporty flair but understands you’re probably going to be stuck in traffic or driving with passengers who may appreciate a relaxed chaperone instead of Mario Andretti. For those seeing to maximize their fuel economy, the "Advanced Efficiency" mode can enable cylinder deactivation and dials back most of the fun dynamics the Stelvio was designed for – and for this reason we suggest avoiding that mode – unless, say, you’re about to run out of fuel.

Photo by Matt Landish

7. Standard all-wheel drive is a nice bonus.

The Stelvio combines all-wheel drive (referred to as Q4) with their Chassis Domain Control (called CDC) – both standard equipment – to help you stay in control regardless of weather, terrain, or any combination of mother nature’s not-so-fun stuff.

We tested ours along the outskirts of Nashville on some very twisty roads that were completely soaked from an all-day thunderstorm. We lived to tell about it, as the vehicle convincingly shrugged off the inclement conditions.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

8. The packaging and options are simple.

It’s refreshing when a vehicle is offered in a few different trims with a few different options and a whole bunch of colors. The Stelvio nails this combination. Offered in Stelvio and Stelvio Ti, each comes with an available sport package that includes larger, darker wheel options as well as dark window trim and black roof rails. There are eight exterior and three interior color options. Our Montecarlo Blue tester was paired with a black leather interior and dark wood combo which looked amazing (and was easily the most-liked of the group).

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

9. The pricing is competitive and doesn’t balloon out of control.

All this design and tech doesn’t come cheap, but Alfa Romeo has priced their new Stelvio competitively. The base model starts at $41,995, and the top-end Stelvio Ti Sport lists at $46,995. Because we like to do this for fun, we went ahead and optioned out the most expensive version available, which adds around $5000 of probably-not-needed-but-hey-why-not options. Even with the ‘kitchen sink’ approach, the price was still reasonable at just over $50k. Multiple configurations of the Stelvio should be making their way to an Alfa dealer near you as this article goes live – so be sure to check them out.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

10. The Quadrifoglio is coming.

2018 will bring a fire-breathing version of the Stelvio. Called the Quadrifoglio, this 505-horsepower, 180mph beast will land on our shores and really shake things up.  Affectionately nicknamed the ‘Quad’ or “QV” by aficionados, this version of the Stelvio will sit at the top of the model range, as does the already-available Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan. Figure a considerable price hike for the best of the best, and we expect it to cross the $70,000 mark. Like a tech fanatic camping outside of an Apple Store weeks before a new release, we’re already getting in line to drive one.