Having heard very high praise for the Alfa Romeo Giulia from several of my petrol-head friends, I felt compelled to experience it by myself. After driving it for a few days, I completely understand why. This is a very good looking 4-door saloon both inside and outside, and a thrill to drive.
In terms of appearances, this is Italian design at its best. The Veloce features 19-inch Dark Petal design alloy wheels, monotone central wheel caps, full LED Matrix Trilobe Headlamps, dark tinted rear windows, a dark finish “V” grille, window surrounds in gloss black and special Veloce rear bumper.
Detail of the Dark Petal alloy wheels and Dark Miron Scudetto (“V” grill) in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce.
The cabin looks as dynamic as the exterior, has plenty of space at the front and reasonable at the back. The pedals as well as the shift paddles on the steering column come in aluminium. Both gearstick and steering wheel are trimmed in leather, complementing the black leather seats (other materials available). The 6-way Power Driver seat (with memory) offers four extra lumbar adjustments. Ambient lighting throughout front and back add to its stylish appearance. Both front seats and steering wheel are heated. The 14-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system is optional, but I strongly recommend it.
As in the other models in the Giulia range, the Veloce comes with a dashboard practically tilted towards the driver and hooded, to protect the display from sunlight.
The driving position is low, which I like a lot and the shift paddles are quite large, making it very easy to flick through the gears; and believe me, you want to drive this car in manual. A little trick that my Alfa-expert friend Simon – who owns one – shared is changing to manual to use the engine when he wants to give the breaks a bit of a rest. Nevertheless, should you decide to let the car do its own thing, there are three driving modes, Dynamic, Natural and Advanced.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox is very smooth, as it is the suspension, which results in a very relaxing drive experience, if that is what you want. It you want a bit more spice, the Giulia will give it to you. The 50-50 weight distribution ensures great handling, with a front end that is quick and sharp, kind of “jumping at the bit” and in constant contact with the driver through the steering wheel. Those two factors put together explain how well it grips to the road and how quickly and precisely it turns. Trust the Giulia’s agility and put your foot down when coming out of a corner. Very sleek. Simon also pointed out that the turning circle in this Alfa Romeo is surprisingly small. Another practical quality.
Under the bonnet, 280hp bring the car from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds; not ground-breaking, but fast enough.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce looks menacing at the front and powerful at the back, very feline overall.
Going back to details, I like very much the position of the dashboard, slightly angled towards the driver and hooded, to protect the screen from sunlight. Its 8.8-inch Multitouch infotainment system is standard, along with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are several practical features worth mentioning, such as the cooled glove box, USB ports everywhere, a wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones, and 40/20/40 split rear seats. The 480-litre boot is, in my opinion, very reasonable for a sedan.
In a nutshell, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a strong, stylish sports saloon that drives brilliantly.
OTR from £47,759. Discover the whole Alfa Romeo Giulia range HERE.
Words: Julia Pasarón
Leading photo: Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce 2.0 Turbo in Alfa red.
Show Comments +