The testing of this Alfa Romeo Giulia is special since I have been driving personally for more than 3 years with a Giulia 200 hp petrol from 2016, soon with 50,000 km on the odometer. I know it by heart.
What more can I say in the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia test after 10,000 km, and how to do it? an essay which is not intended only for alfists already convinced many qualities of this Italian?
In this essay, I will tell you about the new features of the 2020 version which corrects the weak points that I had listed in my 2016 essay and I will try to convince the hesitant non-Alfist reader, which is in the decision to buy a (beautiful) sedan soon. Ladies and gentlemen, if you hesitate with an Audi, BMW, Peugeot, Volvo, Mercedes, Lexus or sedan from another brand, read on!
The DNA of Giulia: sports core
To begin and understand the genesis of Giulia: Alfa Romeo is a sports brand of 110 years, centenary, and, on the occasion of the 105 years, it was decided to present a new car, sedan, which ticks all the boxes of what should be the DNA of an Alfa Romeo: beautiful, comfortable, sporty and fun to drive.
Thus the Alfa Romeo Giulia was born as well as the model presented in 2015 in its sportiest version Quadrifoglio with its V6 engine of 510 hp. Why is it important to specify it? Because all the less efficient versions, even the cheapest in the Giulia catalog, has the same characteristics: chassis, transmission, suspension … this may not be an important criterion when you buy a car for everyday use, but it makes the difference in the behavior of the car which offers real driving pleasure whatever the engine. You have in your hands a sedan developed by notably Philippe Krief, current technical director of Ferrari. What other brand can boast about it?
Design: exclusive, it always turns heads
I remember when I received my Giulia at the end of 2016, there were very few in France and it made many heads spin (and raise their thumbs), as long as some wondered what brand it was. More than 3 years later, even if we see more and more (especially Stelvio in my region), its design always pleases and does not age. It’s normal, it’s an Alfa Romeo.
What I like about Alfa Romeo, and therefore the Giulia, is customization possibilities during configuration. It is possible to make a car either “class”, either “sport” or even both thanks to the Ti or Sprint finishing packs, but also with the choice of different customization options: colors, rims, stirrups, retro viewfinder shell, interior, everything is customizable. You can get a black sedan with a sunroof, beige interior, black calipers and 19-inch rims or a red sedan, yellow calipers, dual exhaust pipes and 21-inch rims. Finally, you ride in an exclusive premium sedan because you will not come across the same as yours in every street corner, or even in an entire city.
As part of the test, the Giulia was a Ti finish with a red color Villa d’Este 6C (available mid-2020) magnificent.
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The 2020 vintage does not make any visible changes outside but a rationalization of the range and options so that your future Giulia is easier to configure.
Motorizations: there is something for everyone
The engine I chose 3 years ago is 200 hp gasoline, powered. It’s a very motorized dynamic. The 0 to 100 is announced in 6.6 sec (I never measured) but it is to give the color. It is very pleasant to drive in “Dynamic”, “Natural” or even “All weather” mode, the latter softens the steering and uses more engine torque at low revs. Level consumption, I run within 8 L / 100 km and on the highway, I’m 7.2 L / 100 km. It is possible by making only the highway to make 800 km (to the bottom of the reserve …). In mixed, it’s rather 650/700 km.
As part of the trial, the Giulia is a 190 hp diesel engine. These are two completely different behaviors. Gasoline Has More Extension, Diesel Has More Torque. It depends on your affinity with diesel / petrol, your driving style and the penalty! All engines are offered with the 8-speed automatic transmission which works really well. The sportiest engine, not counting the 510hp V6, is the 280hp petrol that is clearly intended for those who like to press the mushroom;).
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Personally, compared to my driving style, I prefer petrol. However diesel is also very good, very torquey, not noisy. Make your own opinion by trying the two engines in concession.
2020 developments, visible and invisible, welcome
The new products for 2020 are mainly visible inside of the car.
There are 3 notable ones:
- the wheel : as there are new driving aids (see below), the steering wheel is clad with sensors and is therefore a few millimeters thicker. It is pleasant to the touch and visually successful.
- the center console: this is for me the best evolution for 2020. On mine, the central console hatch was not always practical. Between the keys, the smartphone, the wallet, a few papers, the two cup holders are not enough. In the new version, many storage spaces are provided for the wallet, cups, key and even the smartphone which can be wirelessly recharged by induction. Then the materials are better, especially the gear lever (yes, even if it’s an auto gearbox) is much more qualitative with leather, it is more solid and less plastic. It even reminds me of the one who appeared in the last Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte…
- multimedia touch: I announced in my previous essay, “Giulia is not for the Geeks”. Alfa Romeo knew this by launching the 1st version of the Giulia, arguing that the priority of development had not been given to multimedia. This is corrected with the 2020 version which brings an 8.8 ″ touch screen, available from the entry level, and a new browsing experience with widgets. It works well, it is not fluid like what we can find in the very last Mercedes or Audi, nevertheless it is better than what I could try on the multimedia system Renault, Peugeot, Toyota, Lexus … The new multimedia system deserves a little more fluidity in terms of animation to make it perfect. It remains very intuitive and offers quick access to the vast majority of needs: air conditioning, navigation, radio, AppleCar Play, Android Auto, etc.
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The least visible:
- new driving aids: the list is long, very long. The Giulia 2020 now offers all the driving aids that premium competition offers. Driver fatigue detector, recognition of traffic signs, active blind spot detector and moving obstacles at the rear, semi-autonomous driving assistance in heavy traffic or highway conditions… I have not tested any none, sorry! ?
- management sensitivity: indeed, between my 2016 and 2020 Giulia, it may be slightly firmer, more precise. But you really need to have driven both to find out because the direction of the previous version was already excellent. So to say that it is a step in the right direction, I cannot say, it is very subtle.
Riding in Giulia, a daily pleasure
Whether in town or on the highway, riding in Giulia is a real pleasure. In town, the steering is precise and I often explain to those around me that it is as easy to drive as a Fiat 500 as it is agile. On long distance, it is also very comfortable, as proof, to do the test you are reading, I did 1,600 km round trip with my Giulia without back pain, back pain and other particular fatigue. Finally, I can confirm that the Giulia is a sedan that sticks to the road.
I really appreciate her reassuring behavior, it never failed regardless of the situation and the emergency braking system which had to activate a good ten times since I got it in 3 years, works very well.
It perfectly accommodates 4 passengers. Be careful, this is a sedan, this is not the boot of a station wagon or an SUV. However, I was able to use my Giulia for my move, or to buy small trees in a garden center, or finally fill up with cases of wine, it works! For your holidays, the roof bars and the coupling are available as accessories …
I would add that when it is necessary to make journeys with friends or family as passengers, it is always the Giulia which is offered (imposed) by default … surprising?
Only fun for over 3 years and I will miss her the day I should replace her.
Giulia 2020 prices compared to the competition
From € 36,700 including tax in France for the basic version, a well-equipped Giulia will arrive quickly according to your choice of finish (super, sprint, TI or Veloce) and options around € 45,000 and over € 50,000 if you really enjoy yourself on the engines and options. So it’s not the cheapest sedan. But ultimately it is worth it.
For comparison with the competition, in the recommended retail price including tax, an Audi A4 is € 33,600, a BMW 3 series is € 38,800, a Mercedes C-Class is € 39,299, a Lexus IS 300h is 41,640 €, a Volvo S60 is € 59,750… Add the engines and options that go well for each model, the prices are comparable.
The 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia now ticks all your criteria
You have reached the end of this test. What more can be said ? The Giulia which, when it was marketed in 2016, was already a very good car with a lot of qualities, with its 2020 edition corrects all the weaknesses focusing mainly on driving assistance, multimedia and the perceived quality of the materials. What is really missing? A hybrid engine to reduce the ecological penalty? Perhaps.
The sedans of other brands that you have in mind also certainly have a lot of qualities but all I ask is to give the beautiful Giulia a chance, go to the dealership, get behind the wheel, try it and experience the Alfa Romeo experience.
Treat yourself. Think different. ?
PS: Thanks to Johan for the photos. You can follow him on his Instagram account.
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