2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Overview

The Stelvio is a stylish bastard, taking the other direction from the thriving German SUVs in terms of looks and even features. Based on the same platform as the Giulia, the Stelvio is very sporty even though it is bulkier and has a lower center of gravity than its sedan brother. The new 2022 model year gets no mechanical changes and still sports a base 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine or a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 with the range-topping Quadrifoglio. Alfa Romeo did not roll out the 2022 Stelvio without any additions and made sure to add sufficient driver assistance features as standard. The Stelvio’s cabin is luxurious, yes. But not quite the feature-rich one like the competition and that is evident when you get behind the wheel. That said, the Stelvio competes with the BMW X3, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan, Lexus RX 350, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, with a competitive starting price of $44,750. Should you consider this wild Italian beast? Well, we are here to clear things out.

Trims and Features

The 2022 Stelvio gets four trims on the line: Sprint, Ti, Veloce, and the top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio. The Veloce replaces the Ti Sport with more performance-centric features along with the outgoing trim’s luxury bits. A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine is the powerplant of the first three trims. RWD is standard on the Sprint and the rest relies on AWD as standard. The Quadrifoglio gets a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine with torque vectoring AWD as standard. A detailed trim and specification list are just below:

Sprint.
Price: $44,750.

• 18-inch alloy wheels.
• LED DRLs and taillights with xenon headlamps.
• Rain-sensing wipers.
• Heated mirrors.
• Keyless entry and push-button start.
• Power liftgate.
• Leather upholstery.
• Ambient interior lighting.
• 6-way power-adjustable front seats with multi-level heating options.
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with heating options.
• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Heated rear seats.
• 8-speaker audio system.
• Navigation system.
• 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
• Wireless charging pad.

Standard safety features include: ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)

• Automatic high-beams headlamps.
• Adaptive cruise control.
• Front and rear parking sensors.
• Blindspot monitoring.
• Lane departure warning.
• Forward collision mitigation.

Ti.
Price: $50,000.

• Headlight washers.
• 19-inch alloy wheels.
• Hands-free liftgate.
• Wooden interior trim.
• AWD.

Veloce.
Price: $51,800.

• 20-inch alloy wheels.
• Red-colored brake calipers.
• Aluminum paddle shifters and pedals.
• Gloss-black window surrounds.
• Sport front seats.
• Body colored exterior trim.

Quadrifoglio.
Price: $84,300.

• Restyled exterior design. (Hood, bumpers, and intake grille)
• Adaptive suspension.
• Summer performance tires.
• Torque-vectoring rear differential.
• Brembo high-performance brakes.
• Custom driving modes.
• Upgraded exhaust system with dual-mode control.
• Carbon-fiber interior trim.
• Harman Kardon premium sound system.
• Front seats with under-thigh support.

Except for the base Sprint trim, Alfa offers an Active Assist Plus package with all the trims. It packs:

• Blindspot intervention.
• Lane-keeping assist.
• Lane-keeping system.
• Driver attention warning.
• Traffic sign recognition.

Exterior: Sleek and Alluring

From the look of it, the Stelvio seems to be a buffed-up Giulia. And that is true with the remarkable Alfa-styled sleek LED DRLs and xenon headlights along with the V-shaped front grille. A thing that separates the Stelvio from its sedan brother is its curvaceous nature on the hood, body panels, and tail end. The sides are where the SUV looks menacing to the eyes with the exposed brake calipers and 18-inch alloys as standard.

The rear gets similar LED treatments like the Giulia with twin-exhaust pipes and a top spoiler. I would say that the Quadrifoglio in Alfa Rosso color looks the best and even sportier because of the bigger intake vents at the front, Brembo red calipers, and the unique wheel design. The rear gets quad-exhausts and boy-oh-boy, the V-6 sounds amazing. There are a few of the exterior highlights which are pointed below:

• 20-inch alloys.
• Heated side mirrors.
• LED DRLs and taillights.
• Xenon headlights.
• Hands-free liftgate.
• Keyless entry and ignition.
• Twin/quad exhaust tips.

As for the exterior dimensions, the Stelvio shares the same wheelbase of 111.0 inches from the Giulia, and that’s it. It is longer, wider, taller, and holds a ground clearance of 8.1 inches, making sure why you should go for it for the added practicality. The Stelvio is quite heavy too, coming in at 3,901 pounds with the standard RWD or more than 4,000 pounds with the higher AWD trims.

Interior: Opulent as standard but is aging finely

The thing with the Alfas is that they have great cabins with a lot of luxury elements and on the other side, they are not as advanced as the Bimmers and Mercs. Don’t get me wrong, the interior of the new Stelvio has a lot of features that are rarely found fitted as standard. First up, the dashboard is well built with faux-leather touches and matching stitches. There’s an 8.8-inch touchscreen placed at the center and the instrument clusters are digital-analog combo which is definitely rare and a downside from the fully digital instrument panel offered with the competition. The center console does not look busy like it does with the Porsche Macan or the BMW X3 and has carbon fiber inserts with the top trim.

Just simple aesthetics with a few touches that elevate the attention to detail like the keyfob standing beside the drive selector.

The steering wheel, just like on the Giulia, gets heating functions as standard which is not something we see often. The seating comfort is great inside the Stelvio and that goes to the leather seats with multi-level power-adjustability and heating options. Sports seats are offered with the Veloce and Quadrifoglio with under-thigh support. The latter trim has better cabin quality with aluminum door handles, paddle shifters, and pedals.

Moving to the rear seats, the comfort is present but there are multi-level heating options as standard which is just nuts, ensuring not just the driver and the front passenger but the rear passengers about how the brand cares about comfort.

In terms of spaciousness, the Stelvio is not the one you would haul your family or go for like a hundred-mile highway drive. While the headroom is quite sufficient, the legroom isn’t, even at the front.

While the Q5, X3, GLC-Class, and the GV70 have plenty of legroom in the front, they are a lot better in the rear than the Stelvio. However, the GLC has the lowest front-row headroom in the competition with just 37.8 inches. For the luggage bearing capacity, the Stelvio has 18.5 cubic feet which is decent but does not come closer to the 28.7 cubic feet offered by the X3.

There are a few important features of the new 2022 Stelvio that are pointed out below:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Keyless ignition.
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with heating functions.
• Carbon-fiber trim.
• Aluminum paddle shifters along with door handles and pedals.
• Leather seats with multi-level power-adjustability and heating options.
• Rear seat multi-level heating options.
• Seven-inch multi-information display.

The infotainment system which comes with the new Stelvio is more refined with the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The 8.8-inch touchscreen is fairly responsive with minor jitters and lags but nothing too serious. The navigation system comes loaded as standard with the 2022 model years long with ambient lighting, an 8-speaker audio unit, and a wireless charging pad. The higher trims get a 10-speaker audio system but can easily get upgraded to the 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system with a subwoofer. A few of the important infotainment features are as follows:

• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
• 8.8-inch touchscreen display.
• 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio unit.
• Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
• Navigation system.
• SiriusXM.

Performance and Handling: What the Italians do better

The Sprint, Ti, and Veloce get powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which is turbocharged and puts out 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque.

It is often mistaken how punchy smaller engines could be and this is a live prove. The Sprint comes fitted with an RWD and an eight-speed automatic as standard and an optional AWD while the other two trims sharing the four-pot get AWD with the same transmission as standard. If you are curious then here is where the Stelvio with the 2.0-liter engine stands in the competition.

So, by the ranking, you can see how the German SUVs fall back in terms of raw performance gathered with the base engine. The GV70 is on another league with over 300 horsepower, good job Genesis.

For the enthusiasts, 280 horses are the bare minimum and would talk about more power and torque figures. For you guys, Alfa has the Quadrifoglio. The ultimate among all trims. It gets powered by a Ferrari-derived 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine that is capable of putting out an astounding 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of maximum torque at just 2,500 revs. So, there is a lot of punch right from the get-go. The Quadrifoglio drives through all four wheels but has torque vectoring tech exclusively and shifts gear through the eight-speed automatic. In the competition, the Alfa is way ahead of the competition while the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 with its twin-turbo V-8 puts out 469 horsepower and 479 pound-feet. The latter’s better torque has its own advantages while sprinting on a straight line. The BMW X3 M40i, although it is way cheaper, has just not enough power. The Macan is the highest priced and is expected for it holds a luxury badge, but puts out 434 horsepower and 405 pound-feet. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio is the most powerful compact SUV in the segment.

SUVs are not something that we expect great handling dynamics from. But let me surprise you, that the Stelvio is one of the best in the segment in that category. However, there are a few downsides to it. The steering wheel is light and precise, which means a little movement in the steering wheel can be dangerous if you are driving at higher speeds. That said, the Quadrifoglio gets a torque-vectoring rear axle which gives the SUV extra confidence while getting in or exiting out of corners. Take it out yourself for a test drive and let it surprise you.

Fuel Economy

With added power figures come lower EPA ratings and that is quite evident with both the standard Stelvio and the Quadrifoglio. The former gets rated with 22/29/25 for city/highway/combined which is not that great compared to the Bimmer and Merc. The Quad takes the biggest hit in the competition as there are hybrid gizmos to pump out 505 horsepower. Hence the rating falls to 17/23/19 for the city/highway/combined. A 16.9-gallon gas tank serves up to 400 miles with the Stelvio, again not impressive. But keep in mind the mind-boggling power figures, it kind of works.

Safety Convenience

For the latest 2022 model year, Alfa added loads of standard ADAS tech with the Stelvio which includes adaptive cruise control, blindspot monitoring, lane departure warning, forward collision mitigation, and a few more. These make it one of the most advanced SUVs in its segment. Other safety features include traction control, stability control, brake assist, hill start and descent assist, and more. There are a few optional safety features that come with the Active Assist Plus. They are:

• Blindspot intervention.
• Lane-keeping assist.
• Lane-keeping system.
• Driver attention warning.
• Traffic sign recognition.

Should you consider this Italian beast over the Germans?

The Stelvio is a great compact SUV with good performance and handling dynamics. The cabin is luxurious, even as standard which is quite striking. Although the lack of a bigger infotainment screen and fully digital instrument console make it look a bit dated for 2022. Apart from these, the safety features, the interior fit and finish, everything looks great until you question practicality. The German SUVs like the X3, GLC-Class, Audi Q5 are better for every day with good towing capacity. The Alfa on the other hand thrives on a driver-focused approach, which is not bad but is limited to a compact group of people.