2017 Alfa Romeo 4C Review

The 4C comes in just one trim, so it's up to you whether to get the coupe or convertible. The price difference between the two is significant, but the convertible comes standard with leather seats and the alarm system. The view out the back is nearly nonexistent, so we strongly encourage opting...

Both the engine and the quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission are surprisingly easy to live with, even in traffic. But the ultra-loud sport exhaust and exceptionally firm suspension (both optional) will grow tiresome quickly.

Turbocharging a small engine sometimes produces surging acceleration, but not in the 4C. The four-cylinder has excellent urban manners along with Corvette-challenging speed. Zero to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds is darn quick.

The rare, bottom-hinged brake pedal gives an extremely firm feel, has a short travel and operates much like a race car's. You'll need to press firmly, but the action is positive and reassuring. Our 4C came to a halt from 60 mph in 104 feet. That's short, but some rival sports cars do even better.

The steering has zero power assist, so it gives crisp, precise and extremely informative responses at speed. For a sports car, there's nothing better. But the low-speed heaviness, especially when parking, will be a problem for some.

A Dynamic-mode stability control, lightweight body and chassis construction, mid-engine layout, sticky tires, and race-car-like steering and suspension provide uniquely dynamic handling qualities that few cars, even exotics, can match.

Both the engine and the quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission are surprisingly easy to live with, even in traffic. But the ultra-loud sport exhaust and exceptionally firm suspension (both optional) will grow tiresome quickly.

If you're looking for a comfortable sports car, run elsewhere. The 2017 Alfa Romeo 4C, especially when optioned with the purposefully stiff suspension and loud exhaust found on our test car, isn't easy to live with. An example of this: There are no armrests anywhere in the car.

Driver and passenger seatbacks are essentially fixed and don't recline beyond about 90 degrees, so you'll either fit in this Alfa or you don't. Padding is minimal, but it's in the right spots. A lack of elbow rests means sore shoulders on long drives.

The 4C's stiff suspension is great on a racetrack, but it makes for a harsh ride and highway groove-following dartiness. A lot of rival sports cars come with adaptive/adjustable suspension damping to help smooth out the ride, but it's not available on the 4C.

Purposefully built with bare-bones lightweight materials and minimal sound insulation (plus the optional exhaust), this Alfa is one of the loudest cars we've ever tested whether at idle, cruising or especially at full throttle.

The Alfa Romeo 4C's interior features barely tolerable ergonomics, clumsy entry and exit, little legroom, appalling outward visibility, and virtually no cargo or storage space. This is absolutely not a daily driver.

Eccentricities abound, with a strange audio head unit (with a detachable face), confusing instrument panel and arduous trip-meter reset protocol. Some controls are marginally easier to operate, such as the window switches, push-button transmission selector and drive-mode rocker.

Because the carbon-fiber monocoque passenger compartment requires wide doorsills, the 4C is the kind of car you fall into and climb or hoist yourself out of. To make matters more difficult, the doors lack intermediate and end stops.

Compared to those of similar sports cars, the Alfa Romeo's cabin has a sense of open space with a low dash and ample headroom. For those over 6 feet tall, however, there's little legroom in either seat.

The view through the windshield is excellent, but the small windows, side mirrors, essentially useless rearview mirror and enormous blind spots make it a challenge in the real world. Optional rear parking sensors are a must, especially because there's no rearview camera available.

Some buttons feel embarrassingly flimsy, but the 4C's chassis is constructed like a race car with beautiful handlaid carbon fiber and aluminum cradles front and rear. That alone is worth the base car's price.

The minuscule cargo area is located adjacent to the hot engine and under the rear glass. There are two useless cupholders and basically no in-car storage aside from a stretchy net under the dash instead of a glovebox and a lockable pouch behind the center armrest.

Like most practical aspects of the 4C, the four-speaker sound system is a no-frills affair. You get Bluetooth, a USB port, and HD and satellite radio. Cruise control is an optional extra, included in the Convenience package along with rear parking sensors and an alarm system.