2018 Alfa Romeo 4C Review
Get More For Your Trade-In
2018 Alfa Romeo 4C appraisal values can range from $35,493 - $43,030.
Find out what your car is really worth in minutes.
Edmunds' Expert Review
byWill Kaufman
Content Strategist and News Editor
Throughout his career, Will Kaufman has been making sure shoppers get the best car for them by creating automotive content, product news, and robust content strategies for the site and social media.Pros
- Handling is razor-sharp
- Featherweight chassis enables impressively quick acceleration
- Fuel economy estimates are good and achievable in the real world
- Sparse availability and limited appeal guarantee exclusivity
Cons
- Ride is bone-crushingly harsh, notably with the Track package
- Few interior creature comforts and almost no cargo and storage space
- Rearward visibility is poor, and no rearview camera is available
- Steering is high effort at low speeds
What’s new
For 2018, the 4C gets optional carbon-fiber exterior vents as well as yellow accent stitching to the interior. A new cosmetic package also debuts.
Vehicle overview
The 2018 Alfa Romeo 4C checks a lot of boxes on the exotic sports car wish list: It's from Italy, its engine is behind the seats, the chassis is a carbon-fiber monocoque, and the entire car weighs less than 2,500 pounds. The 4C also uses rack-and-pinion steering — with no power assist. That particular cutting-edge automotive technology showed up in, oh, the 1930s. But having it in a 2018 car when everything else has numb-feeling, electric-assist racks is almost a revelation.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 2dr Coupe (1.7L 4cyl Turbo 6AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $5.33 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$234/mo
4C Spider
vs
$233/mo
Avg. Compact Car
In the 4C, manual steering both saves weight and provides greater feedback to the driver, and this car is all about lightness and feedback. The engine shouts right in your ear, the suspension communicates every minuscule imperfection in the road, and the minimally padded seats make sure you feel every vibration. This raw, unfiltered driving experience is both what makes the Alfa a unique standout among modern cars and what makes it an unlivable daily driver. The 4C is definitely a second — or maybe third — car.
For the money, there are plenty of engaging sports cars that are significantly easier to live with (you know, if you don't have a garage big enough for a small fleet). The Porsche 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster, the Chevrolet Corvette, and the Jaguar F-Type are all exceptional driver's cars. All have their strengths and weaknesses, but they're all more comfortable and more practical.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
6.0 / 10Alfa Romeo's 4C mashes up high tech and low tech to create a unique, focused driver's car. In this case, "focused" is a generous way of saying that, as much as the 4C is a blast to drive under the right conditions, it's a pain to live with day to day.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the2018 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider (turbo 1.7L inline-4 | 6-speed dual-clutch automatic | RWD).
Scorecard
| Overall | 6.0 / 10 |
| Driving | 7.0 |
| Comfort | 5.5 |
| Interior | 5.5 |
| Utility | 4.5 |
| Technology | 4.5 |
Driving
7.0With its turbocharged mid-engine layout and high-effort controls, the 4C commands a driver's respect and delivers a high sensation of speed. When driven in its sweet spot, the 4C is rewarding and feels like a modern classic. But we'd pick something else if looking for a daily driver.
Comfort
5.5For track enthusiasts, the 4C is great: It has supportive leather bucket seats and air conditioning, which are luxuries for aficionados. But those who plan on street driving it more than occasionally will quickly grow weary of the stiff ride, loud cabin and uncompromising seats.
Interior
5.5The interior looks nice and minimalistic, but it lacks the friendlier ergonomics of other modern sports cars. Getting in and situated inside the cabin is akin to a warrior donning armor; it's rigid, claustrophobic and meant for business. If you're considering a 4C, it won't be for its touring comfort.
Utility
4.5There shouldn't be any expectation of ample cargo volume, and the 4C delivers as expected. The small trunk is better than nothing. But the lid is heavy, and you need two hands to set it open. The compartment gets hot next to the engine. The inside isn't much better, with no real storage areas.
Technology
4.5This is one of the 4C's weakest links but also an easy fix. Dash real estate is limited, so a proper infotainment system was always going to be difficult to integrate. But there are better options in the aftermarket than what you get here from the Alfa factory.
Which 4C does Edmunds recommend?
The biggest choice you have to make is whether you want the coupe or the convertible (Spider), and that is the kind of personal decision we would not presume to dictate. But we do strongly encourage you to opt for the Convenience package, which adds rear parking sensors. Since there's no backup camera available and rear visibility is poor, we think the sensors are a must. The dual-mode Akrapovič exhaust is also a nice add-on since it provides both a robust exhaust note and a more subdued mode.
2018 Alfa Romeo 4C models
The 2018 Alfa Romeo 4C should only be considered by buyers willing to live with the inherent day-to-day difficulties of driving a seriously hardcore mid-engine sports car. Its no-frills attitude is reflected in its skimpy list of standard and optional features. After all, more features make for a heavier car, and the 4C is all about keeping the weight down. If you should want a few extras, the Convenience package adds a few luxury elements, the Track package includes performance upgrades, and the Carbon Fiber Interior Trim package is self-explanatory.