Since its introduction in 2017, the Alfa Romeo Giulia has delivered an appealing combination of style and driving fun. Unfortunately, its interior storage and technology features fell behind the curve in the small luxury sedan class. For 2020, Alfa Romeo has updated the interior and safety tech and added new standard features that seek to remedy these shortcomings.
A revised center console tops the list of physical changes in the Giulia, with larger cupholders and additional cubbies, including more space for your phone on the available wireless charger. Alfa Romeo has also improved the quality of the materials in this area. The larger 8.8-inch center touchscreen is now standard with improved graphics and functionality, and driver aids now include adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, driver attention monitoring, and active blind-spot assist.
We've had no significant complaints about what the Giulia is like to drive, so with this series of interior updates, the 2020 Giulia should be the best version yet. A sedan that once fell behind the class in terms of technology and storage has certainly made up some ground, making the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia a more competitive rival to luxury sedans such as the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4.
Our verdict | |
For a certain kind of buyer looking for a focused sport sedan, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a must-have. There's really no other entry-level four-door that comes close to matching its superb driving dynamics and unique road presence. But many will be put off by the compromises to passenger comfort and overall refinement it makes in its achieving this goal. | |
How does the Giulia drive? | |
Even powered by the standard turbocharged four-cylinder, the Alfa Romeo Giulia feels like a proper sports sedan. Its 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds is among the segment's quickest for a base engine-equipped vehicle, and it feels even quicker thanks to the significant punch of acceleration once the turbo engages. The steering wheel is nicely weighted, and the body responds quickly to steering inputs. Handling is superb, with little body roll and razor-sharp accuracy. Be sure to opt for summer tires if you want a good time; selecting the all-seasons severely degrades driving pleasure. A few faults drag down this score. The brakes clamp on pretty hard at the top of the pedal stroke and again right before coming to a stop, making smooth stops virtually impossible. The transmission also isn't quick to downshift when you really dig in for more speed. | |
How comfortable is the Giulia? | |
Though the Giulia is a sport sedan first and foremost, it's also reasonably comfortable. The front seats are well shaped and have plenty of adjustments to dial in the right position. The rears are also pleasant, with good lower back support. The ride rarely feels rough and is never skittish. Only cracked road surfaces transmit hard thunks into the cabin. And we love the sound of the Giulia's throaty exhaust. But most of these highlights are balanced against pitfalls. The seats have intrusive, unyielding thigh bolsters, and most drivers will rest their legs on top. The interior also lets in a lot of tire noise, and the engine that sounds great when wrung out is also hollow at low rpm. The automatic climate system underestimates airflow needs. | |
How’s the interior? | |
Some controls are oddly placed, and though the infotainment system supports both touchscreen and dial inputs, the latter can't control everything displayed. You'll have to use the screen to select a radio preset, for instance. The Giulia is hard to get in and out of because the middle pillar is pushed far forward — which hampers front access — and wheel arches that intrude into rear passenger space. And once you finally do get inside, headroom is tight especially in the back. The driver is the focus here, as evidenced by the attention to detail placed on this position. The seat and steering wheel are highly adjustable, and the armrests are at the perfect height for relaxed cruising. The metal shift paddles attached to the steering column are deeply satisfying to pull. And visibility is pretty good despite the compromised over-the-shoulder view due to the position of the middle pillar. | |
How’s the tech? | |
Alfa updated the Giulia's tech for 2020, but it still falls short of class leaders. The voice controls, in particular, are seriously deficient compared to more comprehensive Audi, BMW and Mercedes systems. The system appears to support natural language recognition until you say something it doesn't understand and a structured menu list pops up. Navigation input is cumbersome, and point-of-interest search rarely works. And while there are plenty of ports and pads to charge your devices, phone integration is poor. Bluetooth is slow to connect, so if you had a podcast at high volume playing when you turned off the car, upon restart, the radio will absolutely blast you away. There are a few highlights, including a Harman Kardon audio system well worth the $900 price tag. Driver aids are a little sensitive but fairly well executed. | |
How’s the storage? | |
Utility takes a back seat to performance, but the Giulia isn't a mere weekend car. At 13.4 cubic feet, the trunk offers more ultimate storage than most rivals, and there are enough storage spaces inside the car to stash your everyday gear. Numerous cubbies and pockets, though small, are spread throughout the cabin. As usual, the negatives come down to execution. While the trunk itself is large, the top edge of the trunk is almost in line horizontally with the bottom edge. So you don't drop items into the trunk as much as you bend over and slide them in, like you do with an oven. Put anything as far forward as the rear seatbacks, and you'll have to climb into the trunk to retrieve it. And though car seat anchors are easily accessible, the small door apertures and tight rear space will require moving the front seats to make a child safety seat fit. | |
How economical is the Giulia? | |
The Giulia AWD gets an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined (23 city/31 highway). This is typical for a compact luxury sedan with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive, but once you consider its superior acceleration, the Giulia gleams a little brighter. However, it earned 25.9 mpg on our 115-mile drive loop; typically we see results between the combined and highway numbers. A BMW 330i xDrive on the same route averaged 31.3 mpg, for instance. | |
Is the Giulia a good value? | |
The Giulia starts just north of $40,000, with our Ti Sport AWD tester with all manner of bells and whistles retailing for $56,240. It's actually not bad compared to the cost of similarly equipped rivals from Mercedes and BMW, and the Giulia is more engaging than either. The only spoiler is the Audi S4, which is quicker and sportier. Its cabin design is attractive and distinct, with ample use of leather, aluminum and soft-touch plastic. It seems like you get what you pay for, but a persistent rattle and wonky phone integration give a less-than-premium impression. Like most in the class, Alfa offers four years/50,000 miles of coverage for both its basic and powertrain warranties. Roadside assistance is covered for four years/unlimited miles, and the first maintenance visit is free. Many Alfa models have shown questionable reliability, though, so proceed with caution. | |
Wildcard | |
The Giulia has personality in spades. While the back end looks a little anonymous, the avian front end is distinctive — in a good way. Its interior, likewise, doesn't look like anything else out there. Satisfying steering, sublime handling, grippy seats, a rorty four-cylinder ... there are perhaps no other cars (with base engines) in this segment more engaging or fun to drive. Wonky brakes and a slightly laggy transmission are the only blemishes in an otherwise faultless driving experience. With the Giulia, you will likely know right away if it's the car for you. | |
The 2020 Giulia is available in three main trim levels: the base Giulia, the Ti and the high-performance Quadrifoglio. The Giulia and Ti models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (280 horsepower, 306 lb-ft) that puts its power to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is also available for all 2.0-liter cars. The Quadrifoglio uses a turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine (505 hp, 443 lb-ft).
NOTE: This video is about the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia, but since the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.
2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia
2020 Audi A4
If the Giulia is the passion-driven choice in the small luxury sedan segment, the A4 is the choice you'd make based on sensibility. The Audi has a more spacious back seat than the Alfa, it has better-quality materials in the cabin, and the infotainment interface is far easier to use. The A4, however, lacks some of the feedback and driving enjoyment provided by the Giulia.
The BMW 3 Series is a popular choice in the luxury sedan market, though it isn't as impressive or pulse-pounding as it once was. It has impressive handling and a comfortable ride on the highway, combined with two strong-but-efficient engine choices. The BMW certainly boasts better build quality than the Alfa too.
The Kia Stinger is competitively priced with a stylish exterior and an upscale interior that might surprise you. Like the Alfa, the Kia has multiple levels of performance depending on which engine you choose, and it's extremely entertaining to drive. The Stinger's back seat is bigger too. Between the two, the Kia is the one we'd prefer for daily driving.
Since its introduction in 2017, the Alfa Romeo Giulia has delivered an exceedingly appealing combination of style and driving fun. Alas, its interior storage and technology features fell far behind the curve of other compact luxury sedans. For 2020, Alfa Romeo has updated the interior and safety tech and added new standard features that seek to remedy these shortcomings.
The Alfa brand is on life support globally, and its lackluster showing in the U.S. isn't doing it any favors. We didn't have complaints about what the Giulia was like to drive, but it fell behind the class in terms of technology and storage — the kinds of practical things that matter to a lot of buyers.
While the 2020 updates are subtle, they appear to bring the Giulia in line with expectations set by the usual luxury sedan crew consisting of the Audi A4, the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Like those vehicles, the Giulia has a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine and is available with all-wheel drive. Savvy shoppers should also consider the Tesla Model 3, which offers excellent driving dynamics, superior technology and similar pricing.
Edmunds saysUpdated interior, technology and safety features address our biggest criticism of the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia and bring it to parity with other compact luxury sedans.
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia:
The least-expensive 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia is the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 4dr Sedan (2.9L 6cyl Turbo 8A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $74,500.
Other versions include:
