2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

Name: 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review
Brand: Alfa Romeo
Price: 23850 USD

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Sedan Exterior

+348

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.

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Alfa Romeo Giulia model years

Alfa Romeo Giulia for Sale

Alfa Romeo Giulia types

Sedan
Quadrifoglio

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2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

byCameron Rogers^{Manager, News
Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at Edmunds include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).}

Pros

Strong turbocharged engine lineup
Sleek interior
High performance of the Quadrifoglio model
Infotainment system has an easy user interface

Cons

Rear-seat space is tight for the class
The base-model seats are flat and uncomfortable
Trunk space is adequate but awkward to access
Noticeable engine and road noise

What's new

Revised trim levels and option packages
Part of the first Giulia generation introduced in 2017

Overview

You have plenty of good choices for a small luxury sedan. But when you really get down to it, these well-intentioned four-doors can seem a bit stale. Handsome but derivative styling? Check. Well-appointed but soulless interior? Yep. Sanitized driving experience? Drive one and you've driven them all. But there is one sedan that stands out: the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) 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 $4.04 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$180/mo

$166/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Partially by virtue of Alfa's small vehicle lineup, the Giulia's interior looks like nothing else on the market (well, except the Stelvio SUV with which it shares a common platform). Equal parts high-tech and sporty, the cabin looks every bit worthy of the Giulia's premium price tag. And even a short stint behind the wheel reveals the Giulia's sport sedan credentials, with superb steering feel and responsive handling. There's also the Quadrifoglio with its bonkers 505-horsepower V6. The Giulia isn't faultless — check out our Expert Rating to read our in-depth analysis — but its personality is a perfect antidote to small luxury sedan blandness.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Average

7.4

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8.0/10

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.

Comfort

7.5/10

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.

Interior

7.0/10

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.

Technology

6.5/10

How’s the tech? The Giulia's tech 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. The available Harman Kardon audio system sounds crisp and punchy, and the driver safety aids, while a little too sensitive, work well overall.

Storage

6.5/10

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.

Fuel Economy

6.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The all-wheel-drive Giulia 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 evaluation route; typically we see results between the combined and highway numbers. A BMW 330i xDrive on the same route averaged 31.3 mpg, for instance.

Value

7.0/10

Is the Giulia a good value? The Giulia starts just north of $40,000, and our Ti Sport AWD test car, with all manner of bells and whistles, stickered for more than $55,000. It's actually not bad compared to the cost of similarly equipped rivals from Mercedes and BMW, though other sedans from Acura, Lexus and Volvo are generally priced lower.

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. Still, our test car had a persistent rattle and wonky phone integration system.

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

9.0/10

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.

Which Giulia does Edmunds recommend?

We like the base Sprint model; it comes loaded with features that often cost extra on rivals, making it something of a bargain. But the Giulia's wealth of customization options really opens up on the Ti and Ti Sport trims. Both turn this well-equipped luxury sedan into something truly special.

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia models

The 2021 Giulia is available in four main trim levels: Sprint, Ti, Ti Sport and the high-performance Quadrifoglio. The first three are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (280 horsepower, 306 lb-ft) matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. The Quadrifoglio is rear-wheel-drive only and uses a turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine (505 hp, 443 lb-ft).

Sprint
The base Giulia Sprint starts you off with:

17-inch alloy wheels
Xenon headlights
Keyless entry and ignition
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Driver-seat memory settings
Leather upholstery
8.8-inch touchscreen
Eight-speaker audio system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)

Ti
Upgrading to the midlevel Ti adds:

18-inch wheels
Panoramic sunroof
Navigation system
Front parking sensors
Heated steering wheel and heated front seats

Ti Sport
On top of the Ti's equipment, the Ti Sport adds:

Limited-slip rear differential (can enhance traction when accelerating)
19-inch wheels
Extendable thigh cushion and side bolster adjustment for front seats
Sport front seats

Quadrifoglio
In addition to Ti Sport upgrades, the high-performance Quadrifoglio includes:

Summer performance tires
Adaptive suspension dampers
Upgraded brakes
Torque-vectoring differential
Active aerodynamics
Carbon-fiber body panels
Auto-dimming outside mirrors
Carbon-fiber interior trim
Faux suede seat inserts
14-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system

There are a few key option packages to look out for, including:

Active Assist 1 package

Auto-dimming exterior mirrors
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Alfa Romeo and the car in front)
Front parking sensors

Active Assist 2 package

Active Assist 1 package
Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
Lane keeping assist (steers the Giulia back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

Lusso package

Extended leather trim
Wood veneers
Air filtration system

Premium package

Heated rear seats
14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Wireless charging pad

Sun and Sound package

Panoramic sunroof
10-speaker audio system

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia.

5 (78%)

4 (20%)

3 (2%)

2 (0%)

1 (0%)

4.8

49 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Special car

Alan, 09/22/2018

2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

One of the best handing drive when compared to the 3 series and C class that I owned previously. I got the sport ti with the sport suspension. The car has almost no body roll yet the ride felt very comfortable. Not overly stiff. I think Alfa did a great job with the suspension and power for the car.

tall cool woman in a black dress

old kritzell, 04/22/2021

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

ive got 950 miles on my black giulia sprint and so far it has been awesome . its crazy fast , handles like a sports car , is quiet and comfortable . quality and materials are first rate . so far i am getting 28 mpg and often sticking my foot in it . getting 30+ should be easy on a trip . for those who are critical of this car , i say drive one . you will love it .

Best car I ever owned

Vincenzo, 08/06/2019

2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

4 years of bliss and flawless driving. I don't think I will ever separate myself from this car.

Lead foot

lead foot, 03/17/2019

2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I leased this car last July 2018, after I turned in a BMW 328 X drive. The Alfa was 10 grand cheaper than another Beemer so I went for the Alfa. I'm shocked, this is really a fine vehicle with one exception the front license plate frame it's mounted on the drive side upper part of the bumper and it's the only place you can place it because of the "v" shape nose. {NY}. The only other item …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia, so we've included reviews for other years of the Giulia since its last redesign.

See all 49 reviews of the Alfa Romeo Giulia

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2021 Giulia Highlights

Type:

Sedan

Trim:

Sprint

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$40,350
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$180/month
Seating	5 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Giulia models:

Adaptive Cruise Control: Maintains a set interval from the vehicle ahead and can bring the vehicle to a stop without driver intervention.
Forward Collision Warning Plus: Warns of an impending collision and, in some circumstances, brings the vehicle to a stop if a collision appears imminent.
Lane Departure Warning: Puts out a buzzing noise to alert you if you're drifting out of your lane.

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) 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 $4.04 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Giulia does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia models

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia.

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Special car

tall cool woman in a black dress

Best car I ever owned

Lead foot

2021 Giulia Highlights

Safety

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2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) 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 $4.04 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Giulia does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia models

Most helpful consumer reviews

Special car

tall cool woman in a black dress

Best car I ever owned

Lead foot

2021 Giulia Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia info

Vehicle reviews of used models

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Shop used vehicles in your area

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Research similar vehicles

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Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) 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 $4.04 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}