2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Review

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the latest entry into the compact luxury crossover SUV crowd. It differentiates itself through an appeal to emotion and driving enjoyment. To that end, it boasts distinctive styling, a powerful engine, and a name borrowed from a winding road in northern Italy.

Though the name might seem a better fit on a sports car, the Stelvio backs it up with sharp handling, accurate steering, and an engine that's eager to break speed limits. Indeed, Alfa Romeo has ensured that driving enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy about this SUV, from outfitting Sport trims with satisfying and enormous aluminum shift paddles to offering a rear locking mechanical differential.

The third vehicle Alfa Romeo has introduced during its return to the United States, the Stelvio is based largely on the Giulia sedan, sharing its powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine, chassis and trim levels. Also like the Giulia, the Stelvio will also be available in a high-performance, turbo V6-powered Quadrifoglio variant that will be available early next year.

Favoring sport means a few trade-offs when it comes to utility. The Stelvio is a little smaller than most of the SUVs it competes against, resulting in a more compact second row and tighter cargo volume. Its towing capability falls on the low side, and it is not intended to go off-road. The interior is also a little plain when compared to other options.

Still, the Stelvio's appeal rests on its special charm and character, and for that we think it's worth your consideration.

The 2018 Alfa Romeo is a compact, all-wheel-drive crossover luxury SUV that's available in three variants: a base Stelvio, luxury-oriented Ti and high-performance Quadrifoglio that will be available early next year. The solidly equipped base and Ti models come with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (280 horsepower, 306 pound-feet of torque) and an eight-speed automatic with all-wheel drive. The Quadrifoglio is a different animal entirely, with its stiffer suspension tuning, stickier tires and Ferrari-derived twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 (505 horsepower, 443 pound-feet of torque).

The base Stelvio comes standard with features such as 18-inch wheels, adaptive suspension dampers, Brembo brakes, xenon headlights, roof rails, a power liftgate, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient interior lighting, leather upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable front seats and adjustable drive settings. Technology features include a large driver information display, a 6.5-inch central touchscreen, a rearview camera, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, four USB ports (two in front and two charge-only ports for rear passengers) and an eight-speaker stereo system.

The Ti comes with more standard equipment, including 19-inch wheels, front parking sensors, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

A Sport package, available for both trims, adds larger diameter wheels (19 inches for base, 20 inches for the Ti), different exterior and interior trim, paddle shifters and stiffer suspension tuning. On top of that, the Ti gains sport front seats with power-adjustable bolsters.

A Ti-specific Performance package (late availability) adds a driver-adjustable adaptive suspension and a rear mechanical locking limited-slip differential, while a Ti Lusso package adds upgraded front seats, additional leather upholstery and upgraded interior trim.

Additional safety features are available through separate Static and Dynamic driver assistance packages. The former adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and auto-dimming mirrors. The latter includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning and auto high beams.

A Convenience package adds an adjustable rail cargo system, 115-volt auxiliary power and cargo net, and is available with or without a hands-free liftgate. Both the base and Ti offer a similar pool of stand-alone options that include navigation, Harman Kardon audio, a dual-pane sunroof, and a variety of wheel types and exterior colors.