Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

  

 I am not sure there’s a bigger automotive cliché than the hackneyed ‘you’re not a true petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo’ line. Nor a less accurate one.

Perhaps I was simply born into the wrong era, taking my first breath just at the point when the Latin giant’s last truly great cars were drawing their last, and the modern era of front-wheel drive, poor steel and unreliability was getting under way.

As I grew up, the name made great by the likes of the Le Mans-winning 8C, the groundbreaking Giulietta and the jewel-like Giulia was hitting rock bottom with a badge-engineered Datsun Cherry, so it’s maybe not surprising that I’ve never felt the need to justify my passion for cars by rehoming a posh Fiat.

Until now, that is. Because Alfa Romeo is going through a renaissance. Spearheaded by the fabulous Giulia saloon and its Stelvio SUV wingman, it will soon be reinforced by the compact hybrid Tonale, the firm's first full EV and more. The Alfa Romeo Giulia is beginning to appear where once the BMW 3 Series was the default choice, although the Alfa Romeo Stelvio remains relatively rare in the UK despite the current SUV love-in.

And what an SUV, particularly in flagship Quadrifoglio form: 503bhp, 0-60mph in 3.8sec, 176mph flat out, and if there is a better-looking offroader, I have yet to see it. Certainly, the Porsche Macan and Porsche Cayenne – the Alfa straddles their markets, bigger than the former and smaller than the latter – can’t hold a candle to it in terms of pure visual appeal. That style is further aided on my car by the optional Misano Blue paint, black 21in rims and yellow calipers (costly at £450, but particularly arresting), yet even in its lowlier forms, this is a very attractive shape.

But are looks enough to pick a Stelvio over a Porsche? Where the German opposition does steal a march is in interior quality, something Alfa worked hard on with the model’s most recent facelift in late 2020. Once you get used to the slightly low-set steering wheel, the driving position is great. It’s roomy, too, with a decent boot. The improved finishes are noticeable, with lashings of carbonfibre, a leather-wrapped dash and soft plastics where you come into contact with them.

Crucially, though, the sense of quality is miles ahead of where Alfa used to be – not necessarily the materials themselves, but the way the car has been assembled. A slight clang to the doors aside, it feels solid and properly screwed together. It might not have achieved parity with the class best – the infotainment system in particular lacks a bit of logic – but it looks and feels special, which is just what you expect for near-£80k car with a few choice options.