2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia

We’ll confess to experiencing a certain thrill whenever we get behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Giulia. Actually, it starts when walking up to it. The Giulia has a distinct style reminding us of classic Alfas. On the move, there’s a poise and pep to the Giulia that’s typical of the marque. Our owner reviews wax lyrical over these same attributes. German and Asian rivals are great, but an Alfa Romeo still has a little extra special something.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact luxury cars, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Alfa Romeo has reduced the number of trim levels to two. Well, one base model plus a special edition, the Tributo Italiano. This limited run includes an adaptive suspension, limited-slip differential, 19-inch alloy wheels, Harman Kardon audio system, red stitching on the seats, sunroof, plus Italian flags on the side mirrors and front headrests. A new Veloce options bundle brings a limited-slip differential, red-painted brake calipers, 19-inch alloy wheels, sport front seats with power-adjustable bolsters, and gloss black window surrounds. A new exterior paint color, Verde (green) Fangio Metallic, is also available.

One variant conspicuous by its absence is the high-performance Quadrifoglio. It’s another casualty of the company’s cuts for 2025. This trimming of, um, trim levels usually means a model is nearing the end of its life. After all, the Giulia debuted for the 2017 model year. The buzz is that a new generation of Giulia slated for 2026 will be a sleek hatchback — along the lines of an Audi A7.

The benchmark of this class is the BMW 3 Series, followed closely by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class — both begin at slightly higher prices than the Giulia. Anyone interested in an Alfa Romeo has perhaps already dismissed the idea of choosing something obvious, so we think the Genesis G70 should also be considered, starting below the Giulia.

Before buying a new Alfa Romeo Giulia luxury sedan, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Sadly, the Giulia’s resale values languish at the bottom of our class ratings. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 2025 Giulia is propelled by 280 horsepower. That’s more muscle than most of the competition’s base engines, outdone only by the 300-horsepower Genesis G70 2.5T. It’s enough to send the Giulia sprinting from standstill to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, one of the quicker times of this class.

When a luxury car comes with a sport suspension as standard, it’s a good omen for enthusiasts. It makes an agile partner to this zesty engine. We’d call the Giulia a sport sedan, yet it’s also sufficiently civilized for rough city roads and freeways. We’d relish any journey if we could take it in the Giulia, even visiting the dentist.

Fuel Economy

Enviable power doesn’t have to mean unenviable fuel economy. Rear-drive versions of the Giulia return 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving — three miles per gallon better than the Genesis G70, but not as good as the BMW 330i. With all-wheel drive, the Giulia achieves a still-respectable 26 mpg combined.

During the course of shopping for your new compact luxury sedan, if you’ve stepped out of an Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, or even a Genesis G70 and jumped straight into an Alfa Romeo Giulia, we get why you might feel underwhelmed, perhaps disappointed. The cabin isn’t quite so sharply stylish as the exterior.

It’s still nice, though, with decent materials, a great driving position, and the engine start/stop button set into the steering wheel. We like the front sport seats that hold their occupants in place during quick cornering and we’ve still found them comfortable after a couple of hours. We reserve our biggest gripe for the smallest sunshades we’ve ever seen.

Rear passenger space is not that friendly to adults of above-average size (rear legroom measures 35.1 inches), but neither are most of the other cars in this class. Trunk space of 13.4 cubic feet is better than some, but look at the BMW 3 Series if this is a priority.

After all this time, we think the Giulia remains one of the more handsome premium compact sedans, enhancing modern appearances with reminders of the marque’s fine heritage. Versions of that triangular grille have been on many classic Alfa cars. The optional 5-hole alloy wheels are the most contemporary iteration of a design that’s been used for decades. Over those years, Alfa Romeo has won fans who care about the marque and its styling that other companies can’t seem to inspire.

White is the only “free” exterior paint choice with the Giulia. Others cost $695 or $2,200 for the new Verde Fangio Metallic.

2.0-liter engine
It sounds great, delivers its thrust in a responsive and lively manner, has plenty of power, and still manages decent fuel economy.

Digital instrument cluster
A 12.3-inch digital driver information display is standard. This sort of feature was pioneered by Audi and now practically every luxury car has one, as well as quite a few mainstream vehicles. Technology isn’t really a Giulia strength, but this helps.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Phone integration is standard in the 2025 Giulia. Admittedly, we expect as much these days, but let us all appreciate the convenience.

Q4 all-wheel drive
Alfa Romeo’s Q4 all-wheel drive system is optional, so people living in areas that sometimes suffer Mother Nature’s darker moods can still brighten their day with a drive in an Alfa Romeo that sends up to 60 percent of torque to the front wheels if necessary.

Harman Kardon audio
Available with the Tributo Italiano edition, or as part of a package that also includes a leather-covered dash and door tops, we think this 14-speaker system is a definite upgrade over the stock setup.

Tributo Italiano
We think that if you’re going to buy an Alfa Romeo, then celebrate its heritage, because there’s a lot of it. This limited edition also comes with many desirable extras, like an adaptive suspension, sport seats, and a limited-slip differential.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia employs a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. This connects to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the standard setup here, with all-wheel drive offered as an option.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Alfa Romeo’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This arrangement is typical among European manufacturers in the luxury bracket. Roadside assistance is provided for the same period. The first service is also included, as long as it occurs within 12 months or 10,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The only agency in the United States to crash-test the Giulia is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) where the car took top scores of Good in the main categories. However, it also has an Incomplete rating for an updated small front overlap impact scenario. Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.