Used 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia

The 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia is among the newest compact-luxury sports sedans to take on established rivals like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It joins a crowded and competitive segment, but the Giulia manages to stand out.

As with its Stelvio crossover-SUV sibling, the Giulia is the only car in its segment made in Italy. It also boasts luscious design, rear- or all-wheel drive, and comes with a class-leading 280-horsepower turbocharged engine. For drivers with far deeper pockets and the desire to have a sedan with a Ferrari-derived engine, there’s the exclusive, 505-horsepower Giulia Quadrifoglio that costs around $75,000.

For 2020 the Giulia has been enhanced with better tech and added driver-assistance and safety features. At just over $39,000, the Giulia is slightly less than its BMW and Mercedes rivals, but pricier than a Lexus IS, Acura TLX and Volvo S60. It’s also more expensive and has less standard equipment than the phenomenal new Genesis G70. What the Giulia has that no rival can touch, is its Italian essence and air of exclusivity.

While Alfa Romeo is still reestablishing itself since returning to America, the Italian brand knows how to make a proper sports car. It’s been doing so for over a century now. Alfa has a way of blending passion and performance, and the 2020 Giulia is a testament to both. In a segment where the BMW 3 Series has long been the benchmark, the Giulia gives it a serious run for its money if based on pure driving pleasure and engagement.

With its standard 280 horsepower — the most in the segment — the Giulia does 0-60 mph in just 5.5. seconds. That’s a hair quicker than the all-new BMW 3 Series, and still faster than most other things on the road. A standard sport suspension and balanced chassis lend well to tearing around corners, but the trade-off is a stiffer ride quality.

The smooth 8-speed automatic transmission shifts eagerly whether left to its own devices or controlled via the large — perhaps too large — steering-column-mounted paddles. If you’re adamant about a manual transmission in your entry-level luxury sedan, turn your attention to the Genesis G70. Even BMW has abandoned stick shifts in its latest 3 Series.

If you have deep pockets and desire a more exclusive alternative to a BMW M3 or Mercedes-AMG C-Class, check out the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Its twin-turbo V6 unleashes 505 horsepower, does 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and has an intoxicating exhaust note. Available in rear-wheel-drive only, this Alfa Quadrifoglio is an absolute blast that’s track-ready. Just know that its suspension is appropriately performance-car stiff.

The Giulia’s interior design has been refreshed for 2020, with one of the biggest changes coming in the tech department. Now standard is the 8.8-inch wide-screen infotainment display that was formerly optional. Also included in all models is a revised 7-inch digital instrument cluster.

Some practical manners have also been improved, such as larger cup holders, improved storage nooks and an available wireless phone charging pad. The Giulia’s 5-passenger cabin remains more straightforward and intuitive than some rivals, and not quite as flashy. We liken it more to the sleekness and minimalism of a BMW 3 Series than the opulence of a Mercedes-Benz.

The optional paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel are huge, almost ostentatious, but we like the start button housed within the steering wheel. Soft Italian leather is standard and sport seats are available on the Ti trim, though even the standard ones are above-average in comfort. Rear-seat legroom is about average in this class — not huge, but adequate for two adults. Trunk capacity is also about average, and we like its 40/20/40-split-fold seat with ski pass-through.

Few eyes will argue that the Alfa Romeo isn’t a beautiful car. And while some of its curves and shapes will remind of others in this segment such as the Infiniti Q50, Genesis G70 and even bits of the Acura TLX, the Giulia has distinctions that make it stand out as an Alfa Romeo. Nowhere is that better seen that up front, with Alfa’s scudetto (“little shield”) grille. Where many of the Giulia’s rivals have big, gaping maws, the inverted pyramid is noteworthy.

Again available this year is the Nero Edizione, which adds aggressive, darkened touches to the grille, exhaust tips, mirror caps and window surrounds. Wheels range in size from 17 inches to 19 inches. The high-performance 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio further stands out with quad tailpipes and the 4-leaf-clover emblem mounted above the front-wheel arches. That symbol may as well say, “Eat my Italian dust.”

Q4 ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Available on all Giulia trims except the Quadrifoglio for an extra $2,000, Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive (AWD) option turns this rear-drive (RWD) sports sedan into an all-season tourer that grants more confidence on slick roads. The system has the ability to deliver up to 60 percent of the engine’s torque to the front wheels.

GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO
Yes, it’s a mouthful (and translates to “4-leaf clover”), but the Quadrifoglio is a legitimate high-performance sedan. If an engine derived from Alfa’s cousin Ferrari isn’t proof, look at the numbers: 505 horsepower that enables 0-60-mph blasts of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph.

The Giulia lineup spans seven trims, including a half-dozen for the standard model. Even the least expensive Giulia comes with a nice roster of equipment that includes leather upholstery, 10-way power-adjust front seats, dual-zone climate control, remote vehicle start, universal garage remote, keyless entry and rear parking sensors.

The standard infotainment system bundles an 8.8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Newly standard is a forward-collision warning system with automatic emergency braking. Stepping up to the Giulia Sport model adds 18-inch wheels, unique front fascia and rear diffuser, and the availability of steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

All-wheel drive can be had on every Giulia except the Quadrifoglio. Ti models add heated front seats and heated steering wheel, woodgrain interior trim. The two base models can be made safer with options like blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

Still, for the most safety and driver-assist systems you’ll have to step up to a Ti trim, which offers lane-keeping functionality, traffic-sign recognition, and driver-attention monitor. Other options include dual-pane sunroof, 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, navigation and wireless charging pad.

At the top of the lineup, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio includes a 505-horsepower twin-turbo V6, and high-performance hardware like upgraded Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, carbon-fiber hood, adaptive suspension and torque-vectoring rear differential. Also offered in the Quadrifoglio are carbon-fiber brakes costing a cool $8,000.

The Alfa Romeo uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, similar to rivals. The Alfa, though, punches above its weight, making 280 horsepower and a stouter 306 lb-ft of torque. That oomph is sent to the rear wheels or, in Q4 models, all four. In standard form, the Giulia is quick and satisfying.

As for the Giulia Quadrifoglio, it’s a beast. That high-performance Giulia uses a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 derived from Ferrari. It sends 505 horsepower to the rear wheels and has rocket-like performance.

Both engines are linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Giulia has a drive-mode selector with three modes called DNA: Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency. Quadrifoglio models have a fourth mode called Race, which optimizes the car for exactly that.

At up to 33 mpg in standard form, the Giulia is efficient relative to the power it packs. Like other new cars, the Giulia has an engine start/stop system that cuts power at idle. If you don’t like the restarts, the system can be disabled via a button next to the headlight switch.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
280 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
306 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/33 mpg (RWD), 23/31 mpg (AWD)

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6
505 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
443 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25 mpg