Used Alfa Romeo Giulia (Mk1, 2016-date) review

Verdict

If our Driver Power survey results are anything to go by, the Alfa Romeo Giulia has been an extremely capable and popular car right from the get-go. And no wonder: Alfa spared no expense developing the Giulia, making the most of lightweight construction tech and a cutting-edge drivetrain to make sure it hit the ground running. Then you have to factor in the interior and exterior styling, which was fresh when it arrived and remains the most distinctive in the class today. By the time you’ve turned your attention to the equipment levels, driving experience, reliability and the asking price, the Giulia will have swayed many potential suitors already. There’s no manual gearbox, but that’s not a deal-breaker as the standard auto is very good.

With over a century passing since the first Alfa Romeo was introduced to the world, the Italian brand has seen countless highs and lows on both the road and racetrack. More recently, it has positioned itself as a fully fledged rival to premium brands like Mercedes, Audi and BMW. While many fans of the brand see its cars as sporting and characterful,  others have deemed Alfas as unreliable, with poor support from dealerships.

Historically this might be true, but modern Alfas are proving to be far more reliable than they used to. Yes, the dealer network can be inconsistent, but investing in an Alfa Romeo isn’t the gamble it once was.

Models covered

• Alfa Romeo Giulia Mk1 (2016-date) – Alfa truly proved it could take on the Germans with this desirable, reliable saloon.

History

The Giulia went on sale in the UK in October 2016 with a choice of a 197bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine or a 2.2-litre JTDm-2 diesel in 148bhp and 178bhp forms. There was also a 503bhp 2.9 V6 Quadrifoglio edition.

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All UK cars got an eight-speed automatic transmission - a six-speed manual gearbox was offered but only in mainland Europe. In April 2017 the 280bhp Giulia Veloce arrived, then from August 2018 there was a higher-spec Veloce Ti with many of the Quadrifoglio’s features, such as 19-inch wheels, leather/Alcantara heated sports seats and carbon interior trim.

From this point on all Giulias got an 8.8-inch display plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, and the diesel engines now had 158bhp or 187bhp. A new infotainment system and driver assistance kit were fitted from February 2020.

Trim levels were simplified in 2021 to just four levels - Sprint, Veloce, Veloce Ti and Quadrifoglio.

Which one should I buy?

Most Giulias have a petrol engine. The turbocharged 2.0-litre is the most common and is a brilliant unit that suits the Alfa’s sporty nature. The 2.9-litre V6 in the Quadrifoglio provides epic performance, and while running costs are high, they’re no worse than similarly-powered rivals. The diesel engine is a refined, frugal and torquey motor that complements the car very well and would particularly suit the motorway commute.

Entry-level Giulia models come with 16-inch alloy wheels, a 6.5-inch display, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, dual-zone climate control and rear parking sensors. Moving up through the range adds part-leather trim, an 18.8-inch display and 17-inch wheels, 18-inch alloys, xenon headlights, electrically adjustable heated front sports seats, a heated steering wheel and washer jets, along with sportier trim inside and out, including reprofiled bumpers.

Alternatives to the Alfa Romeo Giulia

Marketed as a premium saloon for enthusiast drivers, the Giulia’s closest rival is the BMW 3 Series – one of the most well-rounded cars on sale with excellent build quality, a great driving experience and a wide model range. These traits are shared by the Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4; while the former is generally rear-wheel drive, the latter focuses on front-wheel drive, although four-wheel drive is available on all three.

If a great drive is a priority, the Jaguar XE should also be on your shortlist. As with the Alfa, it only comes as a saloon. Another option is the Lexus IS, which isn’t much fun to drive, but is reliable and comes with hybrid drive.

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What to look for

Run-flats

The Speciale, Veloce and Quadrifoglio all came with run-flat tyres as standard, so weren’t fitted with a spare wheel.

Folding seats

Whereas the Giulia and Super have fixed rear seats, the Speciale’s and Veloce’s fold down flat to make the boot more practical.

Warranty

Until 1 July 2018, the Giulia came with a three-year manufacturer’s warranty, but after this date it was boosted to five years.

Trim levels

The trim hierarchy was revised in February 2020 and consisted of Super, Lusso Ti, Sprint and Veloce. This was then revised again in 2021 and now consists of Sprint, Veloce, Veloce Ti and Quadrifoglio.

Interior

The Alfa Romeo Giulia isn’t an old car by any stretch of the imagination, but newer examples are noticeably more plush than earlier editions, with improved multimedia systems and cabin materials.

All Giulias have an attractive interior though, with an uncluttered dashboard and fairly high-quality switchgear – although some buttons and dials could be a bit more premium. The seats are perfectly comfortable and supportive, while there’s reasonable space in the rear; it’s tight for five though.

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At 480 litres, the boot’s capacity is par for the course in the sector – buying a model fitted with folding rear seats will help improve practicality.

Prices

For the latest pricing details on the Alfa Romeo Giulia, visit our sister site Buyacar or use our free valuation tool below.

Running costs

Buy a petrol-engined Giulia and you’ll have to get it serviced every 9,000 miles or 12 months; the diesel stretches this to every 12,000 miles or annually. Whichever you buy, services run in a six-year cycle. For petrol cars, prices range between £197 and £400; for diesels expect £182-£655. The fifth service (due by 60,000 miles) is costly for the 2.2d because the cambelt has to be changed; the petrol engines are chain driven.

If you’ve got a Quadrifoglio the range is typically £350-£900, although a big service is due every four years/36,000 miles, at around £1,200. This includes replacing the auxiliary drive belt and tensioner, which is a costly job.

Recalls

Alfa Romeo has recalled the standard Giulia on five occasions so far, the first being in March 2018. This was because 11 cars (including some Stelvio SUVs) built in November and December 2017 had incorrect brake fluid put in when they were on the production line.

Next, some Giulias built up to June 2019 were recalled in July 2019 because of faulty cruise control software, then two months later another campaign was launched for Giulias built up to August 2019 with a faulty fuel gauge. Fuel leaks were the reason for the fourth recall, which came in December 2019. This affected 116 diesel Giulias built between December 2017 and September 2019.

The most recent recall was in January 2020 because 57 Giulias and Stelvios made between November 2018 and September 2019 had faulty seat latches.

A small number of Giulia Quadrifoglios were also recalled in March 2021 due to the possibility of the rear brake discs having small cracks.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The Giulia notched up third place in our 2018 new-car poll of 75 cars and repeated the feat in the following year – but it hasn’t appeared in any survey since. The 2019 poll showed that owners aren’t impressed by the Giulia’s thirst or practicality, but other than that it was generally top-10 scores all the way, including numerous first places, especially for many of the car’s dynamic aspects.