The Stelvio is Alfa Romeo's SUV, and it is built around the same conviction as the Giulia saloon it shares a platform with: that a car should steer better than its rivals even if that costs something elsewhere. The rack is the fastest in the class by a distance, the weight distribution is close to even, and the result is an SUV that changes direction like a much smaller car. On a canyon road it is genuinely, obviously better than what it is priced against.
It is a usable one, too. Five seats, a proper boot, all-wheel drive, and a ride that is firm but never brittle. The cabin is simpler and more driver-focused than a German rival's — fewer screens, a deep instrument binnacle, and column-mounted aluminium paddles that are among the best-feeling controls at this price.
Honest hook: interior materials and infotainment are a step behind the German cars. You are buying the chassis and the badge, and both are worth it.
- The fastest steering rack in the class — the reason to choose it
- All-wheel drive, five seats, a proper boot
- Column-mounted aluminium paddles
- Dark bronze-grey over gloss-black wheels · $159 a day