Alfa Romeo Giulia: 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year Finalist

We Like: The thrilling driving dynamics and unique design flair

We Don’t Like: Its touchy brakes and outdated infotainment interface

Whether in Quadrifoglio trim, with a Ferrari-spawned 505-hp 2.9-liter V-6 underhood, or with a 2.0-liter turbo-four generating “only” 280 hp, the Giulia resurrects the concept of spirited driving.

The Giulia achieves something that Acura, Lexus, Infiniti, and Jaguar have tried futilely to do for decades: build a better compact sport sedan than the dominant Deutschlanders.

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“There is sorcery in this car,” Chris Walton said. “The Giulia fills the space vacated by BMW. Yet even at the apex of its reign, a 3 Series never rode this well or cornered with such poise and precision simultaneously.”

Alfa understands the nuance that some drivers might desire a racy engine response without turning the suspension into a kidney-beating nightmare—hence the option of a softer suspension setting while in Dynamic mode. Putting the power to the pavement is a proven ZF eight-speed with 100-millisecond shift times.

And although many entrants have imitated the stark Germanic style, Alfa retained its heritage of how an Italian car’s exterior and interior should look and feel. As for safety, the Giulia was rated a Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS, its highest rating.

“This is a car that puts a smile on your face,” Christian Seabaugh said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re sitting at a stop light, bombing down a back road, or cruising on the highway. It just wants to please.”

Is the Giulia perfect? No. Its brake response is inconsistent, and its infotainment system needs an upgrade. But the trade-offs are worth it.

	2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia (Ti) Q2	2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia (Ti) Q4	2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
BASE PRICE	$40,990	$42,990	$73,595
PRICE AS TESTED	$50,035	$51,490	$85,495
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan	Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan	Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
ENGINE	2.0L/280-hp/306-lb-ft turbo SOHC 16-valve I-4	2.0L/280-hp/306-lb-ft turbo SOHC 16-valve I-4	2.9L/505-hp/443-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	3,559 lb (50/50%)	3,728 lb (52/48%)	3,808 lb (53/47%)
WHEELBASE	111.0 in	111.0 in	111.0 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	182.6 x 73.7 x 56.5 in	182.6 x 73.7 x 57.1 in	182.6 x 73.7 x 56.1 in
0-60 MPH	5.7 sec	5.4 sec	3.8 sec
QUARTER MILE	14.2 sec @ 99.4 mph	14.0 sec @ 98.3 mph	12.1 sec @ 118.5 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	120 ft	122 ft	99 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.83 g (avg)	0.80 g (avg)	0.97 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.1 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)	27.1 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)	24.2 sec @ 0.85 g (avg)
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	21.7/37.9/26.8 mpg	–	–
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	24/33/27 mpg	23/31/26 mpg	17/24/20 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	140/102 kW-hrs/100 miles	147/109 kW-hrs/100 miles	198/140 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.71 lb/mile	0.75 lb/mile	0.99 lb/mile

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