Alfa Romeo 147 2002 Review

Alfa Romeo has a reputation for building stylish cars with plenty of sporting character. In more recent times, however, the wonderful character has often been marred by less than acceptable build quality.

Fiat taking over the reins of the famous marquee seems to have fixed most of the old problems without destroying the traditional flair, if the current crop of Alfa Romeo beauties, launched here in 1998, are any indication.

The latest Alfa to arrive here is the 147, a compact hatch with style and good looks that raise it above less inspired models. On appearance alone the baby Alfa with its cute retro nose and sensuous shape is a standout.

But it's unlikely that the judges awarded last year's European Car of the Year to the 147 for its looks alone. After spending a pleasant few days in the driver's seat, it's evident that the 147's appeal goes a lot further than skin deep.

Not only is it fun to drive, but it's jam-packed with enough features and safety equipment to justify its almost $40,000 pricetag.

The Alfa 147 is available in three and five-door hatchback styles. With two extra doors the five-door version is more practical, but the three-door, which we tested here, has a slightly more sporty design highlighted by big 17-inch alloy wheels.

The sharp styling extends inside with its all black interior and fake brushed metal highlights. The comfortable and supportive front seats can be trimmed in optional leather a worthwhile $2500 investment just for the intoxicating aroma. Other options include sunroof ($1875) and metallic paint ($890).

Leather is also on the steering wheel and gearknob, while a stylish instrument pods surround the electronic display. Practicality points are lost with some awkward switchgear and small buttons, although audio controls on the steering wheel make changing channels a lot safer. The speedo is hard to see, but not at night when the entire display lights up in dazzling red.

As mentioned, fit and finish appears to be a vast improvement over Alfas of old - there's barely a rattle over the roughest surfaces and even the doors make a promising 'clunk'.

As you'd expect from a prestige Euro hatch, the 147 comes well equipped with climate-control air-con, remote entry, power windows, electric mirrors, cruise control, and single CD player.

It's also fully loaded with safety features including front side and window airbags, side curtains, anti-lock brakes, and traction control.

The driving experience doesn't disappoint either. The latest version of Alfa's Twin Spark engine emits a glorious note through its chrome pipes, and loves to rev all the way to its 7000rpm cut-off. When you become tired of racing through the twisty bits, it's also quite happy cruising on the highway in fifth gear at 3000rpm.

Acceleration is not lightning fast but quick enough for most. The 2.0-litre engine pumps out a respectable 110kW at 6300rpm, and 181Nm of torque at 3800rpm. Alfa claims it will shoot from standstill to 100km/h in around nine seconds, with fuel economy on average hovering around 10litres/100km.

Gear changing with the five-speed manual is a little rubbery for a hot hatch pretender, but otherwise positive and fast. For those who like changing gears with paddles on the steering wheel, the Selespeed auto is available for an extra $3000.

Handling is sporty without being hard-edged like some other sporty hatches. The 147 has a nice chuckable feel about it. You can throw it into corners with confidence, with predictable levels of understeer and plenty of grip provided by the fat Pirelli tyres.

For a small car it's very solid over bumps and rough surfaces, the taut suspension soaking up everything but the biggest potholes with ease. Overall, it offers a good compromise between sharp handling and a comfortable ride.

The only drawback is the compact dimensions. The 147 is great for inner-city parking - despite a big turning circle - but only has space to comfortably seat four adults and stash a few small bags. Access to the rear seats is good, with an easy flip-forward seat. Leg room is passable, provided the front seats are pushed right back. Taller rear seat passengers will get sore necks banging their heads against the low sloping roofline.

Alfa does its best with the limited room, providing plenty of small storage spaces including a fold-down centre armrest and credit car holder in the dash.

The boot can be opened by remote, or by inserting the key in the latch hidden behind the badge. Thanks to a spacesaver tyre, there's reasonable room for luggage. But it's too narrow to squeeze in the golf clubs.

It's not surprising that the 147 has become Alfa's top-selling model in Australia, and is also selling well against the competition. It offers a big car feel, without the bulk, and is good value for money provided you don't need the extra space.