Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde 2016 Review

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde
Quick Spin

You don’t see a lot of Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verdes on the road… maybe the name’s too long. But from where we stand, rarity is a good thing. Well, mostly. The Giulietta QV may be getting a little long in the tooth, but it still offers decent value for money. Join us for a closer look.

What’s it all about?
Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde (or QV) underwent a facelift in its home market earlier this year, and the upgraded Giulietta Series 2 goes on sale in Australia next month (September 2016), when the QV tested here becomes known as the Veloce.

That's because QV is now Alfa Romeo’s performance brand -- equivalent to BMW's M and Mercedes-AMG – and will be reserved for high-end performance vehicles. Veloce is one step down from QV and engine specs for the upcoming Giulietta Veloce will remain unchanged from the Giulietta QV you see here.

In 1.8-litre turbo-powered QV form, the Gliulietta -- the only Alfa currently on sale in Australia apart from the  expensive and exclusive 4C -- represents a likeable, spritely presence in the small performance car segment and tops the hatch range, lording it over the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol Progression and mid-range Distinctive.

How much will it cost?
The Giulietta QV is tagged at $42,000 (plus on-road costs), which includes niceties such as sporty seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, bi-xenon lights, 18-inch alloys, 6.5-inch Uconnect infotainment with sat-nav and BOSE audio, dual-zone climate-control and aluminium pedals.

Oddly, there’s no reversing camera.

The Giulietta gets a three-year/150,000km warranty including roadside assistance, and requires servicing every 12 months, or 15,000km. An online menu price servicing arrangement provides “clear and consistent service schedules and pricing”.

Why should I buy it?
An Alfa Romeo would count for nought if it didn’t speak to the driver.

Fortunately, the Giulietta QV delivers with rousing, rorty performance and decisive road-holding. It steers with quick precision via the fastest ratio in its segment – a good thing then the seating is supportive and the cabin cosy.

Or is that too cosy? There really is very little in the way of leg or headroom for back-seat travellers.

Still, for the money, it’s a pretty good deal; undercut in this segment only by the Ford Focus ST.

When is it available in Australia?
The Giulietta QV is on sale now and available in dealerships right around the country.

Who will it appeal to?
Staunch ‘Alfitsi’ might get their rocks off on the highly-focussed 4C, but the Giuietta QV will better suit those with more utilitarian requirements – or even families with young (read: very small) children.

The boot is not too bad at 350 litres, and the load-through seat helps versatility to a fair degree.

Where does it fit?
Realistically, the Giulietta QV straddles the gap between light and small cars.

It competes with the Volkswagen Golf GTI, and also with Audi’s mercurial all-wheel drive sportster, the S1 Sportback quattro; and perhaps the recently-revised Volkswagen Polo GTI, too.

The sales charts also tell a story: Although sports versions aren’t separated in the official published figures, year-to-date sales (to June 2016) show Golf sales tallying 10,983 compared with just 373 Giuliettas.

At least owning a QV will ensure some sort of exclusivity…

So, what do we think?
Despite being a minnow in a somewhat rarefied pool, the QV’s artificially vocal powerplant, slick handling and admirable road presence qualify it as an Alfa worthy of the badge.

It’s competitively priced, and adds that Euro experience everybody should experience at least once.

2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde pricing and specifications:
Price: $42,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 177kW/340Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 162g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Audi S1 Sportback quattro (from $49,900 plus ORCs)
>> Ford Focus ST (from $38,990 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Golf GTI 40 Years (from $46,990 plus ORCs)

Related reading:
>> Warm Hatch Comparison
>> Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV Video Review