Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV 2011 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $41,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Nil
Crash rating: Five-star
Fuel: 95 RON
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.6
CO2 emissions (g/km): 177
Also consider: Volkswagen Golf GTI, Mazda 3 MPS, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Alfa Romeo has put a lot of thought into its new small car, the Giulietta, and it's paid off handsomely. The car is a delight to drive, surprisingly frugal, easy on the eye and kitted out with the kind of mod cons that make daily driving pleasant.

The high performance Giulietta QV, or Quadrifoglio Verde to give it the full billing, is the halo model, the hi-po hatch designed to set tongues wagging and hearts racing.

Powered by a 1.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that cranks out a very tasty 173kW/300Nm, and hooked up to a splendid six-speed manual ’box, it’s good for a zippy 6.8 second zero to 100km/h sprint.

Priced at $41,990 the Giulietta QV takes on the likes of the Golf GTI, Mazda3 MPS and Mitsubishi’s Ralliart Lancer. Sure, it costs a few grand more, but it's got something none of its main rivals do - Italian flair.

This can be felt in the way the car drives - it's quick but won't knock your passengers around - but even more so in the way it looks and feels. Things like the curvaceous silhouette and bold styling cues, including LED-festooned head and brake light clusters, the classic V-shaped grille and racy, ground-hugging stance.

Rear door handles hidden in the C pillar create a coupe-like look with the practicality of a five-door hatch (a nod to its predecessor, the 147) while the gorgeous 18-inch alloy wheel rims partially conceal sporty red brake calipers.

Viewed from five paces or 50, there's no mistaking its Italian heritage but step inside and things get even more interesting; the exotic cabin has more in common with Euro supercars than Jap hot hatches.

Settled in the firm sports seat, it’s the retro dip-switches that split the ultra trendy slim line stereo above, and the neat HVAC controls below, that draw the eye. Alfa knows how to deliver an interior experience and toggling the dip-switches and rotating the dials results in a level of tactile pleasure not normally associated with $40k cars.

Then there’s the simple but sporty instrument cluster finished in black, white and red which, like in the MiTo light up with a red hue when the sun goes down.

The top-notch glossy black plastic door inserts look sensational, and the partial leather seats with their ribbed squabs and backs and Alfa Romeo embroidery add to the occasion. Lateral bolstering on the front seats is best described as adequate.

Ergonomics are great, except for the centre armrest which gets in the way of gearshifts (thankfully it can be titled out of the way).

The steering wheel is a nice black leather job with red stitched highlights, but is let down by sloppy button response. Cruise control initiation is vague, and like the rest of the steering wheel controls doesn't register quick presses and requires a double or triple click.

Other quibbles include the hand brake, angled upwards slightly when not in operation, which can be unnerving, and a somewhat tight pedal box (and the omission of a foot rest).

That aside, it would be fair to say the Giulietta QV has the best interior in its class.

Cruising to and from work in the Alfa proved to be a very pleasant experience; the engine a real charmer with heaps of drive from low in the rev range and the clutch nice and light.

The DNA mode selector is handy for a range of scenarios, allowing the driver to switch between low, medium and high power modes in seconds. I left it in 'N' (normal) most of the time as when flicked to 'D' (dynamic) the throttle response is so sharp it makes bumper-to-bumper driving a little sketchy.

Get out in the countryside though, and the 1.7-litre turbo donk really comes alive. Switch the DNA mode selector to 'D' and the dials pulse with light momentarily, letting you know it's party time.

Drop the hammer and it feels more like a 2.0-litre turbo four banger, such is the acceleration. The electronic direct injection system ensures plenty of fuel cascades into the cylinders as the turbo spools up with gusto, rocketing the sporty Italian forward at a smile-inducing pace.

The QV develops peak power of 173kW at 5500rpm, which rates well against the Golf GTI's 155kW, while 300Nm of torque also eclipses the GTI's 280Nm. The QV is also faster to 100km/h by one tenth of a second!

With turbo pressure increasing torque output significantly from as low as 2500rpm, peaking at 4500rpm with 300Nm, the flexible engine has a bit more character than some German fast fours too.

Wringing the most out of the engine is made easy by slick and rewarding gear shifts. There's no crunching -- just smooth movements between the gates, and the spherical alloy gear knob feels great in the palm of your hand.

The car never had trouble getting its power down to the chunky 18-inch hoops with their sticky 225/45 R18 Pirelli P-Zero tyres.

I was expecting a very firm ride having recently tested the MiTo Sport, but was surprised. It wasn't like riding on a magic carpet, but was more comfortable than its smaller sibling and would be an easier car to live with day to day (if you can live with a manual). And I suppose that's one of the few shortfalls of the car - in a country where the majority of buyers want an auto, this one is a manual only proposition.

Covering 610km during our test, overall fuel consumption was 10.6L/100, which included some hammering between peak hour shuffles. The official consumption figure of 7.6L/100km, would be attainable if driven calmly.

Pushing the car hard in the hills demonstrated strong braking and good chassis dynamics, but a lack of feedback through the steering wheel and not-stiff-enough suspension tune resulted in the car feeling a little loose at times, especially the rear end.

The back end tended to squirm when shoved hard through corners; not always happy to follow the better-sorted front end in an orderly fashion, and at one stage slewing around like a trailer on a tight and (very) fast downhill right-hander.

Here's the best way I can describe it: Pushing the 1320kg car to 80 per cent of its grip limit was fine, the car tracking through corners keenly and predictably, but approach its upper handling limits and the Alfa's armour shows a few cracks.

The suspension seems to take a half second to load up (whereas cars like the Renault Megane RS seem to take about one millisecond) and there was a touch of body roll too, suggesting thicker anti-roll bars might be a good upgrade.

In terms of value for money, Alfa Romeo has done a spectacular job with the Giulietta QV. Apart from the spirited drive it’s a car that stands out from the hot hatch crowd with a sporty exterior design that gives way to one of the most ambitious interior fit-outs ever seen in a hatchback.

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