2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD Review – Pure Passion in Electric Green Paint

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. However, in the case of Alfa Romeo, a 20-year absence from the North American market (from 1995 to 2015) has meant a need to remind mainstream Americans what the brand is all about. With a history going back to 1906, the company’s first name is an acronym for the phrase, Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, which translates to “Lombardian Car Factory.” The marque’s last name is derived from Nicola Romeo, the financier who took control of the company in 1915.

Alfa Romeo possesses a history of building performance-oriented automobiles going all the way back to its origins. Its first car, the Alfa 24HP, competed in the sixth running of Italy’s Targa Florio endurance race. What’s more, Enzo Ferrari made his name driving Alfa Romeo racing cars, long before becoming director of the marque’s competition division, or launching his eponymous marque.

Wholly reflective of that heritage, today’s Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is among the most driver-oriented compact crossover SUVs on the market. In fact, the model easily keeps pace with Porsche’s Macan GTS and BMW’s X3 M Competition. For the 2024 model year,

AWD pricing starts at $87,965. The price as tested, for the example I drove, was $95,360.

2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD First Impressions

Rendered in Verde Montreal Metallic paint, the electric green Stelvio’s voluptuous lines garnered admiration everywhere I drove it. Incidentally, the Alfa crossover is named for one of the most challenging mountain roads in all of Europe, the Stelvio Pass. The highest paved road in the Eastern Alps, the Stelvio Pass encompasses some 48 hairpin turns as it ascends Italy’s Ortler Alps. Named one of the greatest driving roads in the world, the Stelvio Pass is sports car nirvana.

Bearing such a revered name, one would expect the Alfa to deliver an exceptional driving experience, which it does—but you’ll need to act soon if you’d like to have one of your own. The 2024 model year will be the last for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio in the North American market. Production ended in June, so you’ll probably need to shop around a bit to find one on a dealer’s lot. Trust me though; the exercise will pay remarkable dividends.

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

Power is sourced from a twin turbocharged DOHC 2.9-liter V6 with direct fuel injection. The quoted output is 505 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm and 443 lb-ft of torque at 2,500. An eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddles and a manual shift mode funnels engine output to all four wheels.

My “scientifically unscientific” zero to 60 runs consistently returned stopwatch readings of just over three seconds. Alfa cites the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s top speed at 176 miles per hour, and the Italian crossover is said to be capable of returning 12-second ¼ mile times at 116 mph.

Given its performance potential, one might expect the Alfa to return a harsh ride quality in order to extract its maximum cornering capability. However, the Alfa, like superheroes of yore, has a secret identity. Driven around town in day-to-day situations, one might never suspect the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is capable of turning laps with genuine fury on the track.

Precise steering, responsive brakes and exceptional road holding make the Stelvio Quadrifoglio a driver’s machine of the first order. This was the first crossover SUV I’ve had in quite a while that woke me up at three in the morning to go for a drive—just for the sake of driving it.

Performance Specifications

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Fuel Economy

The government officials whose charge is to keep track of these things say you can expect the Stelvio Quadrifoglio to return 17 miles per gallon in the city, 23 on the highway and 19 overall. And, had I been a bit less enamored with the Stelvio’s throttle response, along with the sound the Alfa’s engine makes under full load, those numbers may have been more exact. However, the strong surge of acceleration and growling exhaust note every time I flexed my right foot was too entrancing to resist. As a result, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD returned an average of 14.8 miles per gallon under my stewardship. On the other hand, the smiles per gallon were too numerous to tally.

Interior Design And Comfort

Supportive seats, highly legible instrumentation and tasteful woven trim give the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s passenger compartment a decidedly sporting feel. Here again, the Alfa demonstrated its prowess at catering to the desires of those who enjoy piloting a responsive automobile. If you love to drive, you’ll love the Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

The driving position combines great outward visibility with easy reach of all the controls. Legroom is good at all four seating positions. Headroom is acceptable, if not exactly spectacular. Back seat comfort, while typically not a strong suit in this class of automobile, is reasonable.

The Alfa also offers a plethora of features in keeping with its nearly $100k price tag. You’ll find classy ambient lighting, 14-way adjustability for the heated sports seats and a heated steering wheel. Premium materials upholster the handsome architecture in a way that quietly says “money.” And yet, it’s nicely understated. Embracing the style to which Italians refer as sprezzatura, the Alfa’s interior design evokes a sense of effortless grace.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

The Alfa’s vital signs are monitored via a 12.3-inch TFT color display, while infotainment functions are called into action via an 8.8-inch touchscreen, which also serves as the pinnacle of the center stack. The menus are logical, both screens are customizable, and their graphics are nice and sharp. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with built-in navigation and a wireless phone charger are standard. A Wi-Fi hotspot is offered as optional equipment.

The standard audio system is a 900-watt, 12-speaker Harmon/Kardon setup. Satellite radio and wireless telephone charging are also standard offerings. Operation of everything comes easily, with no need to extract the owner’s manual from the glove compartment. Standard driver-assistance technology includes automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. “My” Alfa also featured traffic sign recognition, smart cruise control, Traffic Jam Assist and Highway Assist.

Cargo And Storage Space

The cargo compartment offers more than enough room to support a family road trip, with 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats. Fold them away, you’ll open up 56.5 cubic feet of carrying capacity. Granted, that isn’t outstanding by most measures, but it is more than sufficient for all but the most accumulative of pack rats. The usual array of door, center console and glove box interior storage is available as well. The rear cargo compartment has a hidden area underneath the floor, along with a small side-cubby for keeping what would otherwise be loose items in place.

2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD Vs. Its Competitors

When it comes to price and performance, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD’s most formidable competitors are the BMW X3 M Competition, which starts at $83,495 and the Porsche Macan GTS, which starts at $88,450. Both offer similar engine output to the Alfa. Both are also configured specifically with the idea of placing the driver first. In other words, you’d be hard-pressed to make a wrong choice from among these three, if you’re the sort of person who enjoys cars that emphasize performance.

How The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Compares To The BMW X3 M Competition

In terms of smoothness of engine, BMW is the clear winner here with its 3.0-liter direct injected twin turbocharged DOHC inline six. Capable of generating 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, this powerplant is widely regarded as one of the best inline sixes in the marque’s history. Given inline sixes are something for which BMW is particularly noted, that’s a statement of significant proportions.

On the other hand, though, the X3 M Competition sacrifices ride quality to achieve superior handling. To say the X3 M Competition rides roughly is to practice egregious understatement. The suspension system also transmits quite a bit of noise into the passenger compartment.

That said though, nail the throttle, and you’re likely to forgive those transgressions altogether. The X3 M Competition pulls like it’s auditioning for the lead in a play called “Freight Train.” Quoted zero to 60 is 3.2 seconds, the ¼ mile is eclipsed in 11.5 seconds at 115 mph, and top speed is said to be 177 miles per hour.

How The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Compares To The Porsche Macan GTS

While BMW is credited with pioneering the performance SUV, Porsche can be said to have perfected it. Sheer and utter balance is the forte of the Macan GTS. When it comes to maintaining a high average speed on a twisty two-lane, no other compact crossover SUV can best the Porsche Macan GTS. And actually, neither can many highly regarded sport sedans.

Porsche’s twin-turbocharged DOHC 2.9-liter direct injected V6 is said to be good for 434 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 405 lb-ft of torque at 1,900. It also takes the Porsche 3.5 seconds to hit 60 from a stop. The Macan GTS runs the ¼ mile in 12.1 seconds at 112 mph and has a top speed of 169 miles per hour.

Granted, those are the lowest numbers among these three offerings. However, numbers, while indeed a valid tool of measurement, do not tell the entire tale. The Porsche pulls .98 g on the skidpad, while the much harsher riding BMW only manages .96. In other words, the Porsche handles better than the BMW and rides better too. It also has a better “feel” than both the BMW and the Alfa. This means it will maintain a higher average speed on a road with lots of curves than either the Alfa or the BMW.

Our Recommendation For Which Model You Should Buy

All three of these compact performance SUVs offer similar levels of equipment. Each one also remembers they are priced like luxury autos and deliver a nice mix of performance and equipment. Still, it’s hard to overlook the jarring ride quality you’ll experience in the X3 M Competition, especially when compared to the Alfa and the Porsche.

On the other hand, the BMW does present the most sophisticated engine offering of the three, while the Alfa delivers 505 horsepower to the Porsche’s 434. So, choices “A” and ‘B” outdo the Porsche by those measures. And, we do live in a world in which bragging rights matter to a lot of people. However, in real world driving conditions, 3.5 seconds to 60 vs 3.2, isn’t really a significant margin. Besides, drag racing ain’t really what these rides are all about.

As far as looks, the Alfa’s Italian DNA definitely carries a lot of weight, as it is easily the prettiest of the three. Plus, everyone recognizes the Porsche and BMW at a glance. Pull up in the Alfa; people are likely to ask what you’re driving. That can be a good thing if you’re someone who values exclusivity.

Still though, (and this probably comes as little surprise to those of you who know my work) the Porsche would be my choice here. Yes, because I have a lifelong affinity for the marque, but also because it is the best all-around offering here. The Porsche delivers the performance you want, the comfort you need and the prestige many people desire.

Further, it’s more than reasonable to rely on Porsche still being here in North America five years from now. The same cannot be said for Alfa Romeo. The company left this market once before, and it’s likely to do so again. After all, Alfas aren’t exactly flying out of showrooms—okay? And this, quite frankly, is something of a shame, because the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD is a very sweet ride.