Why we ran it: To find out if the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the firm's flagship, was a practical, SUV-shaped supercar or a niche too far
Month 3 - Month 2 - Month 1 - Prices and specs
Life with an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: Month 3
It’s thirsty and expensive to live with, but did we still fall for our fiery family car? - 29 June
The Stelvio is a curious contradiction. It’s an incredibly rare sight on our roads – particularly in 503bhp, £80k Quadrifoglio form – yet it feels oddly familiar.
That’s probably because the firm has been making overtures about its first SUV since the Kamal concept car of 2003, even though it took another 13 years to become a production reality.
And what a reality. This is a machine that looks far better in the metal than in photographs, successfully pulling off the ‘Giulia on stilts’ look thanks to thickly muscular haunches, huge teledial alloys and neat integration of that shield-shaped grille – although, for my money, the car looks even better from the rear, where the quad tailpipes and vast rear tyres add real aggression.
Those who have joined the exclusive club of Stelvio ownership seem to share a kinship. I’ve seen fewer than a dozen other examples since mine arrived, yet on several of those occasions, there has been a wave of recognition exchanged – as if we both know something that the legions of BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 owners don’t.
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I know I'll get criticism but standard rear tyre pressures are something like 38psi. Pretty high to minimise scrub on track and allow safe high speed driving up to 176mph. As I do neither I sometimes run mine at about 33psi doesn't set off the TP warning and makes it more cushy on the urban stuff. You could also avoid the 21s and go for 20s with a slightly higher profile. Fuel economy is in line with a 510ps suv ( it's bigger than you think) ... but it's warm up that uses the fuel and in town getting it rolling. On the motorway you can easily get 28.
I love just rolling around in it then using the modes it does sound so Italian mot unlike a Ferrari v8. On the right road damping and how it pivots from the rear are ace. To me I could have bought a normal estate car and a sporty car but that costs a lot more than one car so this does the lot. I would say dog prefers wife's Clio but you gotta have some fun.
Some people know what it is and get all enthusiastic others say why did you buy a sensible SUV. Shame not more about I know it's expensive but what I paid wasn't a whole lot more than a 3.0 diesel estate.
If you can afford to buy a Car like this, then, the fuel issue, other than socially unacceptable, isn't really an issue because, if you were going further you'd more than likely have a People carrier of less virtue than the Stelvio, but with more load capacity and room for the family, as an aside, do Cars like this do big mileages?, do owners do five figure mileage a year?, if not, then yes, 13-15mpg so what?!
Most aren't used that much I do 6k if I had to do big miles I'd get something else. Conscience is a factor but I have a greener house commute by train ride bike on short trips have access to another car and thus hope I'm not single handedly destroying the planet.