Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio 2018 first drive

There are several very powerful SUVs on the market that are colossally fast in a straight line and just about composed enough in bends to keep a hold of the Tarmac, but there aren’t many that are genuinely entertaining to drive. The Stelvio QV is undoubtedly one of those few.

Inevitably, its high ride height, chunky kerb weight and lofty centre of gravity mean it’s nowhere near as planted or as responsive as the Giulia QV, but it does have a remarkable level of precision and body control and a usefully neutral cornering balance.

The steering is direct, quick and very intuitive, while the front end finds reasonable bite on turn-in. The car will push on in understeer when you really chase it, but there’s enough front-end grip to carry proper sports car-rivalling pace along a winding road.

The four-wheel drive system makes light work of transferring all that power and 443lb ft of torque to the road. If you’re really clumsy with the throttle, you’ll make the car slide ever so slightly away from a corner or understeer if you open it too early in the bend, but with a little care, you can hook all four tyres up perfectly and slingshot the car away from the apex without a hint of waste.

There isn’t the on-throttle adjustability or playfulness of the Giulia QV, but thanks to the torque vectoring, the Stelvio does have very positive drive and a level of agility that seems at odds with its raised seating position. The chassis is poised enough that you can actually adjust your line slightly mid-corner, whereas many SUVs are stuck to a trajectory the moment you turn in to a bend.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV’s ride was settled and composed on the very smooth Emirati roads of our test drive, but given that chassis engineers often resort to hefty anti-roll bars and plenty of rebound damping - both of which have a habit of knackering ride quality - to make SUVs handle, we’ll have to wait and see how well this car deals with a properly challenging British B-road. Alfa's engineers assure us it rides bumps with the same remarkable fluidity as its saloon sister.

The Stelvio QV is genuinely fun to drive along a demanding road. It's perhaps the most rewarding performance SUV you can buy, in fact.

But if that sort of engagement really matters to you, you’d be much better served by a sports saloon. The Giulia QV is more engaging still, it’s prettier and it’ll even stand up to the odd trackday. But, if you really must have a hatchback boot and lofty driving position, the Stelvio QV would make a very fine substitute.