Alfa Romeo introduced the dashing little Giulietta back in 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Since its debut, this C-segment hatchback has been winning the hearts of motoring journalists and common folks, alike. Being an Alfa gives the Giulietta the kind of charm and persona that very few cars can brag about. Even better, its gorgeous design and on-road performance is backed up by its strong sales figures. Well, strong for an Alfa Romeo for sure.
The Giulietta is built on the Fiat Compact Platform, something this chic Italian shares with lesser mortals such as the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart. The most recent facelift for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta came about in 2016 and since then, it has remained widely untouched. In the UAE, this Alfa goes up against the likes of the Mini Hatch, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW 1-Series, and VW’s Golf.
Exterior
It might be the most affordable Alfa Romeo on sale today, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that by the way it looks. The Giulietta is classy as well as sassy, and despite being a tad old, she looks absolutely mesmerizing - in the right shade of red, of course. The sculpted front fascia is dominated by the trademark Alfa Romeo grille with a honeycomb pattern, flanked by tear-drop shaped projector headlights which have their own unique LED DRL signature. The large single-piece front bumper gets a lower air intake dam and stylish foglights.
The svelte side profile of the Giulietta is characterized by its shallow roof, C-pillar mounted rear door handles, flared fenders, and stylish 17-inch alloy wheels. The dramatic rear end features twin exhaust pipes along with an air diffuser, plus sleek LED taillights and a narrow rear window. On the size front, this Alfa measures 4.351 meters X 1.798 meters X 1.465 meters in length, width, and height, respectively. Her wheelbase stands at 2.634 meters and total boot capacity is 350 liters. In spite of not being on the cutting edge of design by contemporary automotive standards, there are but a few hatchbacks that can hold a candle to the sensational-looking Giulietta.
Interior
Straight up, if it’s practicality and best use of space that you’re after, this is not the right car for you. That’s because her affable exterior styling comes at the cost of headroom - you can sit comfortably as long as you’re not tall. However, knee room is alright and the seats feel sporty and supportive. The interior design itself looks cool and has several sporty touches to it, though it now looks dated in comparison to its rivals. The Giulietta’s build quality and fit-and-finish are alright, but definitely not what one would call “posh”. Meanwhile, the leather-Alcantara seats are great, the steering wheel feels good to hold and the driving position is also fairly sporty.
In terms of her equipment, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta gets automatic headlamps, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, Brembo brakes, paddle shifters, Alfa’s “DNA” drive mode selector, Bose audio system, power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 6.5-inch touch-infotainment head unit with navigation among others. Some of the other tech includes six airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, traction & stability control, and all-round parking sensors with reversing camera.
Engine and performance
Under the taut hood of the Giulietta Veloce Sports sits a 1.8-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 241 hp and 350 Nm of torque. It sends this oomph to the front wheels via a 6-speed twin-clutch transmission, which means 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a combined fuel consumption figure of 7.5 L/100 km.
Verdict
The 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulietta costs from AED 116,000 to AED 129,000, while financing will cost you a minimum of AED 1,808.
