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Review: Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.6 JDTm-2

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Author: | Updated: 26 Mar 2014 10:40

When you consider the reputation and history of Alfa Romeo, it becomes rather a surprise that the Italian company makes just three cars, two of which are hatchbacks. That Alfa should have such a presence in the sector is surprising enough, but even more amazing is that the MiTo and Giulietta could be of interest to us.

Gone are the days of the 3.2-litre V6s seen in the GT and the Brera, replaced by smaller turbocharged engines like the 1.6-litre diesel in our test Giulietta.

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The engine

Don't be fooled by the change of fuel and the smaller displacement - the 1.6 Giulietta has plenty of poke. Officially, the top speed is an unremarkable 115mph, but having seen the speedo hit 120mph without the car feeling too short of puff, it could well be capable of a fair bit more.

Where the diesel really gains, though, is in the torque department. With, the 1.6 diesel pulls just as well as its petrol counterparts. Drop a cog, bury your right foot in the carpet, overtake and pull back in. It really is that quick and simple.

In all honesty, though, this is a C-segment hatchback and most owners won't even hit 100mph, let alone push the boundaries of the car's performance. Equally important to consumers, is the effect of the Giulietta on the driver's wallet.

The headline figures make pleasant reading, with the 105hp 1.6 managing 70.6mpg and producing just 104g of CO2 per kilometre. The 2-litre engine offers 45 more horsepower and 60Nm more torque with 67mpg and CO2 emissions of 110g/km, but with a £1,300 premium it's not a good bet.

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Equipment

The 1.6 diesel is available on every Giulietta except the Sportiva and Quadrifoglio Verde models, and the price for the basic 'Progression' model is £19,170 on the road. For that, you get 16in alloys, heated mirrors, climate control and the 5in Uconnect infotainment system. It's not a bad spec list, but it can't afford to be with that price tag.

The pick of the models available with the 1.6 is the mid-range 'Distinctive', which adds parking sensors, front fog lights and cruise control to the Progression spec for an extra £1,000 or so.

If satellite navigation is a must, the 6.5in Uconnect navigation system is a £1,050 option, but though the bigger screen is better suited to the dashboard, it struggles to live up to the price tag. It's a clunky unit with below-par graphics and the voice control can only let you navigate to 'home' or Radio One.

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On the road

Driving around town, the Giulietta is quiet and civilised. The diesel offers up plenty of low-down torque and the Alfa Romeo Stop&Start system is one of the more user-friendly systems on the market. It's better-suited to the petrol engines as they fire up slightly quicker, but it's a lot better than some other companies' offerings.

On faster roads, the soundproofing Alfa Romeo has fitted around the engine bay really comes into its own, keeping the diesel grumble out of the cabin. Sadly, the good work is undone by the tyre roar, which is the only thing preventing the refinement from competing with the best in the segment.

Through the bends, the Giulietta is stable and composed, although heavy braking dips the nose and makes the back end light, which can catch the unsuspecting driver out.

Unfortunately, dealing with this phenomenon isn't as easy as it could be thanks to numb steering. Like the smaller MiTo, the wheel is far too eager to return to the centre - it's like driving in a video game, except the penalties for making a hash of it are much greater. On the plus side, there's more feel through the pedals than in the MiTo and, if anything, the wheel feels even better in the driver's hands.

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Practicality

While the Alfa is better-looking than its competitors, it pays the price inside. The headroom in the back is not really much worse than in a modern Focus, but it's the legroom where the Giulietta falls down. Four six-foot adults wouldn't want to do long distances in there, though it would be fine for children.

Bootspace isn't that competitive, either. With 350 litres of luggage room, the Giulietta is lagging behind the SEAT Leon and the Volkswagen Golf (both 380 litres), although it is roomier than the Ford Focus (316 litres).

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Verdict

The Giulietta is not only one of the most stylish cars in the segment, but it's one of the most stylish on the market. It's well-equipped, it's a nice place to be and it mixes performance and economy well. On the flip side, it's not cheap, it's impractical and the steering isn't good enough. In short, the Giulietta is a left-field choice, but it is worth considering.

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