The 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso is the kind of automotive that reminds you why you’re keen on automobiles within the first place … and why everybody has maybe gotten somewhat too sensible of their automotive tastes. This can be a automotive stuffed with life and pleasure, with controls that talk to you in ways in which most different automobiles and their manufacturers have way back forgotten. It’s removed from the spiciest Giulia accessible, but when something, I’d say the Quadrifoglio overshadowed simply how pleasurable the bottom automotive is.
This was essentially the most time I’ve spent in any Giulia, and whether or not I used to be driving my son to high school, making the L.A. freeway trek right down to the VW ID. Buzz reveal, or whisking by way of the Santa Monica Mountain roads, the Lusso made the expertise further particular.
Listed below are 9 ideas on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso.
1. All-star steering
The steering is simply unbelievable, one of many primary causes I discover the Giulia so fascinating. It’s fast and feelsome with a terrific wheel to grip. Let’s discuss D mode, which is the sportiest of the three “DNA” drive modes (N is regular and A is eco). A refined quantity of additional weighting on turn-in is added, and it’s good – totally spot-on and pure. That weighting then lightens as you retain turning by way of tighter turns, which suggests the automotive isn’t combating towards you and lets you genuinely really feel the street free from extra weighting as you make minute changes.
Steering in N mode remains to be comparatively agency on middle, however that turn-in weighting is only a bit lighter. Nonetheless nice throughout many of the occasions you’re driving, however D mode is so, so, so good. All-star, High 10 board with numerous Porsches, Mazdas and the surprisingly nice Aston Martin DBX on my scorecard.
2. Hey, I truly seen the brakes!
Sadly, the Giulia just isn’t accessible with a handbook transmission. Like a large tease, although, the brake pedal is nearer in dimension and form to 1 from a three-pedal automotive.
Pedal apart, wow are the brakes it is connected to ever good. Put on skinny footwear and also you’re capable of delicately brush the pedal, feeling the calipers brush the rotors in type. So superbly modulated. I may see somebody discovering them somewhat too responsive leading to jerking stops, however both cease carrying work boots, attempt tougher or purchase a Lexus ES.
I don’t normally discover brakes until they’re particularly good or particularly dangerous/bizarre. These fall within the former class, and what’s much more spectacular, is that they’re brake-by-wire. The Giulia and Stelvio have been two of the primary manufacturing automobiles to get such a system, which successfully sends synthetic responses by way of the pedal since there’s no mechanical connection. Robotic for the win.
3. The place are the shift paddles?
Once more, a handbook would most likely make me exit and purchase one proper now. As it’s, although, the eight-speed automated may be very sensible. I didn’t discover it upshifting prematurely or unnecessarily when driving in D mode within the mountains, and it at all times gave the impression to be in the fitting gear for me. No points in common driving in N mode, both.
That stated, why are there no shift paddles? There have been occasions once I need to anticipate a downshift only for grins and I’d attain for a paddle that wasn’t there. That’s probably as a result of there’s a noticeable vestigial hole between the wheel rim and switch/wiper stalks as a result of huge, stunning paddle shifters accessible on the Veloce, Estrema and Quadrifoglio trim ranges (pictured above). I do know some issues must be left for higher trims, however come on. In the event you’re going to make the remainder of the automotive’s controls so delightfully responsive and driver-oriented (and never supply a handbook), why be half-assed right here? If a Subaru Crosstrek can have shift paddles, each rattling Alfa Romeo Giulia ought to have shift paddles.
4. The engine’s a bit meh
No complaints in regards to the 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque from the Lusso’s 2.0-liter turbo-four. That’s a wholesome quantity of oomph and there’s no situation energetically getting as much as freeway pace in a way acceptable for an Alfa Romeo painted hearth engine crimson (0-60 time is quoted as 5.5 seconds). The character leaves loads to be desired, nonetheless. It’s very direct-injectiony with a growly tone that hardly speaks to a zesty Italian character. Listening to much less of it could be for the very best. The auto cease/begin system can be one of many least refined on the market. It’s not overeager to close issues down, however when it does, a loud-and-lengthy starter motor is accompanied by an uncouth shudder. All in all, the Giulia’s least endearing aspect.
5. I may stay with this infotainment system
The Giulia has an Alfa-unique infotainment system that’s managed by a redundant tandem of touchscreen and middle console knob. I’m usually in favor of this as every enter methodology has advantages that the opposite doesn’t share (touchscreen good for choosing particular icons, knob good for scrolling by way of lists or zooming on a map). In the event you largely end up interacting with Apple CarPlay or the radio (be it terrestrial or satellite tv for pc), I can’t see you having a problem with this. I definitely discovered it simpler to make use of than Mercedes MBUX and the infuriating new BMW iDrive8. I additionally skilled no laggy responses or gremlins. The factor simply labored.
6. The journey unapologetically says ‘I’m sporty’
The Lusso is probably not one of many sport-tuned fashions (that will be the Veloce, Estrema and clearly Quadrifoglio), nevertheless it doesn’t take lengthy behind the wheel to understand Alfa Romeo is A-OK with the Giulia at all times being one of many sportiest sedans within the phase. Particularly, the journey makes no try at being plush. There’s no harshness over bumps and impacts are nicely damped, however there’s additionally not plenty of rebound, so chances are you’ll end up bobbing a bit on sure freeway surfaces. Perhaps the adaptive dampers of these sportier trim ranges would alleviate this, however then, I didn’t drive a kind of.
7. The chassis is writing checks the seats can’t money
The Giulia Lusso’s seats look terrific and are lined in a buttery smooth tan leather-based. They provide enough adjustment up entrance and their agency padding made for constant consolation throughout prolonged drives. However they might use extra lateral help. Given its journey and dealing with, the Giulia Lusso drives like one of many zestiest sport sedans even when it’s not the zestiest Giulia. Very like the paddle shifter omission, I don’t perceive why it doesn’t have the “sport seats” accessible on the Veloce and Estrema. I’m not speaking racing seats right here. Merely a bit extra lateral help within the seatback that will stop me from sliding round a lot whereas zinging the automotive from flip to activate a mountain street. The chassis is writing checks the seats can’t money.
8. The Giulia ought to solely are available in Alfa Rosso
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso trim stage is just accessible with the next colours: silverish grey, darkish grey, black and the Alfa Rosso crimson you see right here. In the event you get a kind of others, I shake my head at you. Alfa Rosso makes this automotive. Different Giulias mix into the background, however in Rosso, it proudly stands out and accentuates each angle and element whereas sustaining a hefty diploma of sophistication. Curiously, the opposite trim ranges above and beneath the mid-grade Lusso can be found in different colours, together with the flashy Misano Blue, Ocra GT gold and, for the QF solely, Verde Montreal. None of these come off as stylish and acceptable for such a splendidly Italian automotive. Rosso all the way in which.
9. Appears well-built to me
Who is aware of about long-term reliability, however so far as I may inform, this Giulia was screwed collectively nicely and every part labored because it ought to, together with the motive force help tech. The switchgear is of a top quality; surfaces are padded the place they need to be padded and, normally, the inside seems and feels prefer it ought to include a price ticket of about $54,000.
It will be very arduous to take the Giulia for a drive on a correct street after which flip round and purchase one thing else as a result of the Genesis infotainment system is healthier or the Mercedes inside is nicer or I received’t have to go to the vendor as a lot. Particularly as that latter cause is an assumption – there isn’t a third-party information I may discover, nor have there been Giulia long-term autos on the market because the preliminary and really iffy wave of QF’s again in 2016. Moreover, German automobiles are hardly a paragon of reliability. Perhaps I’d be nuts, perhaps it wouldn’t be of venture in any respect, however I feel I’d make the leap. I fell in love with this automotive.