The Alfa Romeo Giulietta is a stylish small family car that pits itself against hatchbacks such as the VW Golf, Ford Focus and even more upmarket cars in the sector like the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class. Its strongpoints are its great looks, smart interior and broad choice of engines.

Inside the Giulietta is similar to any other Alfa Romeo – stylish and sporty. Build quality can be an issue while passenger and luggage space are sub-par, too. The Giulietta suffers in terms of ergonomics as well. The pedal and steering wheel position are awkward to the degree that you never really feel comfortable in this car so it’s worth test driving the car properly if you’re considering one.

 

The drive is less exciting than its looks suggest. It has three selectable driving modes that alter the car’s responsiveness but they are far too gimmicky and fiddly in reality. A firm ride and direct steering offer great control on twisty roads, but Ford’s Focus offers a much better balance between driver thrills and comfort.

All of the available engines are powerful and feel great when pushed. Diesels are recommended as they are fast and frugal and the auto gearbox has quick and smooth changes.

Standard equipment is generous across all specifications and the entry level Progression model gets a five-inch touchscreen with DAB (digital) radio, electric windows and air conditioning. Rear parking sensors are a worthwhile optional extra because rear visibility is poor and a reversing camera would have been a sensible consideration.

The interior is everything you’d expect from an Alfa Romeo, stylish and well laid out but there are certainly areas that are a little way off the class best. Build quality is certainly one area where it lags behind rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, BMW 1 Series and Audi A3.

For those looking for a more sumptuous feel, you won’t find any leather upholstery until the second highest Exclusive specification. There are plenty of toys even on the entry level Progression model, including a five-inch touchscreen with DAB (digital) radio, electric windows and air conditioning. It might be wise to stretch to the Distinctive model thanks to its standard-fit parking sensors – rearward visibility isn’t great so you’ll need some help. Large door pillars don’t make the view much better out of the front either.

The plunging roofline means the headroom isn’t great and there’s not an awful lot of rear legroom either. A major criticism is the weird pedal layout. They vary in height, are too close together, and there’s no real little space to rest your clutch foot on long journeys. Rivals are definitely more ergonomically friendly.

The boot is 30 litres short of the Volkswagen Golf’s, but 34 litres bigger than the Ford Focus. Sadly, the high loading lip makes the space on offer much less practical. The rear seat backs fold, but not completely flat, and overall volume only expands to 750 litres. Cubby holes are hard to come by in the rest of the cabin, the door pockets are fairly narrow, and there are no specific spaces on the dash to store a mobile phone – a 21st century requirement rivals cater for.

The Giulietta includes Alfa Romeo’s DNA driving type selector – abbreviating for Dynamic, Natural and All-Weather. Depending on the mode selected, the responsiveness of the engine, the weighting of the steering and the level of intervention of the driver assists are altered. It is all a bit gimmicky to be honest and Dynamic mode provides harsh ride in the city.

It’s a fairly decent car to drive enthusiastically down twisty roads though. That firm ride provides solid body control, so there’s little in the way of roll and steering is direct and fast, offering a sense of agility. With the right engine it’s eager to please in the bends, and the brakes are strong and responsive but the ride remains firm whichever driving mode you choose.

The entry level 1.6-litre diesel returns a class average 0-62mph sprint of around 11 seconds while posting fuel economy figures in excess of 70mpg. Its hushed nature on the motorway combined with the new automatic gearbox means the 1.6-litre Giulietta is a smooth drive. A sprightlier option is the larger 2.0-litre diesel, which still returns a claimed 67.3mpg in 150hp form, while the 175hp version hits 62mph from rest three seconds quicker than the 1.6.

The 1.75-litre petrol Quadrifoglio Verde range topper has the same 240hp engine and six-speed twin-clutch transmission you can find in the Alfa Romeo 4C sports car it should be enough to trouble Focus ST and Golf GTI drivers.

The Giulietta was not only rated five stars when tested by Euro NCAP back in 2010 but scored the best rating for any small family car that year and one of the best ratings of any kind making the Giulietta one of the safest cars you can buy.

Stylish external looks are the key to the Giulietta’s appeal and that’s evident when you see the standard equipment available on the base level Progression trim – it comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lights front and rear, and a rear spoiler.

Alfa’s Giulietta is a mixed bag. Standard equipment and its safety rating make it a confident place to chauffeur your kids about, though the rear seats are only really any good for kids particularly on longer journeys. Conversely it’s not comfortable for drivers on longer journeys due to the awkward pedal layout and centre console and although it feels sporty it is not as impressive as you feel it should be. But you’ll rarely tire of this car’s looks and admiring glances from other drivers delivering some of the best swagger per mile on four wheels.

Tested: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

0-60: 9.40secs

Top speed:  121mph

C02: 144g/km

Economy: 45.60mpg

Price : £18 819

Verdict: 6/10