The 503bhp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio may woo with its devilishly handsome looks, but does it have what it takes to do battle in the newly formed super-SUV arena? We find out.

The explosion of SUV popularity over the past decade has seen tall silhouettes creep into just about every segment of the automotive industry. They are stylish, currently in fashion and usually practical. While they are not always our cup of tea, we can see why people gravitate towards them.

Enthusiasts are pretty adverse to the SUV as they tend to represent the opposite of petrolhead car culture. Their flamboyant designs often shroud the same underpinnings of other forgettable models in a manufacturer’s range, an embodiment of the phrase ‘all show and no go’. Bucking that trend is the new breed of super-SUV – vehicles that often turn out to be a wolf in high-ridingsheep’s clothing. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is one such wolf.

Exterior

The Italian charm gets to work right away, with this curvaceous shape being easy on the eye to say the least. Unlike other SUVs that are full of aggressive creases and grilles large enough to ingest children, the Stelvio has a grace to the way it looks. Soft flowing lines, sculpted features and beautiful intricacies that only an Italian pencil truly does justice.

However, that’s not to say the car’s design is passive in any way. It has a stance that commands attention, and taught muscular surfaces that hint at something far more characterful than dead-eyed rivals. Bonnet louvers add a touch of aggression while the flaired wheel arches house an assertive set of 20-inch alloy wheels.

In its signature shade of red, this devilishly handsome machine knows how to make even the most hardened anti-SUV protester go weak at the knees.

Interior

This Quadrifoglio’s interior is another masterpiece in terms of design. A shapely dashboard serves as a canvas for rich leather and polished carbon fibre facades. You can even option stitching that mimics the Italian Tricolore. An infotainment system is nicely integrated and crowns a console that leads down to yet more carbon trim.

The top third of the interior is a real masterclass in making a cabin feel special, however, the further down you go, the more sub-par materials you find. Considering the cost of this SUV, there are far too many hard plastics and cheap-feeling switchgear elements. It’s a bit of a shame as visually speaking it looks great.

This specific Stelvio is optioned with an impressive set of carbon seats that sit like prominent monuments in the cabin. Aggressive bolstering grips you tight and Alcantara inserts serve to keep you in place – something justified when this car is in motion. We wish they offered a little more lumbar support for longer journeys, but otherwise they are certainly befitting of a performance car.

The rear bench seats three in adequate comfort with rivals such as the Jaguar F-Pace SVR being a bit more spacious. Those chunky carbon seats do eat into knee room somewhat, with the glass panoramic roof doing similar things with headroom. Generally speaking, it’s only the taller variety of passenger that might wish for more space.

An electrically operated tailgate reveals a nice wide opening for loading sizeable cargo. 525-litres of space is perfectly fine for family life, but the F-Pace again trumps this Alfa for outright space, offering some 650-litres in its boot.

Technology and equipment

Nestled into the stylistic dashboard is an 8.8-inch infotainment display that plays nice with iPhones and Android devices. It’s operated via a console-mounted rotating disc that behaves a little like a joystick. We like the handful of physical controls for things such as air conditioning and the sound system’s volume. This negates blindingly stabbing at a touchscreen while driving.

While the infotainment system mimics BMW’s iDrive in some respects, the software is clunky and nowhere near as slick. Menus are hidden within menus making it less intuitive than many other systems. If it sounds a little bit ‘last generation’ that’s because it is. A refreshed Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is set to arrive in the UK imminently, bringing with this a host of updates including a revamped infotainment system.

Other standard equipment includes parking sensors, keyless entry, electric tailgate, reversing camera, safety systems including Blind Spot Monitoring and Lane Departure Warning. However, Active Cruise Control is a cost option.

On the road

As beautiful as the car is on the outside, that is just packaging for the real artistry that lives within. On the other side of those bonnet louvers lives a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 engine capable of producing 503bhp and 443lb ft of torque. Officially speaking, Ferrari had nothing to do with this… In reality some engineers from Maranello ‘went on holiday’ to the Alfa Romeo factory. This car’s performance potential makes its way to the ground via an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and a heavily rear-bias Q4 all-wheel drive system.

Prod the steering wheel-mounted starter button – that isn’t reminiscent of a Ferrari 488 at all – to allow this burly V6 to clear its throat with an eruption of revs. Brush the throttle for a sneak peek of the tuneful soundtrack that accompanies poetic combustion. It’s pronounced and loud, but not harsh or synthetic. It’s an acapella that can’t help but induce a childish grin.

This Alfa has a trio of primary modes selectable from its aptly named DNA control dial. It is possible to neuter this super-SUV in Advanced Efficiency mode where cylinders deactivate to conserve fuel. While this is admirable, it is akin to putting out the Great Fire of London with a damp tea towel. The best economy we saw was 24mpg on our best behaviour.

N or Natural is a good happy-medium for everyday use. It might have supercar performance, but it’s also an SUV and will have to take the kids to school. The steering weight is reasonably light and the suspension just about supple enough to smooth out the worst of our road imperfections. Its automatic gearbox also deserve some praise as its seamless shifts effortlessly melt into the background.

D is for Dynamic, and this is the mode you’ll want when facing some deserted country roads. The car is in a heightened sense of readiness with its suspension firmed, steering gaining added weight, gearbox at its most alert, and all-wheel drive ready to shuffle power where necessary. A sudden impact of the throttle pedal from a standing start will have you pinned into your seat. The bonnet rises as this sizeable projectile launches with the ferocity of a sidewinder missile. 0-62mph is achieved in just 3.8 seconds with that glorious V6 shrieking its way rapidly up the rev range. The strong mid-range pull from those torquey turbos is immense, and the responsiveness is nothing short of impressive.

Again, the ZF box is a flawless companion in this scenario. Left to its own devices it is great, but pull one of the – absolutely not inspired by Ferrari – aluminium paddles and it delivers rapid switching of cogs accompanied by a substantial whip-crack from the quad exhausts. This combination of orchestral engine noise and commanding gearbox often results in you playing conductor just for the sheer audible glory under your command.

Far more impressive than straight-line performance and a great sound is how this SUV moves. Sure, there is some body roll as you’d expect in a taller vehicle, but it’s well-resisted and actually serves to help inform the driver how the weight is transferred around the car. The all-wheel drive system allows for up to 100% of torque to be sent to the rear wheels, meaning that in most instances this big SUV behaves far more like an agile sports car.

Turn into a sequence of undulating bends and relish in the precise steering response and quick change of direction this Quadrifoglio possesses. Pirelli P Zero rubber bites the Tarmac hard and helps produce confidence inspiring levels of grip along with the Q4 system. You can really get into a rhythm with this car, assassinating apexes and roaring out of sweeping bends in a deliciously engaging duel between the road and driver. SUV or not, it really is a fantastic car to drive hard. It even has a – not inspired by Ferrari – ‘bumpy road’ suspension button that relaxes the dampers a little while retaining the ‘go faster’ settings. This setup is perfect for British roads.

Our test car was fitted with the optional carbon ceramic brake package, something clearly seen through the spokes when stationary. At a princely £5,900 they do not come cheap, however, they are a wise choice in a 176mph vehicle of this size. Stopping power, particularly with a bit of heat in them, is assertive. Their resistance to fade and easy to modulate nature makes a predictable asset when driving spiritedly.

The final mode is Race, a setting that turns off the stability control, maximises throttle response and unleashes the full fury of noise those exhaust pipes are capable of. In this setting there’s an even freer degree of movement from the chassis as the electronic nannies take a backseat. It’s not the most ideal setting for the road, but it sure is a lot of fun in the right circumstances.

Verdict

Like all heroes, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is flawed. The navigation system will frequently take you the scenic route, the electric tailgate is somewhat arthritic, it’s thirsty, the cabin often creeks and I fear for the longevity of some of its switchgear. However, the overall package is one that is just as impressive as its Giulia Quadrifoglio sibling.

Its intoxicating combination of performance, engaging chassis, beautiful design and SUV practicality easily pushes it into the top three super-SUVs on the market at the moment. I don’t deny that a Jaguar F-Pace SVR is probably the fast SUV you’d want to live with everyday, but we don’t lust after it like we do the Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

After decades of disappointment, Alfa Romeo has returned to its rightful place as defender of the car enthusiast. It might even convert a few of them to the way of the SUV.

Facts and figures

Model tested: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Price: £71,880

Engine: twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power / Torque: 503bhp / 443lb-ft

0-62mph: 3.8 seconds

Top speed: 176mph

Seating: 5

Boot space: 525-litres

MPG: 24.5mpg

CO2: 261g/km

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