It's easy to have preconceived notions on
cars, especially Italian ones. We thought the Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV, which is
part of a re-aligned, better-priced local line-up, would be a typical Italian
mistress; beautiful but hard to live with. We also thought there'd be too many
quirky Italian characteristics to contend with; a rock-like ride, a dodgy
clutch pedal, poor ventilation and visibility and a weird driving position.
Happy to report we were wrong.
The
Giulietta has excellent road-holding, and maintains good balance right to the
limit
The ride on the 18s and lowered suspension
is sporty but never harsh while those turbine style alloys set the car off
nicely. The styling is quite something; boringly Germanic it's not. As is the
interior, which doesn't feel like it will disintegrate within a year. Even the
minor control layout is logical, as is its operation. The finishing is sound
too, with none of the niggles we expected in regard to poor ventilation and
outward vision. There are a few irritating things, like the lack of a handle
for the exterior boot release, and a cramped pedal box. Moreover, you pay $55k
for the QV and yet you go without a proximity key, sat nav, and a reversing
camera. A face lifted version is due next year which will feature a large touch
screen on the dash so you can probably bank on sat nav and a rear-aiming camera
being added then.
Dashboard's
sizeable metallic grey insert makes a refreshing decorative change
You'd choose the QV model because you fancy
a driver's car (with a matching manual transmission). It receives Alfa's beaut
1,750 TBi engine, the turbopetrol firing out 173kW and, when Dynamic mode is
engaged, it unleashes its maximum torque of 340Nm. Even when Alfa's DNA switch
(which tailors the engine, throttle and steering) is set to Natural, the engine
delivers more than enough pull. It's a magic mill; responsive, torque-laden and
with an interesting induction note, it gets even better upon activating Dynamic
mode. The steering, which is city-car light in Natural, weights up
appropriately, and there's palpable augmentation of the torque curve, the urge
perking up as the tacho needle swings past 3,000rpm. Heroic acceleration times
are stymied by a non-switchable traction control system, but an 80-120km/h time
of 4.18sec hints at its speedy credentials.
Four
will find cabin comfortable, although there's no centre armrest in the rear
The QV could be considered an odd ball
alternative to the Golf GTI, as it's an enthralling drive. It doesn't have the
Golf's ultra-stable handling, the QV moving about on road irregularities, but
it's quick enough, and there's the added sense of involvement as you correct
its tendency to follow the road contours, and whip that gear shifter lever
around the gate (nice action too). The traction control tempers the torque when
boosting out of tight comers, ensuring a manageable flow of Newts for the front
wheels, and the steering isn't too badly hampered by torque reaction. The
engine enjoys play time too, remaining strong throughout the rev range. Holding
things back a little, the brakes are only really acceptable in both feel and
power and with a 62:38 weight balance, you need to manage the weight transfer
under braking. While it's hard work to keep the QV charging compared with its
competition, it's also quite enjoyable. So while there are a few quirks, and
it's quite pricey, the QV could be the Alfa for those who have always had a
hankering for an Italian mistress.
