- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.75T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
177kW, 340Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 6.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, 150000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2011)
2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCT review
This is a long-term review of my 2016 Veloce. I purchased the car as I have wanted a hot hatch for a while and preferred Italian design over the Golf GTI.
- Good performance, handling and a characterful drive
- Italian design
- Interior quality a bit lacking
- Gaps in expected equipment
I like the exterior design of the Giulietta; it's certainly quite distinctive from other hatches of this genre in my opinion. The interior technology is a bit lacking in comparison to other makes. It doesn’t have a reverse camera and needs it, with large front buckets and rear C-pillars obscuring the driver's view.
It is an odd omission given Jeep, Fiat etc also have the Uconnect system (which works very well) with the camera. It doesn’t have electric seats, a digital radio, or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. There are plenty of hard plastics. The Bose stereo works well, as does the GPS. The Alcantara seats are very comfortable. The Bi-Xenons work well also.
The TCT transmission mostly works well, with quick changes under heavy acceleration. It does, however, hold onto gears for too long at times, such as when driving up an incline.
That said, I look forward to every drive in this car. I can't say the same for my other drive. a Skoda Octavia VRS (which does everything well). Driving an Alfa is difficult to define, although once you are bitten by the bug, it's hard to shake off! The 1750 turbo, which is also found in the 4C, sounds awesome under load, and it is fun to drive with direct steering and good feedback through the wheel. The economy is also better than I expected for a performance car.
Any 'Alfa' issues during two years of ownership? Nope. Nothing. Not a rattle, nothing falling off. I recently completed a 1000km round trip to Broken Hill, NSW, on let's say some very average roads at times. If I believed everything I have read about Alfa Romeos, I would have barely made it beyond city limits before a major mechanical failure or the interior fittings started coming adrift in the cabin.
For future models, more tech in the car would be great. I do appreciate the hot-hatch genre is hotly contested, and even more so in the last couple of years.
A heart-based decision to purchase an Alfa? Probably, although I don't see that as a bad thing. I definitely have the Alfa bug and would seriously consider another Alfa in the future, either a Giulia Veloce or another Giulietta when it is updated.