Can you believe that the Alfa Romeo Giulia is celebrating its 10th birthday this year?
By modern automotive logic it should be a thing of the past, yet it has survived through interior updates and a major facelift in 2023 – and is now set to live on until at least 2027.
The high-ups in Turin recently granted the car a stay of execution by shelving plans for an electric-only successor (an all-new Giulia will instead arrive in 2028 with both combustion and EV power) and reopening order books for the 513bhp V6 Giulia Quadrifoglio.
That's good news for enthusiasts. While rivals have introduced plug-in hybrid systems, touch-sensitive tech and irritating ADAS, Alfa has kept things simple while offering excellent handling and driver engagement.
But in 2026, does this old-school driver's car still hold its own, or have rivals like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class left it behind?
A light facelift a few years ago helped refine what was already a very good-looking car, and while Alfa hasn’t made any visual changes since then, it still looks every bit as attractive as it did when it was box-fresh in 2016.
Sprint trim now opens the line-up and is generously equipped with 18in alloy wheels, a rear-view camera, active cruise control, the Cold Climate Pack, aluminium-finished interior elements and ambient lighting.
The range-topping Giulia Intensa is now the only version available with adaptive dampers as standard.Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
Move up to Veloce and you gain larger (19in) diamond cut-alloys, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable sports seats and a more sporty-feeling interior.
Our test car came in Intensa trim, introduced in 2025 to top the range. It was a smart-looking thing, with gold wheels and tan leather accents inside.
All versions are powered by Stellantis's enduring 2.0-litre GME T4 turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which makes 276bhp and 295lb ft of torque.
Simplicity of operation is abundant inside the Giulia, and while it can't quite match a BMW for perceived quality, leather on the doors and dashboard contributes to a pleasant environment.
The 12.3in digital instrument display and 8.8in infotainment touchscreen are dated compared with the high-tech 3 Series. The latter feels particularly low-rent and you need a cable to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There isn't a shortcut button to turn off the ADAS, which means you have to use the touchscreen if you want to silence the annoying speed-limit bong. Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
That said, the Giulia gains marks for its physical switchgear, with a rotary dial to operate the infotainment and proper buttons and switches for the climate controls.
It’s not that adult-friendly in the back, with the panoramic roof encroaching on head room. Still, there are pleasant materials in the second row and it certainly has a premium feel to it.
In contrast, the Giulia’s driving posiiton is near flawless: you sit nice and low down, with plenty of support, thanks to the seat’s adjustable bolsters. All-round visibility is excellent too.
Thumb the start button on the steering wheel and the 2.0-litre turbo petrol four settles into a familiar, slightly gravelly idle.
Under load, the engine doesn’t really get any more sporting in tone, but it does forgo any digital augmentation through the speakers.
I'd like the wonderful shift paddles to be mounted half an inch further down the steering column, because I sometimes clouted them with my fingers when twirling the wheel.Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
Producing 276bhp and 295lb ft of torque, it's good for 0-62mph in 5.7sec. Indeed, the Giulia feels brisk and responsive, helped by its sub-1500kg kerb weight.
Its ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox is generally smooth, with only a bit of awkwardness when pulling away from a set of traffic lights.
Make use of the tactile shift paddles and you will have plenty of fun swapping cogs when you're after more involvement.
The Giulia is impressively hushed when you’re cruising: you will immediately notice that there isn’t much wind noise.
Some greater feel from the brake pedal wouldn’t go amiss, but this has long been one of the Giulia’s quirks.
The engine may not be the most characterful, but it has never been the Giulia's main drawcard. That would be a fine chassis balance and well-tuned steering that allows you to live out your Gabriele Tarquini fantasies.
The electronic power steering isn’t brimming with feedback and some might find it too light and quick, but it remains precise, melding wonderfully with the chassis to inspire plenty of confidence on the fly.
Select Dynamic mode and a shock-absorber icon lights up in the centre of the rotary selector. This lets you stiffen the dampers for a sportier ride or slacken them in favour of comfort. Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
On cross-country roads the Giulia is fleet-footed, agile and planted, with excellent mid-corner balance and tight body control. It maintains its ride height superbly, making it feel stable in all environments.
That the Giulia adopts a softer suspension set-up than that of the 3 Series doesn't hinder its dynamic capabilities. It’s supple and controlled over lumps and bumps, although the 19in alloy wheels of Intensa trim (18s are standard) do inflict a bit of crashiness on unkept roads.
Potholes are reasonably well isolated, but we would still opt for smaller wheels, as these will take a bit of sting out of the secondary ride.
Prices start at £43,800 for the Sprint, rising to £53,200 for the Intensa, but once you have added a handful of options to a 320i M Sport they cost similar money.
While the BMW is plusher and has more modern tech, the Giulia gives you nearly 100bhp for free. To get more performance from the BMW, you have to step up to the 369bhp six-cylinder M340i, which is an excellent driver's car but costs around £65,000.
Around town my test car managed just 28mpg, and the figure only crept above 30mpg on a longer stint up the motorway.Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
The 330e brings more comparable performance (288bhp) for similar money and incurs far less BIK tax for being a plug-in hybrid, but it carries an extra 400kg so doesn't feel as agile.
If you're willing to go without Alfa's Synaptic Dynamic Control adaptive dampers but still want a generous amount of standard kit, the Veloce is quite good value at £48,800.
In many ways, the Giulia has reached a point where its age is actually one of its biggest strengths.
You could say the same thing about the Alpine A110 or the Mazda MX-5. Both have had a long shelf life but have remained largely unchanged since their launch in the mid-2010s, and they still have tonnes of appeal today, thanks to their eye-catching designs and oodles of driver appeal.
Its timeless design, sweet handling dynamics and general ease of use make it an appealing alternative to the current crop of screen-heavy executive saloons.Sam PhillipsStaff Writer
It's easy to criticise the Giulia for its dated tech or sub-par efficiency, but it comes from a time when cars were simpler and easy to use.
Those who don't want to follow the crowd into a German car and those who put driver engagement above anything else should buy a Giulia while they still can.
Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.
He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport.
Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.
