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ALFA ROMEO Giulietta 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde Review

OUR TEST CAR: ALFA ROMEO Giulietta 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde

 
ALFA ROMEO Giulietta 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde  - Page - 2
The Giulietta QV has the ingredients to be a focused hot hatch. But it isn’t. However, all the points lost for this are regained through the fact that it manages to offer a comfortable package.

The seats are large enough and pretty comfy. As far as the person behind the wheel is concerned, it doesn’t take too long to find a comfortable driving position, but you never manage to feel perfectly integrated in the car. Fortunately, there’s plenty of room for all the parts of your body, regardless of the seat you’re using. The leather finish feels nice and invites you to spend mile after mile in the vehicle.

Our test vehicle was fitted with multiple goodies that increased its score for this chapter, such as a dual-zone automatic climate control system, which also included an air vent for the rear seats and a Blue&Me phone connection system with steering wheel control.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of elements which, probably because of the company’s desire to use original solutions, only bring one notion to mind: “counter intuitive”. This starts with the way in which the rear hatch is opened and ends with the climate control system’s way of telling you which functions are on.

However, there are other parts of the car that manage to turn compromise into miracle. Like the suspension, for example.

The aluminum-addicted McPherson front and multilink rear setup manages to reduce unsprung weight, making an attractive driveage proposal. Like we said before, the only moments when the suspension fails to please your internal organs are the ones when the car meets an area with multiple irregularities.

And the suspension does this, being ready to keep things under control - it’s like it’s expecting you to downshift and floor the throttle before any corner.

Switching between the DNA’s modes (Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather) is really like modifying the Giulietta’s genes, waiting for the changes to take effect and then enjoying the results of your work.

The system, which is standard across the entire range, actually plays with the ECU map (the engine response and torque curve - the Dynamic mode brings the torque from 300 to 340 Nm), the steering response, the strictness of the ESP (VDC in Alfa language), the Q2 electronic electronic differential, which tries to simulate a mechanical one and works better than others of its kind, as well as the braking system - in the Dynamic mode, the system is pre-pressurized when the system detects dangerous situations.

On models fitted with an automatic gearbox, the way in which this operates can also be altered via the DNA. Since we mentioned the electronic nannies, we’ll also tell you that the vehicle comes with an automatic hill hold feature, which really helps, sparing you of having to imitate Fred Astaire.

In the Dynamic mode, the Giulietta QV really feels like a turbocharged madness, with a sharp power delivery and an ESP setting that allows you to bring the back out a bit. When you switch to the Normal mode, the power is delivered in a more linear way, with the same feeling being experienced in the All-Weather mode, where the ESP becomes more intrusive.

The 1742 cubic centimeters under the hood are used in a very intelligent way, as the 1750 (this is a historic designation for Alfa Romeo) TBi engine comes with direct injection, a turbocharger with a scavenging control system that reduces the lag, as well as a continuously variable valve timing system that handles both intake and exhaust.

The scavenging system allows the intake and exhaust valves to open at the same time at low revs, allowing the fresh compressed air to flow better through the cylinder and generating a slightly higher exhaust pressure through the opened outlet valve, thus reducing lag up to 2,000 rpm. The scheme is no longer needed after that, as the boost pressure is enough to offer an instant response.

According to the official data, you get incredible hp/Nm per liter ratios: 134 hp per liter and 194 Nm per liter. In other words numbers, the 340 Nm of the maximum torque come at just 1,900 rpm, while the 235 hp peak power arrives at 5,500 rpm.

You can really feel the smart bits working, with the unit one of the best lag evaders we’ve ever had under our right foot. You can keep on partying until 6,000 rpm, a point where you rapidly run out of muscle. Unfortunately, the downsized unit doesn’t manage to be as efficient as we would’ve expected (yes, we considered its output, but it’s still too thirsty).

Unfortunately, the Tasmanian devil under the hood doesn’t have a matching wheel to spin in. The six-speed manual gearbox that the 1750 TBi mill has to work with offers precise shifts, but the long gear shift travel and the exaggerated dimensions of the knob keep you from enjoying the experience.

The speedo reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 7 seconds, with the feat being achieved at the uppermost level of the second gear. This actually feels a bit strange, as in order to hit 62 without having to switch into third, you seem to need to push the powerplant to the limit of the rev band.

In a car like this, the main toy can’t be accessed from the cabin, as it is located in the engine bay. However, we have to look past the (almost) 170 hp per tonne. Does the exhaust system with the dual chrome tailpipes count? Why not? It’s sound is just right and you can play with it using the pedal on the right! OK, we’ll get to the point(s).

The Quadrifoglio Verde trim level comes with the Blue&Me infotainment system, which allows you to connect your own devices via Bluetooth or USB, also offering steering wheel controls for it. Unfortunately, the standard audio system is one of the worst we’ve ever used in terms of sound quality.

Lower in the center console, we find an automatic dual-zone climate control system that does its job just fine and also includes an air vent for the rear passengers.

However, we wished that in the upper area of the dash, instead of the storage compartment, we would’ve found the EUR1,700 optional pop-up satnav system, which comes with a display that you can also use for other functions, such as seeing the turbine pressure.

The driver always has a bit of informational spice, offered through the display placed between the speedometer and the rev counter. If we’re talking about economical driving (in this version, this can only be called Italian humor), then you’ve got the little triangles that show you when it’s time to change gears. In the Dynamic mode, the display can be used to show the turbo boost, a feature that will please the enthusiast in you (just try to keep your eyes on the road).

The luggage compartment also includes an items that is worth mentioning here - the Fix&Go kit that allows you to handle a flat tire without needing a spare wheel.

All in all, the Giulietta QV we tested didn’t impress us in terms of toys, due to the fact that it offered too little for its price. However, if we take a look below on the pricing list, things become better, as we get a significant price reduction, with a hefty amount of goodies remaining in position.

1.8 TB GDI 230CV QFV CM 6M - this is how the car we tested is called in Euro NCAP language. So, let’s see what happened when the organization split the Giulietta’s V-shaped grille in multiple pieces.

The Giulietta received a five-star Euro NCAP rating, with an overall score of 87 points out of 100 (97% Adult Occupant, 85 percent Child Occupant, 63 percent Pedestrian Protection and 86 percent Safety Assist). The Euro NCAP named it the safest compact vehicle. As you might know, the organization will introduce a stricter testing system in 2012, but the Giulietta’s score will allow it to keep its five star rating.

As for the pedestrian safety tests, the Giulietta received a 63 percent rating, with the bonnet being the most problematic area.

The entire Giulietta range comes with an array of active and passive safety features, including guardian angles like the DNA system, the VDS (this incorporates ABS, ASR, BAS, EBD, Hill Holder), the electronic Q2 differential, six airbags, active head retraints, a system aimed at preventing fires, as well as LED daytime running lights & taillights.

Alfa wanted to make sure that the active safety tech does what it's supposed to, so it didn't fit the vehicle with an ESP deactivation button. Not even the Quadrifoglio Verde version we tested didn't allow us to get the tail out too much. This is normal in everyday traffic, but when you want to have fun with the car, you'll feel a bit frustrated and start searching for the fuse you have to remove in order to fire the nanny.

And it's the same story with the passive safety. We know how importnat it is for all ocupants to wear their seatbelts, but why did they have to decorate the area just above the interior rearview mirror with an "indicator" which shows the exact status for each seat? It's not like we're playing fasten and seek...

So, the Giulietta is a "Crash Hard" - if you end up hitting this car, it was probably a human error.

Talk about the Tower of Babel... take an on-paper look at the Giulietta 1.75 TBi Quadrifolgio Verde and you’ll expect to meet a mean hot hatch. Read this review and you’ll find out that it’s not. Instead, this car is a spacious hatchback that can provide tons of fun and enough comfort for any trip. However, Alfa has decided to place its temptress above many of the competitors in terms of pricing.

The vehicle manages to spell “feel good” in multiple ways, pleasing the driver, with the help of an engine worthy of the “Tasmanian Devil” nickname and smart electronics that control the power delivery and the handling, as well as the passengers, which have their needs catered for by the suspension, the seats and the interior space.

Bad... this is a perfect word for describing the fuel efficiency of the 1.75 TBi unit. Alfa claims it has reinvented the “Quadrifolgio Verde” badge, transforming a racing legend into a concept that combines pleasure behind the wheel with eco-friendliness. Well, it just hasn’t. We know the “downsized” mill offers top-level performance and laughs in the face of turbo lag, but it asks too much juice in return.

The ugly bit is definitely the interior, which uses certain materials that are below the expectations, such as the plastic on the upper side of the interior door panels. Another unpleasing aspect of the cabin is the fact that, even though it belongs to a hatchback produced by a brand with a rich history and launched in 2010, it is far from being ergonomic. It just feels like it belongs to an older generation.

Would you be ready to marry a sweet Italian supermodel, for better and for worse? You don’t need to answer to the priest, you can say “Yes” or “No” to the Alfa salesman when lustfully peaking under the Giulietta QV's bonnet - it’s a similar deal.
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Our ALFA ROMEO Testdrives:

autoevolution May 2011
64
History
6
Exterior
8
Interior
6
In the city
5
Open road
6
Comfort
6
Tech facts
6
Gadgets
6
Safety
8
Conclusion
7
67user rating 164 votes
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