Alfa Romeo Giulia

The Giulia Sport is Alfa Romeo’s affordable pitch at mid-sized luxury European motoring. Yet it certainly doesn’t look the part and, to fair degrees in key areas, feel as such.

Parked up, at fifty paces, it looks six-figure rich. And it’s easy to imagine that was exactly its Italian maker’s game plan when an augmented Sport supplanted its no-name predecessor in the latter part of 2020.

The former ‘just Giulia’ was re-specced as the Sport with upmarket spin, arguably the most handsome four-door on terra firma made sexier still with larger 19-inch Dark finish five-hole rolling stock, black trim and bright red Veloce-grade brakes.

Inside, impossibly thick-bolstered sport seats, real leather trim and sportier wheel and pedal touchpoints were brought into play, and other changes notwithstanding – of which there are quite a few – the Sport’s stake is that, yes, you can indulge in rich effect on a cut-priced budget.

The Sport was the most enhanced variant of a slimmed-down, three-strong MY20 update to the Giulia range, the old Giulia and Giulia Super relegated to history, the new base version augmenting brand hallmarks of alluring looks and fine dynamic alacrity with expanded active safety and improved infotainment aimed to keep closer step with key German rivals boasting longer provenance and stronger popularity with buyers.

Thing is, recalibrating Giulia’s entry point to foist desirability seems a well-calculated balancing act, not merely some grab bag of obvious tricks – more engine boost, digital instrument eye candy – in efforts to chase Teutonic wheel tracks.

The Sport raises Giulia’s tip-in point by around three grand, now $63,950 before on-roads, and it’s offset by less-conspicuous substance to go with the obvious showmanship. But, clearly, the main game is to outdo the Germans on soul and emotion with (arguably) a more evocative pitch than the more austere Mercedes-Benz C200 ($66,900 list) and BMW 320i M Sport ($70,900 list) that the buck-banging base Giulia continues to undercut on price.

Now that the Giulia range soars into the exotic stratosphere with the GTA and GTAm, the Sport’s low-spec 2.0-litre turbocharged four’s 147kW (at 5000rpm) and 330Nm (at 1750rpm) outputs appear quite humble, though it weighs in nicely against C200 (150kW/300Nm), 320i (135kW/300Nm) and Audi A4 35 S Line (110kW/270Nm, at a thrifty $59,900 list).

The Sport lacks the limited-slip differential, dual exhaust and adaptive suspension thee come standard in the measurably more potent (206kW/400Nm) Veloce, though the latter’s damping smarts can be optioned in the ($2955) Lusso bundle that also adds ambient lighting and audio upgrades.

The base rear-driver’s fairly respectable 6.6-second 0-100km/h claim is nine-tenths shy of the Veloce that sits $7500 further up the fiscal tree. Cup half full is that you Sport brings huge effect on a budget; cup half empty is that it returns modest delivery despite big aesthetic promise. No foul on Alfa Romeo’s part: the sheep in wolf’s clothing ploy is commonplace in the Giulia’s competitive set, from AMG-look Benzes to the newly facelifted Genesis G70.

It’s an obedient and refined powertrain, the engine crisp to respond and mounting its peak torque quickly, the ZF-sourced eight-speed auto offering impressive focus. By the seat of the pants it feels lustier than the outputs suggest, the Giulia’s lithe mass, at just 1394kg tare, aiding its sense of purpose on the march.

With the DNA mode selector set to D-for-dynamic, it is still tempered enough for around-town punting, the elephant ear paddle-shifters – column-mounted as is Italian favour – largely superfluous for brisk progress.

This new base version augments Alfa Romeo's brand hallmarks of alluring looks and fine dynamic alacrity with expanded active safety and improved infotainment aimed to keep closer step with key German rivals.

Bar the lack of soundtrack, the Giulia Sport doesn’t feel short-changed. There’s enough in the powertrain’s reserves to serve the chassis’ whims and talents – not the other way around – and the upshot is that no matter how it’s driven there’s a nicely struck balance of character and execution.

It’s been widely reported that the Giorgio chassis is around for a good time though not for a long time. And there’s a fair chance that the provenance with which the Giulia will ride off into the sunset is to hang off the sedan’s well-praised, grin-inducing handling talents.

But it’s better than that, as the Sport demonstrates. The real worth in the underpinnings is the consummate blend of feisty dynamics and commanding ride comfort in tandem, albeit in Lusso enhanced form for best effect.

It’s the combination of clear and eager steering, assertive front-end point and sheer enthusiasm to change direction that is impressive. It’s light on its Pirelli P Zero feet, the 225mm front and 255mm rear stagger plying ample grip and augmenting mid-corner poise nicely. It’s joyfully playful once you push on and nigh on tenacious in response once you do even if, in certain situations, its character can become slightly and strangely synthetic in connection.

Case in point are the brakes, identical two- and single-pot hardware to the Veloce and not short on power, though the vaguely wooden pedal does rob them a touch of ultimate precision. Another quirk of the breed is that, according to those who’ve driven a few, Giulias can be dynamically inconsistent from one example to another – especially Quadrifolgio stock – though that’s tough to substantiate and, if there is any truth to opinion, our Vesuvio Grey example is particularly fighting fit example.

For a variant priced at a repmobile tier, the Sport is one helluva package, not merely because it talks the Sporting talk but because on balance it’s quite an accomplished daily runabout. Its manner is evenly tempered, its powertrain is nicely resolved, and there’s nothing flustered or undignified about its character.

The bump control is remarkably good, with fine cushioning and detailed compliance, and the Italian four-door is genuinely comfortable at a cruise bar some inevitable slap from those 35-series licorice-strip rear tyres across square-edged road imperfections. Ride pliancy isn't sacrificed for body control nor impinges on the sense of connection and intimacy, resulting in a natural duality that can both pander to driving enjoyment and fit the daily-grind executive role confidently.

Where the Giulia Sport gets a little heavy-handed is in the cabin, namely the seats. They’re gloriously upmarket for a base variant, with fine waxy genuine leather and a sense of craftsmanship. It’s just the cartoonish side bolsters are so aggressively shaped that the seatbacks that they weld you in, creating discomfort with long seat time, and tend to jam into your elbow when applying steering lock.

And the Giulia’s cabin won’t please all-comers, mostly because it sticks to its ‘classic’ lane and foregoes the audacious digital heavy-handedness pedalled by German rivals. Somewhat bland in some eyes, but for traditionalist tastes like yours truly, the austere format is a selling point.

The real worth in the underpinnings is the consummate blend of feisty dynamics and commanding ride comfort in tandem, albeit in Lusso enhanced form for best effect.

The black theme, as tested, is the least interesting choice of three: the optional red and tan alternatives do it better justice. But the blend of materials and gloss-free satin look is, for the most part, quite classy. But key model-year updates such as those racy pews with heating and driver memory, the revamped heated leather wheel, new alloy pedals and the like, weigh in stronger with the more upmarket vibe and ambience.

Also relatively new is the 8.8-inch touchscreen with its proprietary sat-nav, DAB+, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring is an infotainment improvement. But despite the trendy tile format software and sharp resolution, the system is more Band-Aid than boon, with its small-for-segment screen awkwardly positioned in the flowing dash fascia and a user interface that is clunky whether you use the touchscreen or control rotary controller, the latter having gained a more solid feel than the old hardware it replaces.

Many of the other controls, switches and dials, though, remain cheap and flimsy, one area that really drags the sense of quality down a few pegs.

The sound, driver-centric ergonomics up front are mirrored in the back with a sharply angled seat base and strong plus-two leanings with the seatback sculpting. It's not the roomiest four-door in the segment but with ample clearance to prove decent four-adult comfort. The deep, carpeted boot offers a decent 480 litres of luggage space and there’s no spare wheel, though the humongous truck-sized battery is hidden in the boot wall serves as one measure to help achieve Giulia’s ideal 50:50 front-rear weight distribution.

This latest update has bolstered the entry Giulia’s safety credentials by adding lane-keeping assistance, collision avoidance smarts in its so-called Active Blind Spot system and traffic sign recognition to an otherwise broad-coverage suite that includes all-speed AEB and contributed to the range’s 2016 five-star ANCAP assessment.

Less assuring is the slim three-year/150,000-kilometre warranty and perhaps a little more factory faith might inspire more ownership confidence for a marque that, deservedly or not, is stigmatised with a reputation for less than stellar reliability.

This mightn’t deter the ‘Alfisti’ though it might remain a fair sticking point to those with their gaze fixed on Germany, exactly the people this smarter, techier, safer and more lavishly equipped base Giulia hopes to seduce.

The Sport has a lot going for it: expensive looks and keen sporting focus that talks the talk, at an enticing price point usually reserved for premium-badged humdrum. Importantly, it’s also a fine daily driver and a comfortable grand tourer. And that it digs deeper into the well-worn and inimitable lane that sets itself apart from other Euros could be considered a major drawcard.

It’s far from flawless, which importantly, makes it more Alfa Romeo in spirit, as it should be. And it’s all the more compelling as a result.

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sport specifications