2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

　　

2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawSenior Editor and Content Strategist, CarMax

　　Will Kaufman has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles and reviews over the course of his career. Will is a senior editor and content strategist for CarMax at zzdcar. Will has been featured in the Associated Press and a number of major outlets on the topics of infotainment and vehicle data, vehicle subscription services and autonomous vehicles. Will started his career in online publishing by writing and editing standardized test guides, but he has a lot more fun writing about cars.

　　If you want an SUV that feels like something and aren't interested in driving the same luxury crossover as everyone else in town, Alfa Romeo just might have the vehicle for you. The 2023 Stelvio delivers spirited driving, albeit with some built-in sacrifices, in a small SUV with exciting engines and a driver-first feel from behind the wheel.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$188/mo  for Stelvio Sprint

　　Stelvio Sprint

　　Sprint 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $46,575 MSRPSprint 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $48,575 MSRPTi 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $51,525 MSRPVeloce 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $53,325 MSRPLusso 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $55,425 MSRPEstrema 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $59,325 MSRPQuadrifoglio 4dr SUV AWD (2.9L 6cyl Turbo 8A) - $85,675 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　To further entice you, Alfa Romeo is adding a couple of new limited-edition trims to the 2023 Stelvio lineup. The new Stelvio Lusso builds on the Ti trim with premium leather upholstery in a Crema (white) color, plus leather on the dashboard and door panels and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.

　　The new Stelvio Estrema slots below the top-level Quadrifoglio trim. It gets you an adaptive suspension and limited-slip differential paired with the 280-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that powers everything except for the 505-hp Quadrifoglio. The Estrema also features 21-inch gloss black alloy wheels, carbon-fiber veneer and black gloss exterior trim, black leather sport seats, red stitching on the upper door panels, and carbon-fiber accents on the dashboard, doors and center console.

　　Despite these improvements for 2023, some questionable material choices and an overall lack of premium cabin treatments inside the Stelvio might have you thinking twice about choosing this SUV. But hold your decision until you take the Stelvio out on the open road. Alfa Romeo got all the driving characteristics spot on with its crossover, and that's why the Stelvio might be the right choice if you don't want an Audi Q5 Sportback or BMW X4 but still desire a SUV that offers sporty driving dynamics and distinctive styling. Find out more by reading the zzdcar Expert Rating below.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Stelvio drive? The Stelvio is an SUV for people who love driving, with a strong and responsive engine, sporty transmission and engaging handling. Power delivery from the four-cylinder engine is urgent, and you'll be hard-pressed to feel the difference between the Stelvio and some vehicles with bigger engines. Our as-tested 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds puts the Stelvio within half a second of some heavy hitters.

　　While the brakes also perform well, they respond inconsistently to input at low speeds. As far as venturing off-road, the Stelvio is all-wheel-drive and comes with hill descent control, but it's meant to be driven on the road. For starters, there's not much clearance, and there are no all-terrain modes as some SUV competitors have.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Stelvio? Ride quality is impressive for a sporty crossover. The Stelvio absorbs sharper bumps and road imperfections yet feels connected to the road. It can get bouncy, especially on uneven concrete-slab freeways. Around town, it's one of the more comfortable sport-oriented crossovers.

　　The Stelvio's seats are also sculpted for support, keeping us comfortable for long stints. But they aren't cushy. The leather is on the stiff side, the headrests are brick-hard, and the seat cushions are a bit short for long-legged drivers. Road and tire noise is nicely muted, especially for a sporty SUV.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below