New Alfa Romeo Stelvio: prices, specs and release date

Pricing has been revealed for the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The company’s first-ever SUV starts at £33,990, undercutting its Audi Q4 and Mercedes GLC rivals by around £4,000.

Read our Alfa Romeo Stelvio review here

There’s a choice of four engines, although only two will be offered initially when the Stelvio goes on sale in September: a 207bhp 2.2-litre diesel and a 276bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol, both of which come exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Alfa will also be introducing a 197bhp version of the petrol engine and a 177bhp version of the diesel in due course, while a powerful Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) version is due in 2018. This will feature the same 503bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine found the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV.

The standard Stelvio comes in four trims. The cheapest of these, simply called Stelvio, brings 17-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, an 8.8-inch infotainment system (with DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity) and a leather steering wheel.

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You also get a number of safety features as standard, including autonomous emergency braking and lane-departure warning, but this trim is only available with the 177bhp diesel engine and the 197bhp petrol, neither of which is available from launch.

You need to upgrade to Super trim to get the diesel launch engine (although not the petrol), as well as front parking sensors, 18-inch alloys, a leather dashboard, part-leather seats, sat nav and a seven-inch colour screen behind the steering wheel.

Next up is Speciale, which is the point at which the other launch engine – the 276bhp petrol – becomes available. It also brings 19-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers, chrome trim for the windows, upgraded xenon headlights, power-folding wing mirrors, full-leather seats (heated in the front) and beautifully tactile aluminium pedals for the automatic gearbox.

Finally, there’s the special-edition Milano Edizione. This is based on Speciale trim, but adds sports seats, a 10-speaker stereo, huge 20-inch alloys, a reversing camera, tinted windows, some extra gloss-black exterior trim and keyless entry.

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2017 Alfa Romeo Stelvio design

The Stelvio shares many of the design themes seen on the mechanically-related Giulia saloon. Both cars feature similarly slender headlamps and a dramatic triangular grille, which lends the nose of the car an aggressive air. The bonnet is distinctively creased, while the curvaceous sides are pinched inwards towards the waistline, reducing visual bulk.

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The waistline features a prominent character line that runs from the front wheelarches to the rear of the car, bisecting the door handles, while the rear light clusters extend from the rear haunches onto the tailgate.

Although clearly an SUV, the Stelvio has a lower profile and sportier stance than many rivals and is close to following the coupe-SUV theme of cars like the Mercedes GLC Coupe.

The Stelvio QV will build on the car’s already-sporty looks with a greater emphasis placed on power. As previewed by the pre-production car shown at Los Angeles, expect prominent air intakes in the front bumper and large vents in the bonnet. As with the Giulia QV, red brake calipers, quad exhaust pipes large alloy wheels are likely, while green four-leaf clover emblems (the translation of Quadrifoglio Verde) betray the car’s identity.

Interior

Much of the Stelvio’s interior is carried over from the Giulia. The three-spoke steering wheel is identical, as is the dashboard and instrument cluster. Also carried over from the saloon are the two circular air vents at each end of the dashboard, with rhomboidal ones in the centre.

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Like the Giulia, the Stelvio also comes with an 8.8-inch infotainment system controlled by a scroll wheel in the centre console. That’s also where you’ll find the controls for the DNA Pro drive mode select system, which allows you to choose between five separate driving modes. These include Dynamic and Natural modes – for enthusiastic and more relaxing driving respectively – as well as Advanced Efficiency, which prioritises fuel economy.

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Price and on-sale date

You can order the Alfa Romeo Stelvio from September 2017. Due to Alfa’s release strategy and trim/engine combination policy, the mid-range Stelvio Super paired with four-wheel drive and the 177bhp diesel engine is the cheapest model available from launch, at a cost of £38,490.

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Once the full Stelvio range is available to order, the cheapest model will cost £33,990. This will come with rear-wheel drive and the 177bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine. Excluding the hot QV model due in 2018, the Stelvio tops out at £45,390, which will see you behind the wheel of a Milano Edizione model with the 276bhp petrol engine and four-wheel drive.