First Drive: Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio Quadrifoglio continues to prioritise fun

What is it?

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Alfa Romeo’s good-looking Stelvio Quadrifoglio has already established a reputation as being a performance SUV that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Unlike rivals, this high-riding model has been handed all the flamboyance and character of a ‘regular’ go-faster model like a saloon or hatch but has the added benefit of extra space and versatility.

It’s been subjected to a series of upgrades and refreshes over its lifespan, too, but Alfa believes there’s room for one more. That brings us to this, the newly updated Stelvio Quadrifoglio – but what does it bring to the table and is it enough to fend off the likes of Porsche’s Macan? We’ve been finding out.

What’s new?

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Though quite subtle, there are a few changes here and there to help sharpen the Stelvio Quadrifoglio – or QV – experience. We’ve got a slightly more aggressive exterior design on the outside – with the three-bar light setup that has been used on the new Tonale compact SUV – while the engine has been given a little extra power. The addition of a mechanical limited-slip differential adds to the QV’s driver-focused credentials, too.

The Stelvio range got a significant update in 2020 to bring better interior materials, but this range-topping QV goes forward another level thanks to more premium-feeling plastics and a very pleasant leather-finished dashboard.

What’s under the bonnet?

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The Stelvio’s 2.9-litre biturbo engine has continued a long line of superb Alfa Romeo V6s, with this sonorous setup giving QV boatloads of character and more than a little bit of performance to go with it. There’s been an extra 10bhp added to the QV’s output for this update, too, topping out at a punchy 513bhp to bring 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds. Flat-out, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio will manage an impressive 177mph, too. All this in a car with a large boot and space for five.

Naturally, efficiency isn’t the best in a car this quick. Officially, Alfa says that you should get 23.9mpg combined, but this is a figure which is very hard to achieve in the real world. We saw an average of 18mpg during our time with the car and, should you drive a little quicker, it wouldn’t be hard to see that drop further.

What’s it like to drive?

Boy, is this one exciting car to drive. The QV has never been shy and retiring in the way it hustles down the road and it’s nice that this hasn’t been watered down via this update. Can you feel the extra 10bhp? Not particularly. But then the previous car hardly felt snail-like in pace; this new version continues to fire you down the road in savage fashion. The exhaust adds huge amounts of character to the whole experience, too.

The steering remains quick, which gives this relatively large car a great sense of agility and precision. You can switch between different driving modes, too, but we tended to find that the softest setting for the suspension worked best on our roads. When firmed up, the Stelvio simply feels too harsh for the UK’s pothole-peppered surfaces. The whole car feels light and ready to go, with only the brakes being a negative aspect – they’re a touch grabby and were very squeaky on the particular car we were driving.

How does it look?

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The Stelvio has – to our eyes, at least – always appeared as one of the more attractive performance SUVs available. It’s got the tell-tale Alfa ouches, like the offset number plate and triangular front grille, but it all feels current enough to ensure that this SUV isn’t just a medley of throwback designs.

How to differentiate this updated version from the rest? The bulk of the changes surround the headlights, which, as mentioned, get a new three-bar design. It certainly adds a little sharpness to the Stelvio’s design. The Quadrifoglio has more performance-orientated touches, too, like the bonnet air intakes and the quad exhaust pipes at the rear.

What’s it like inside?

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Inside the Stelvio QV you’ll find a very pleasant arrangement of materials and features. The leather-clad dashboard both looks and feels upmarket and we like the nicely shaped steering wheel which shuns the trend for overly flat-bottomed wheels. Behind it sit some of the best gearshift paddles in the business; large and tactile, they make changing gears a real piece of theatre.

There are some negatives. The buttons for the heating and ventilation feel too plasticky for a car of this type, while there was an odd rattle from the rear of the cabin when driving. Many areas get a carbon fibre-effect trim, too, which might divide opinions. Boot space is reasonable at 525 litres, too.

What’s the spec like?

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While the Stelvio QV might be costly to buy – prices start from £87,195 – it does include plenty of standard equipment to help justify it. The full leather interior features front seats which are heated and electrically adjustable, while a wireless charging pad and automatic dual-zone climate control are both included from the off as well.

New for this 2024 model is the TFT display where you’d usually find the traditional dials. It’s easy to configure and rotate through different views and modes at the click of a button. The main infotainment system, however, feels a little old by current car standards; it isn’t all that intuitive to use and can be clunky at times. We couldn’t get Android Auto to work during our time with the car, either.

Verdict

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio continues to be one of the sharpest-to-drive cars in the segment. Against models like the Porsche Macan, the Stelvio feels light and agile, while the 2.9-litre engine really should be celebrated, both for its performance and its character.

Some interior elements leave a little to be desired, but if you’re after a car that’ll make you smile at every press of the ‘engine start’ button, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is the SUV for you.