Road Test: 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Alfa Romeo is synonymous with attractive and sporty vehicles and the 2024 Stelvio SUV is no exception.

With some new exterior features, the Stelvio is offered in five trims, with the Quadrifoglio being the ultimate model in the lineup.

With an as-tested price of $109,440, it comes very well equipped, looks sexy and has more power under the hood than one could possibly need.

The price tag also features some extras, such as $900 for the Vesuvio Grey Metallic paint, $1,600 for some really nice 21-inch dark five-hole wheels and $750 for gloss red brake calipers with white writing.

Powertrain: For enthusiasts of pure driving pleasure, you can’t get much better than the 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque under your foot from the smooth all aluminum 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine in the Stelvio QF. This is Alfa Romeo’s most powerful production engine ever produced.

Power delivery is smooth and there’s little to no turbo lag. Push down hard on the accelerator and the engine emits a throaty growl that certainly brought a smile to my lips.

It is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Alfa Romeo’s Q4 all-wheel drive system.

Stopping power is provided by high-performance Brembo ventilated disc brakes.

Exterior: It’s hard to find a bad angle on the Stelvio QF, which has elegant lines, nice curves and exudes style in spades.

New for 2024 are a V-Scudetto grille insert, trilobe LED adaptive matrix headlights, as well as new taillights in glass with a transparent finish.

The optional wheels and metallic paint certainly are a good look on the SUV.

I also appreciated the dual-pane sunroof, and quad exhaust pipes out the back, which produce that growl thanks to a dynamic dual-mode exhaust.

 Interior: The passenger compartment is just as elegant as the outside, with comfortable leather seating, nice carbon fibre dash inserts and top-notch materials everywhere.

The front and second row both offer heated seats, with plenty of legroom in the rear.

For 2024, the Stelvio features an all-new 12-inch digital instrument cluster, crisply displaying driving data and other vehicle information.

The rest of the dashboard is a fairly clean design, with minimal buttons and dials, all of which are well organized. Most of the audio controls are done through controls in the centre console.

There is also a very generous cargo area, accessible through a power liftgate.

Infotainment: Featuring a harman/kardon premium audio system, the Stelvio delivers excellent sound quality.

Powered by an 8.8-inch touchscreen display, the system includes satellite radio, navigation, wireless device charging, as well as compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Drive: There’s no denying it, the Stelvio QF is a blast to drive, even if you don’t use the drive mode selector to choose one of more the “fun” modes.

The Alfa DNA selector includes Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency and Race modes, with that last one reserved for the track ideally.

Handling all that power is made simpler thanks to the torque vectoring setup on the Stelvio, while the transmission is very smooth through all the gears. You do have the option to take control of the changes thanks to paddle shifters, but I tended to let the machine do the work.

Steering feel is quite nice and responsive, and the overall drive feel was good, but some rougher pavement was definitely felt in the cabin.

 Conclusion: This rare Italian beauty certainly delivers the goods in terms of looks, power and performance.

While not perfect, it is certainly fun to drive and will turn heads everywhere you go with it.

2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD
Price as tested: $109,440.00
Freight: $2,795.00
Configuration: Front engine/All-wheel drive
Engine/transmission: 2.9-litre V6 Twin-Turbo/ 8-speed automatic
Power/torque: 505 horsepower/ 443 lb-ft of torque
Fuel (capacity): Premium (64 L)
Combined fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 12.3 L/100 km
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 14.7 L/100 km
Warranties: 4-years/80,000 km (basic)
Competitors: Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus RX, Porsche Macan
Website: Alfa Romeo Canada