Transportation

The Alfa-Romeo Stelvio Q4: Art Edges Science


The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q4 is a smooth and quick compact SUV with high performance Brembo brakes and compelling Italian design cues.

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Last week, I drove the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q4 during a visit to Detroit. It was my first ride in the Italian sports car since I was a college student hitchhiking Europe and Francesca drove me from Florence to Siena in a gorgeous red Alfa Romeo Spider.

The 2019 Stelvio is a very good-looking vehicle, too.

The Stelvio start button is embedded into the steering wheel.

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First impression:  This car is different, the interior and exterior designs are both distinctive. One small example:  The start-stop button sits on the steering wheel and is positioned for an easy left thumb press.  Second example: The instrument panel is clean and attractive, featuring a blend of black and red and silver colors that say: “This is Italian design, this is the way things ought to look.”

On the other hand, the Stelvio’s functions sometimes comes second to design. Consider, for example, the center stack – the modern heart of the vehicle.

Think of center stacks – replete with screens and knobs and dials – as the car’s command center. Or maybe we should call it the major distraction center? Okay, both.

We definitely rely on the center stack for so much: heating, cooling, navigation, music, podcasts, streaming – you name it. So, it is important that our interaction with this center stack be as simple and intuitive as possible.

Turning the main menu knob to make changes to the screen takes some getting used to.

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The Stevio’s center stack is visually appealing, My nephew JP and I liked the look and feel of the central control knob and the minimal number of knob and buttons. But the “getting things done” part is neither intuitive or easy.  “I like the layout” says JP, “but this dial is hard.  And it’s not clear how to reverse out of options, the thing is too mechanical.”

An iPhone it is not.

Alfa owners would, no doubt, eventually learn how to navigate and select from among the options on that appear on the center stack screen, but this is no system for beginners.

Enough tech talk. How does the car drive? Smooth. I experienced an effortless but powerful engine, smooth transmission and a even ride – especially for a high performance SUV. The bucket seats wrap you into position and do not let go. Here again, design triumphs over convention: Some of my front seat passengers found it difficult to get into and out of the car without doing and an up an over movement on the seat lifts at each side.

Stelvio’s bucket seats are firm and require a little bit of “up and over” when getting into the car.

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As with many Italian creations, the Stelvio will no doubt make many owners feel an increasing attachment to this good-looking vehicle, despite its functional quirks.

 



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