Alfa Romeo 147 (01-09) - Review

Review by Ben Wall on
Last Updated: 06 May 2009
Voted Car of the Year in 2001 before it even went on sale here, Alfa's sleek, sporting 147 hatchback has appealing Italian styling, advanced engines, fine handling and competitive pricing against premium offerings from Audi and BMW. What Alfa has lacked is a reputation for longevity, although the 147 has proven to be one of the firms more reliable models. Facelifted in 2005 with the new-look Alfa face and a light interior makeover, even in its later years there remains much to like about this stylish hatchback.
3 out of 5

Other Alfa Romeo reviews

2.5 out of 5

Running costs

Fuel and insurance costs are above average for the class (but not necessarily for the performance), however depreciation is the biggest cost. The GTA model is pricey to run, with high insurance costs but Alfa servicing tends to be rather reasonable.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,805 - £1,980 *

Diesel

£1,335 - £1,364 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,000 miles.

Warranty

Mechanical three years, bodywork six years.

Road tax (12 months)

£170.00 - £270.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

3.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
    153
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
    211
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The 147 scores well on the eco front and with an average of 175g/km CO2 across the line-up, its emissions are quite low for a small family hatchback. However, it's worth noting that the range has two diesel models, bringing the average down and giving buyers more choices of low-emission versions. Diesels typically produce less CO2 than petrol engines with similar power outputs. The range is also fairly economical, averaging 41mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2