Alfa Romeo Brera (06-10) - Review

The Brera rides well with forgiving suspension, although the S version is far stiffer and can fidget over uneven surfaces. The front seats are supportive but not particularly soft and the driving position isn't ideal either with limited legroom for taller drivers and a seat that doesn't adjust low enough. The rear seats have practically non-existent legroom and aren't east to access either but on the plus side the Brera does get automatic climate control and electric windows as standard.

Few coupes come with a boot as generous as the one in the Brera - at 300 litres capacity it's almost as large as a typical family hatchback. However due to the odd shape of the rear hatch, the luggage area is awkward to access and it's not easy to load heavier items. The rear seats do fold to boost the car's versatility but the cabin lacks stowage with narrow door pockets, a shallow glovebox and only a half decent central cubby between the seats.

The Brera has a wonderfully evocative cabin with real Italian flair. The centre console is angled towards the driver and although the driving position is a little snug, it does add to the sports car cockpit feel. The cowled instruments are easy to read and the central digital display has an easy to use trip computer. Some of the controls on the column stalks could be better labelled (the rear wiper for instance) but the great looking steering wheel and three central dials with their Italian labelling make up for it. The biggest gripe however is rearward visibility - the screen is narrow and the thick rear pillars make parallel parking tricky.