Written by James Dennison Published: 19 July 2023 Updated: 10 October 2023

Overview

Sitting at the top of Alfa Romeo’s growing SUV line-up, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio looks like a formidable choice for buyers who want to combine the family-friendliness of an SUV with a high-performance engine capable of delivering 170+mph. In the traffic-choked UK, it might seem like an odd set of priorities, but the abundance of performance SUVs on the market proves that buyers love them.

In many ways, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio makes the perfect replacement for the more traditional performance saloon, such as the Giulia Quadrifoglio or BMW M3. It packs 510hp, has a four-wheel drive system and suspension set-up honed on track, and yet, is docile and practical enough to turn its hand at daily-driving duties. How times have changed.

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What’s it like inside?

There’s pros and cons to the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s cabin. On the one hand you’ve got some lovely details such as the huge metal gearshift paddles (which are fabulous to use), carbonfibre trim and contrasting stitching. However, there’s no doubt that in other areas the cabin is starting to show its age. That does however mean the things like a proper gear-lever and physical climate control dials are included, which is a big plus.

There’s also an infotainment control wheel and while the media system has a disappointingly small 8.8-inch screen, it does work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ­­– although not wirelessly. Note that 2023 facelift models benefit from the introduction of a high-res 12.3-inch digital dashboard display, that features several presets including the analogue Heritage mode and Race configuration. It doesn’t have the sheer customisation and flexibility of Mercedes-Benz or Audi rivals, yet the execution is neat and we’re big fans of the Heritage dial graphics.

Also worth a mention are the optional Carbon Shell sports seats. They’re super supportive and look a million dollars – especially in an SUV. Just be aware that their hard backing can make it uncomfortable for those with long legs sitting in the back.

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Comfort

Up front, those heavily bolstered seats offer a great blend of comfort and support. There’s plenty of adjustment, too, with the driving position easily tailored for those who like to sit lower with the wheel in their lap. You won’t be able to sit as low as you can in a Giulia Quadrifoglio, but even so the feeling of sitting closer to the road is impressive for an SUV.

The rear seats are less good. There’s a lack of rear kneeroom and headroom is tight, too, although they are well shaped, and for those who aren’t too tall, comfort back there is more than acceptable over longer distances. The middle seat is useful for shorter journeys but, again, less suited to longer drives.

Safety

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating when tested in back in 2017 although how well it could fare in the current test comes down to the suite of safety equipment added in the 2020 update. As standard, you get Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, Lane Departure Warning, Blindspot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Path Detection and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Since 2020 the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has been added, which includes lane keeping assist, blind spot assist, traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed control, traffic jam assist and highway assist and driver attention assist. In testing, we found ADAS worked flawlessly on motorway driving.

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What’s it like to drive?

This is what you’re here for, and the good news is that you won’t be (too) disappointed. There aren’t too many SUVs at this price that will outrun the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Combining the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s 520hp turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 and automatic transmission with a four-wheel drive system as standard, this Stelvio puts its power down very well.

The 0-62mph time is 3.8 seconds and it will power on to 176mph, which puts it ahead of the quickest Porsche Macan. The Mercedes-Benz GLC 63 S might be able to match its acceleration but is limited to 155mph. The added traction from the four-wheel drive system means it even beats the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s time by 0.1 seconds.

The engine doesn’t sound that exciting at low revs or in normal driving, and It can also feel rather lazy to respond to the accelerator in Normal or Eco drive modes. However, it changes character dramatically when you start working your way around the rev counter or leave it in Dynamic mode. At this point, it snarls and wails like a true supercar, and it’s here you’ll feel you’ve spent your money well.

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The Stelvio Quadrifoglio comes exclusively with four-wheel drive, but it operates as a rear-wheel drive car until slip is detected when it can send up to 50% of the engine’s torque to the front wheels. Combine that hyper-quick steering and you have a car that’s agile and sporting. Some will find this steering response results in twitchiness, but you soon get used to it.

Fortunately that keenness to change direction is backed up by mostly excellent body control, thanks to adaptive suspension. But there’s no escaping the car’s height and weight, which can leave it feeling unwieldy on tighter roads.

The adaptive suspension system is standard and the mode can be selected independently of the four (Eco, Normal, Dynamic, Race) driving modes. Switch the dampers into the firmest of its modes and the otherwise adequate ride quality deteriorates markedly. Models produced after the 2023 facelift also have a new mechanical limited-slip differential and tweaked suspension that makes the Stelvio Quadrifoglio easier to drive quickly and slightly improves agility.

Ownership costs and maintenance

As you may expect from a car with 520hp, running costs for the quickest Stelvio aren’t going to be inconsequential. Depending on certain situations, three cylinders can switch off, unnoticed, to cut fuel consumption by 10%. The official claimed fuel economy is 28.8mpg, but we averaged 22mpg in a week’s mixed motorway and A-road driving, with little benefit from using Eco mode. 

Also, don’t forget to factor in the huge, seriously sticky (and very expensive) Pirelli P Zero tyres, the tax you pay on a car that pushes out 267g/km of CO2 and insurance that’s bound to make a dent in your finances. 

What models and trims are available?

There’s only one version of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio on sale, but you can soon jack up the basic price by optioning it up. Carbon-backed seats will set you back more than £3,000, while a full-sized electric sunroof comes in at £1,000-plus. You might want to avoid the carbon ceramic brakes, though, at more than £7,000, which have limited benefit away from the racetrack.

What else should I know?

It’s fair to say that time is passing by for cars like this. With the impending ban on the sale of new cars powered by internal combustion engines in 2030, and Alfa Romeo’s confirmed move towards electrification, it’s unlikely that the firm will replace the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. There will be undoubtedly more fast SUVs, but what they’ll lack is this car’s soulful V6 engine.

So, if you’re considering buying one new, time is undoubtedly running out. However, before committing, read our verdict to see whether we’d recommend buying one.