Alfa Romeo Stelvio practicality and boot space

• Seating for five in comfort
• Well-shaped boot with electric tailgate
• Can feel a bit dark in the back 

The higher seating position makes getting in and out easier than in the Giulia, just as the higher roofline means there’s more headroom in the rear (though still not an overly generous amount). Both vehicles have identical wheelbases - the distance between the front and rear axles - and the Stelvio offers a good amount of legroom for rear passengers.

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It has quite small rear windows which doesn’t help when parking. This is mitigated somewhat by the fitment of acoustic parking sensors across the range, with more help from the rear-view camera available in top-spec cars only. These small windows and bulky bits of body work at the rear of the car also means it can be quite dark inside, especially on models with black headlining.

The roomy interior extends to the 525-litre boot, which is nicely square with high sides and wide, low tailgate to aid loading. It does trail the Q5, X3 and GLC for outright space though.

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All versions of the Stelvio get an electric tailgate, too, which can be set to open to eight different positions using the on-board computer, so you’ll never have to worry about not being able to reach the button to shut it. However, it's very slow to operate, so you'll need to be patient. With the rear seats folded luggage space increases to 1,600 litres.

Is it safe?

• Lots of active safety as standard
• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Stops from 62mph in 37.5m

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating when tested in 2017 due to its range of safety features. In addition to the usual electronic stability control system and six airbags, this includes:

• Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection – capable of bringing the Stelvio to a complete halt from speeds of up to 40mph
• Lane Departure Warning – delivers visual and audible warnings, but cannot steer the Stelvio back into lane
• Blindspot Monitoring
• Rear Cross-Path Detection
• Active Cruise Control

These systems use a variety of sensors, including cameras and radar. Upon testing the adaptive cruise control, we were a little disappointed to note that the system failed to pick up some motorcyclists in front of us, prompting avoiding action. 

On top of all that safety kit, the Stelvio has an Integrated Brake System (IBS; no, really) as standard, which combines the high-tech stability electronics with a conventional brake servo. This is said to reduce weight, improve brake feel and deliver faster braking response – meaning shorter braking distances.

It’s a first in this segment of the SUV market and we found it worked well, though those with a more sensitive braking foot may take issue with the claim of improved feel.

Improved safety tech from 2020

An update in 2020 brought with it a new level of driver assistance – taking the Stelvio up to the second level of autonomy – meaning the car can be left to control the gas, brakes and steering (albeit under constant monitoring by the driver).

The ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) collection includes:

• Lane keeping assist
• Active blind spot assist
• Active cruise control
• Traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed control
• Traffic jam assist and highway assist (autonomous driving)
• Driver attention assist

Unfortunately Alfa Romeo still doesn’t offer LED headlights – and this is unlikely to change until the car is replaced.

Watch: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Euro NCAP crash test video