We are in a golden era for high-performance and luxurious SUVs and crossovers. If you’re looking for a two-ton people-mover that can turn faster than your grandfather’s old Corvette, you’re spoilt for choice. For the 2018 model year, Alfa Romeo entered the discourse with the potent Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Now, the 2024 Stelvio Competizione—with an active suspension and a multitude of luxurious features—arrives as a bridge between the mundane models and the more expensive 505-hp Quadrifoglio.
The Competizione, like the Veloce variant it is based on, prioritizes luxury. From the outside, this Alfa appears to be the genuine article. The Comp-exclusive matte Moonlight Gray paint option gives the car a more upscale appearance, and the Stelvio follows suit with its Giulia sedan sibling by receiving new LED matrix headlights that emit three half-rings on each side. The updated V-Scudetto grille complements the other front-end features, while the rear features new taillights.
The double-humped upper dashboard in the Stelvio Comp is covered in leather (the real thing), eschewing the coarse-grain finish found in lesser models. The 14-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system was confounded by the sluggish software of the infotainment system. Changing to Apple CarPlay appeared to have resolved the issue. The leather seats of the Comp are decorated with red embroidery and “Competizione” logos on the sides and headrests. Unfortunately, the Alfa also has subpar switchgear, resulting in a sort of teeth-grating grimace whenever the climate settings are adjusted. The leather-wrapped shifter is decent, but if you lower your arm to the adjacent transmission tunnel, you’ll find a cheap grooved plastic finish.
Alfa’s capacity to construct an emotional powertrain redeems the Competizione to a large extent. At the Competizione’s starting price of $58,520, you might expect something closer to the Quadrifoglio’s 505-hp twin-turbo V-6, but you’re out of luck. Nonetheless, the standard 2.0-liter turbo four produces 280 horsepower. These horsepower are distributed to all four axles via an automatic transmission with eight gears. The last Stelvio we tested with this powertrain reached 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, which is a respectable time.
During vigorous driving, the power delivery is swift, and the exhaust note is pleasingly throaty. Accelerating the Alfa Romeo from a halt causes a brief chirp of distress before the tires engage and propel the vehicle forward with vigor. Even with the mode selector defaulted to Natural, the Stelvio is surprisingly engaging for its segment. Although the steering is fast and direct, more feedback could be provided.
Turning the mode selector to Dynamic increases the enjoyment. Similar to the QF, the Competizione is equipped with Alfa’s adaptive-damper system, which allows you to switch between a gentler setting for daily driving and a stiffer mode for more spirited driving. In its softer mode, the suspension muffles all but the most severe irregularities, whereas in its sportier mode, minor vibrations are transmitted to the seat bottoms. In either configuration, the chassis feels agile and nimble. Athleticism of the Stelvio subtly urges the driver to grasp the massive shift paddles on the steering column and pass slower traffic.
The Competizione is pure Alfa, but its lofty price tag leaves us wishing for something closer to the Quadrifoglio. As with a curry lacking key spices, we are left feeling satisfied but desiring more.
Leave a Reply