2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 

Alfa is all about the driving experience! You drive, feel and smell that car and you fall in love! You have that beautiful logo in front of you and nothing else matters.... You're the king of the world! All the flaws are welcomed with open arms... Because you have an Alfa Romeo and that's what counts! It's fast, it sticks to the asfalt, it stears fantastic and it looks divine and angry and sexy all at the same time! Get it? 😉

I'm a car guy. I'm a fast car guy. But my wife test drove and bought a Stelvio, and I can honestly say that it's the only SUV I would consider buying myself! What a great driving vehicle.

I own the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and I love this car. It's a 2018, it's red and I don't have anything bad or ugly to say about this car. My son loves it also. I really like the 4 leaf clover on the sides because it sets it apart from the base model, and that 505 HP is out of this world. If you have the extra cash, buy the Quadrifoglio I'm sure you won't regret it. So fun to drive.

I have the Alfa Stelvio Sport Q4 and I get tire squeal in Dynamic mode in manual shift.....I love it. Also, my husband is 6'5" and he telescopes the steering wheel hardly moves the seat. The gab is adjustable also, the same on my Mercedes. You really have to own a Alfa to understand the Alfa driving it a week is just not justification for harping on what you don't know...lol

The hood it isn’t properly closed. U have to push it both side!!!

So...I have to disagree.... 1) Best part of this car is the STEERING !!!! You never even mentioned it... 2) Interior switchgear...the center console buttons have a "toggle" functionality to them....therefore, they have lateral play !!! 3) Panel gaps....everything in my Giulia Quad and Stelvio Ti Sport lines up smartly....nothing that even come close to Tesla 4) Interior dash and door tops.....Opt for the optional Interior Leather Option and these surfaces get transformed.... 5) Outward visiblity....true, it sucks but that's the price you pay for an athletic silhouette

I suspect the hood wasn't properly closed...like maybe one side only had closed

If this is like any other car, you can manually adjust that panel gap.

I love the opening on what "Stelvio" actually means, my local dealer did not mention that, also 11 minutes is pretty darn close to perfect for a car review!

Just picked up my 2018 q4 from the dealership and you are right this baby feels so good on the road I gave up a 330i for this and I'm glad I did this car even has more bills and whistles then my 2020 BMW. And it handles like a sports car not an SUV crossover.

I drove from La. To cabo and back, I love my stelvio. Going back after the year.

I'm late as hell, just bought one. I do agree with a few of the cons. But..... I paid 25k for mine with 15k on the dash. Love it thus far, but I don't have panel gaps on mine fortunately. Great review.

Thnx Hanson . Enjoyed and got enlightened by your review

Thanks looking to buy a used one like this. At least now I know what to look out for.

It's a beauty , I think I'll either go with the Stelvio ,the Giulia or Giulietta , either way , I'm picking Alfa Romeo , love all the cars they made

What other car has this character? Stay with Asian if you want fit and finish, however if you want style and substance in terms of engineering, look no further.

I have loved this car since the 70'S finally has come to the U.S.A .

Great review. I must start admitting I'm quite a fan of Alfa Romeo. I'd say there are some other good points of this car you left behind: the quick steering responsiveness; the agility in cornering; the Q4 awd system that is perfect in snowy conditions (hence the name!). The bad plastic somewhere inside is a turnoff for me too. Also, I believe that the panel gap of the hood, since It's the only one, means it was designed this way not to create a stress during cornering. Lastly, the infotainment in 2018 will be improved. To sum it up, I like a lot this one, the Quadrifoglio is the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring after all. But if you want a luxury feeling above all, then buy something else (that will come at a higher price point).

One of great review on stelvio. TU

great review great car great looking suv!

The hood is not closed, you can see it in video too - after 8.min ;) Reviewer who dont know to close the hood? Meeen...

Good eye especially on the smallest of details

good review, not that thorough but much better than many reviewers.

1:30 the regular automatic shift fast but they have a bit more power losses in the torque converter. So with a manual or dual clutch a bit more power goes to the wheels. With a sequential you get even pore power transferred but that puts more stress on the engine bearings. The advantage of the torque converter is it gives a better rpm range (like a 1:2 or less ratio cvt) and they are very smooth protecting the gears very well also. They also sound interesting, reminds me on jet engines. For street cars these are very nice and the zf has a good reputation. For this car I would choose this gearbox over a dual clutch one.

As an owner of a 2018 Stelvio, I can tell the hood was not closed properly. I bet the start / stop dash light was flashing all the time. This happened to me after I finished showing off the engine to my friends & didn’t shut the hood correctly.

I drove the Stelvio Ti and I totally agree with you review. I love the acceleration and handling characteristics, but as you have stated the interior plastics feel cheap. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to buy one, but they sure do look great.

Thanks for the video. I'm looking at a 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport AWD, 89K miles, White exterior, brown and tan interior, $21,500. Great price, but I'm still gonna try and talk them down some. Plus I'm waiting to hear if they have a military discount.

Good review. Unfortunately manual transmissions in all vehicles are quickly going away (at least in the US) but I'm happy to have one of the last luxury SUVs with a manual transmission. Thank you BMW.

I saw one on the highway and it looked cool. don't know if it is the fact there are not many out there.

I just want to know if you can hammer it over frost heaves on the way to go skiing?

Agree with some that ALFA has always been about driving more than luxury, however, I'm very hopeful that Giulia will stand the test of time ( I mean a year or 2) so I can pick one up after the initial leases, but i'm not holding my breath.

I just bought a Stelvio ti sport. The preformance and the style are awesome. No car is perfect. For my wife the Stelvio is. I'm going to get a Gulia soon.

Great video. Going to dump my X3 for this beautiful creature.

LOVE my 2018 Stelvio compared to the X3 I had before it. It's one sexy red Italian beast, I really love the 20" wheels compared to the X3's 17" and it purrs.

I think the panel gaps can be fixed if you take it to a German paint shop and ask the to take it apart and put it back together

No mention of the seats?

If you want the high end stuff get the Ti Lusso model. You smile when you drive this car and so does everybody else. There's a reason for that and that reason is what its competitors lack. Love my Stelvio Ti Lusso!

To be honest the panel gap in the hood should or would be sorted out by the dealer even on used and approved. It still seems good value for money considering its handling & performance which is really why people buy Alfas. Also there is not many petrol SUV's out there that give you the decent economy with the performance. Diesels are going out of fashion fast.

Wow, he really murdered the pronunciation of the Stelvio “Quadrifoglio” ! Hint: the “g” is silent.

Most of your negative points have been resolved in the 2021 update

I think the hood is not properly closed, but love this car in Euope costs some 35000€ for basic 2.2 liter diesel engine with 210hp

It seems the hood panel gap is a problem with this car, others don't really have it

I brought a 2018 stelvio sporty this pass Sunday.. I drove to work for the first time.. heading to work I notice (break service pad appeared on the dash board) also a red break sign activated.. and also leaving work it happen again heading home.. when I got home I Google it.. and so many recalls came up on this vehicle.. luckily I have an appointment this Saturday at the dealer.. Did anyone have this issue?

This is a brilliant car, far better than my Bmw X3 which it replaced. Minus points made are nit picking and not worth the mention. Far out weighed by a great drive, steering, road holding, ZF auto box, paddle shift: that is what really matters. The rotary info control is light and very quick way better than stolid cumbersome BMW version.. Great power to weight ratio too Clever engineering all round.

The Italian cars have not always been the most reliable..but with that beauty and performance it will always and is my favourite

With that much power from such a small engine I wonder how long the engine will last. There must be a lot of stress on the engine from high turbo boost. I hope the head gasket can handle it long term.

❤❤❤❤❤Stelvio

Major problem is all those cheap aspects are also in the $90k Q version.

Yes it has some minor issues with plastic but Damm the drive of this car will make your forget that

Thank you for your honesty. Panel Gap & cheap materials is a no-no for ARS. How is the stereo sound system?

There's a LOT of clicking in your audio, may wanna look into that as it's quite distracting

Smashed my foot on that stupid seat hump twice and limped for 2 weeks still loved the car

First of all, modern automatics are faster than manual transmissions. Secondly, the g in quadrifoglio isn’t pronounced. As for fit and finish, and the plastic, this is a car for driving, at which it excels. Luxury in a sports car is not the softness of the plastic. A good enough review though.

Annoying factory alarms when the batteries dead

Alfa Romeo is not a luxury brand. Maybe their way to focus style and sporty dynamics make people think like it, but its not. Its more close to Volkswagen than Audi in my mind and I don't think both are so luxuries after all. Maybe Premium is better word.

The brakes ARE good

totally disagree, your wrong about everything you said in the video, there is not one thing wrong with the alfa romeo stelvio

your picking of detail flaws are pretty ignorant when you dont even know how to close the hood properly.... ALFA made by Ferrari is a legend, race legend add to the hand made feel. have some respect dude when you have no idea about a vehicle with style and heritage, Go for an infiniti they are all built for people with limited understanding or interest.

OMG !!!! EMBARRASSING EPIC FAIL @ 3:20.....THE "G" IS SILENT IN QUADRIFOGLIO !!!!

Stelvio need to improve something like audi q5

Mazda cc I

Crossovers NEED manual transmissions! We need to start a movement.

The G is silent in Quadrifoglio.. have an Italian review an Italian car...

Thanks for the advise ,when any american brand will be able to build something close to Stelvio at that time ,Alfa Romeo will have very nice knobs. Italians do not have time to waste around the quality of knobs we have rush to use the handling and the power ,that just double or triple displacement an american car can aceive. Let me know when an american cars can reach 140 HP/Liter. I'm curious to know how many hood not alligned with bumber have you seen . We built the most powerful and beautiful cars in the worlds ,we do not need any advise from the worst quality country of cars . I'm waiting the american SUV 2.0 liters about 5.8 sec 0/60 ,i hope to have life enough. Alfa never say that this is a luxury car. Let me know when an american brand will be able to give like Japan ,Korean and European cars more than 5 years of warranty, again probably i won't have life enough. Saturday i will buy an 2018 Stelvio Ti Sport . Alberto a f......ing proud ITALIAN born in TORINO in front FIAT plant, lived in TORINO ,51 years and now i''ll buy just HUGLY ALFA ROMEO OR FIAT here in usa for the rest of my life . Better no car than american car,we can't learn anything from this country about cars .Best Diesel car engine are born in TORINO thanks FIAT . Really we do not need somebody that teach us how to build Engine and Cars. Lancia Delta won 6 consecutives Rally championships with the same car ,never some brand did the same ,another little hugly italian car Lancia Delta. Sorry nothing personal ,Just some ITALIAN pride.

i think my ford edge 2011 can be better it have 285hp and around the same number of torque

Пока Альфа-Ромео не купит Фольксваген у них будет дурацкий дизайн.

hold done a sec boy,... Alfa is never about luxury, If you think that you are new !? to the industry ...I bet you did not notice your car has carbon-fibre prop shaft, hahahahha 41k$ you want luxury, lol

My 2012 rav4 v6 has just as much power and I'd bet the title it will last longer. It doesn't look nearly as cool nor does it handle worth a shit, but it's fast and needs nothing but oil changes.

Get the Japanese to make it or Audi

It's a Fiat it's all ugly (well not looks) just everything else. LoL.