BEFORE I EVEN type one more word I can already hear dozens of people screaming no! It’s true that Alfa Romeo does have something of a reputation in the automotive world, but it is a company with a fantastic heritage also.
These days it is the nearest thing to a mainstream premium Italian brand, leaving aside the more expensive marques like Maserati. Its latest revival has seen the introduction of new models like the Giulia and Stelvio SUV to much praise (read our review here), and its 510hp Giulia Quadrifoglio super saloon remains one of the most memorable cars that I drove last year.
So, it seems that Alfa Romeo is back – but should you be looking at a used one? And if so, which model?
This saloon is the car that Alfa is pinning a lot of its hopes on. It is a good looking car, and it has plenty of space inside, even in the back. It is being pitched as a premium saloon, and its pricing puts it up against the likes of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
While it is an alternative for someone looking for something different, there still isn’t a huge selection available on the used market, and residual values remain something of an unknown.
The Giulietta is Alfa’s rival to the C-segment hatch market, going up against cars like the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Opel Astra. Despite getting a slight update in 2016, the Giulietta doesn’t look as modern as some newer models on the market, but it’s not a bad car to drive.
Some 1.4-litre petrol engines can be found on the used market but most are diesel, and these can provide fairly efficient driving figures. It is a car that can look much better with the right colour and wheel combo, so do look around.
It’s the smallest car in the Alfa Romeo range and the oldest, having first appeared in 2008. This model never succeeded in replicating the success of the Fiat 500.
It is at best suited to someone that won’t need to carry bigger loads or many passengers frequently. There is a faster version with a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, but mostly it comes down to either the 1.3-litre diesel or nippy 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol version.
The latter is capable of decent fuel consumption, but it’s an engine that encourages you to drive it harder, thus negating its fuel-sipping ability.
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