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Research the key elements of Italian culture, and you’ll find the arts, architecture, family, fashion, and food are the common denominators. All of them can inspire passion, so it’s not surprising the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio does precisely that in anyone who loves to drive. It’s particularly true of the 2024 Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the performance-tuned variant that departs the U.S. market at the end of the year.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Before the Quadrifoglio departs, the entire Stelvio lineup gets a few updates for 2024. They include:
In addition, there are four special edition versions of the 2024 Stelvio, three reserved for the Quadrifoglio model. The Stelvio Tributo Italiano comes with the standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Quadrifoglio specials to close out this high-performance Stelvio’s production run include the 100th Anniversary Edition, Carbon Edition, and Supersport variants.
The Stelvio’s core trim levels include Sprint, Ti, Veloce, Competizione, and Quadrifoglio. Base prices range from $45,950 to $87,870, not including the $1,595 destination charge.
The Competizione is new for 2024, featuring:
The Quadrifoglio Carbon Edition and Supersport cost more, at $93,530 and $95,030, respectively, plus the destination charge.
For this review of the 2024 Stelvio, Alfa Romeo provided a test vehicle equipped with Quadrifoglio trim and the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $92,910, including the $1,595 destination charge to ship the SUV from the Cassino, Italy, assembly plant to your local dealership.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a compact crossover SUV with equal amounts of luxury and sport. In Quadrifoglio specification, that is particularly true, thanks in part to its 14-way power-adjustable heated sport seats wrapped in smooth, supple leather. During the evaluation period, I made a round-trip to Los Angeles International Airport during the height of the morning rush. After three hours of slogging through traffic to LAX and back home, the driver’s seat remained phenomenally comfortable.
Drivers face a new 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel with three available themes: Evolved, Relax, and Heritage. I preferred the Heritage theme, which presents traditional analog-style gauges resembling those in the 1960s and 1970s Alfas. The Stelvio’s dashboard is perfectly flat except for the binocular-style humps over the instrumentation display, another stylistic throwback.
Quirks of the minimalist cabin include the red engine start/stop button on the steering wheel, which puts it in a different spot whenever you park with the wheel turned. The slender fixed aluminum transmission paddle shifters are works of art, perfectly functional, and remain in the same location no matter how you’ve turned the steering wheel. Large round air vents anchor each end of the dashboard, which Alfa decorates with carbon fiber in the Quadrifoglio.
Alfa Romeo locates the stereo volume and radio tuning twist-and-toggle knob on the center console, and it’s easy to find and use. Infotainment controls are there, too, but are redundant since the 8.8-inch display is touch-sensing. Traditional knobs and buttons control the dual-zone automatic climate control system, and Alfa gratefully resists the trend toward shiny and reflective surfaces, instead favoring matte black controls with clear white markings.
Rear seat comfort is acceptable. There was just enough room for my legs in front of the hard plastic seatback, good foot room under the front seats, and decent leg support from the rear cushion. But there is no doubt this is a cramped space. Also, the rear wheel well is intrusive when exiting the Stelvio.
You’ll find a practical amount of front and rear storage space in the Stelvio. The bin under the armrest contains a wireless smartphone charger, so there isn’t much in there. But Alfa Romeo thoughtfully carves out numerous other places to put things, and there is an ingenious storage slot to the right of the transmission shifter designed to hold the SUV’s key fob. Also, the front and rear cupholders have smartphone storage slots between them.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Nestled into the interior design like it belongs there rather than looking like an iPad someone glued to the dashboard, the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is admittedly small for this class. Fortunately, it is easy to brace your hand on the top of the dash or the shelf beneath the screen, helping with accuracy during inputs. Unfortunately, the system takes a long time to load and delivers inconsistent input responses.
Generally speaking, the user experience is intuitive. You swipe, scroll, and tap through the menus or use the controller on the center console. However, I found using the touchscreen to choose saved SiriusXM station favorites challenging, and the voice recognition system was nearly useless. So, use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for navigation instead of the native technology.
Alfa Connect connected services are standard and, except for the Wi-Fi hotspot (three months or one gigabyte of data), include generous trial subscriptions. For example, you get ten years of Safety and Security plan coverage, which features an SOS emergency call function accessible using a button on the roof of the SUV.
Quadrifoglios have a standard 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. As I’ve come to expect from that brand, the sound quality is excellent.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
One of the distinguishing mechanical characteristics of every 2024 Stelvio is its carbon-fiber driveshaft, which Alfa Romeo uses for the material’s light weight, strength, and durability. In addition, the Stelvio boasts a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution for maximum handling benefits.
The Stelvio Quadrifoglio takes the SUV’s performance to the next level. In place of the standard 280-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the Quadrifoglio gets a Ferrari-derived twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 cranking out 505 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive to deliver acceleration to 60 mph in a claimed 3.6 seconds. The top speed is 176 mph, according to Alfa Romeo.
In addition, the Quadrifoglio gets an exclusive Race driving mode, an active performance exhaust system, high-performance Brembo brakes, and an adaptive damping suspension. Gorgeous staggered width 20-inch wheels with a classic five-hole Alfa design are standard, wrapped in 255/45 front and 285/40 rear Pirelli P Zero summer performance tires.
If you’ve already guessed those specifications are a recipe for fun, you’re right. I absolutely loved driving the soul-stirring Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
Could I do without the intrusive engine stop/start system, obnoxious exhaust note under hard acceleration, occasionally uneven power delivery, and grabby brakes when driving in traffic? Yes, but anyone who looks forward to the journey as much as the destination will forgive the viscerally rewarding Stelvio Quadrifoglio because when the road ahead twists and turns, this SUV drives like a sports car, not a sport/utility.
During testing on Southern California’s legendary Mulholland Highway, a problem cropped up. If you pivot your right foot on its heel and need to push hard on the brake pedal to haul the Quadrifoglio down from speed, it is possible to depress the brake and accelerator pedals simultaneously. That makes the brakes feel like they’re fading, inducing panic in a driver. So, lift and drop your foot. Don’t pivot.
Also, if you want to drive something with a supple ride, a Stelvio Quadrifoglio is not the best choice. Even in its softest setting, the adaptive suspension and low-profile tires deliver an appropriately firm ride. I liked it, but some people might not.
Fuel economy is not the focus of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. The EPA says it will get 19 mpg in combined driving, and I averaged 18.6 mpg on my mountainous evaluation loop. That’s not awful for a performance SUV, but the Stelvio isn’t very big, so the observed gas mileage seems excessive.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Alfa Romeo equips every 2024 Stelvio with these advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS):
Order a Stelvio with the Active Assist Plus option package, and the SUV adds:
Highway Assist and Traffic Jam Assist are hands-on technologies that provide semi-autonomous driving assistance and work well. However, they’re available only on specific highways. For example, I could not use Highway Assist on Pacific Coast Highway north of Malibu, California, but it became available after I got on the 101 freeway in Ventura County.
Overall, Highway Assist did an excellent job of smoothly maintaining the following distances, even when other vehicles cut into the gap ahead of the Stelvio. It turned in a flawless performance until I transitioned to a different freeway. As I approached my exit, the Stelvio experienced a brief, unexplained braking event for no apparent reason.
The active blind-spot assistance system can add steering input to prevent an ill-advised lane change, demonstrating an extended sensing range. Due to that sensitivity, in moderately heavy traffic, the technology frequently resists lane changes too insistently, even when it is safe.
In addition, lane departure warnings prove inconsistent, and the lane-keeping assistance system’s intervention decisions are often a mystery. Also, when hugging the right side of a lane to avoid an obstacle in the road, the lane-keeping system attempted to steer me back to the center of the lane, requiring a manual override.
Unfortunately, crash-test results for the 2024 Stelvio are unavailable.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
By measurement, the Stelvio’s cargo space is unimpressive at 18.5 cubic feet behind the 40/20/40 split-folding back seat. However, Alfa Romeo shapes it for maximum effectiveness. You can slide three full-size suitcases into this SUV, storing them on their sides, and they’ll fit under the cargo cover. In addition, there are numerous storage compartments under the trunk’s floor. Fold the back seat down, and a Stelvio can handle 56.5 cu-ft of cargo.
If you choose a Stelvio with the standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the SUV’s fuel economy is decent at 24 to 25 mpg in combined driving. The high-powered Stelvio Quadrifoglio is thirstier, earning a rating of 19 mpg in combined driving. I averaged 18.6 mpg, nearly matching the official number.
Based on testing and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s 16.9-gallon fuel tank, you can expect to travel nearly 315 miles on a full gas tank. However, you’ll stop to fill it at around the 275-mile mark.
Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) haven’t performed crash tests on the Stelvio, this is a tricky question to answer. What I can say is that the SUV offers the technology that can help prevent a collision from occurring. If an accident happens, the Alfa Connect system’s SOS emergency call button is likely helpful.
For the 2024 Stelvio, Alfa Romeo charges between $45,950 and $95,030, plus a destination fee of $1,595.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Alfa Romeo Stelvio ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The BMW X4 and the Cadillac XT4 are the next highest-ranked models.
In the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the BMW X4 ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The Jaguar F-Pace and the Genesis GV70 are the next highest-ranked models.
Other 2024 Stelvio competitors include the Audi Q5 and SQ5, Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLC Coupe, and Porsche Macan.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
In size and purpose, the Porsche Macan is the rival most similar to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. However, with prices starting in the mid-$60,000s, the 2024 Macan is a pricey alternative. Also, the most potent version of the gas-fueled Macan models, the GTS, doesn’t stand a chance in a straight-line performance run when matched up with a Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
In addition to its value, the Stelvio’s initial quality impresses those who buy this Alfa Romeo. In 2023, the SUV ranked highest in its segment for initial quality, according to JD Power. However, the Stelvio did not rank among the top three models in the most recent JD Power vehicle dependability study. But the Porsche Macan did.
From my perspective, the Italian Alfa exudes personality and passion, whereas the German Porsche can seem cold and technical in its pursuit of performance. During a week of driving the 2024 Stelvio Quadrifoglio, I fell in love with its style, power, sound, handling, and relative rarity on the Porsche-clogged roads of suburban Los Angeles.
Undoubtedly, choosing the Alfa is an emotional decision. If it’s the Quadrifoglio you want, don’t wait much longer.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with 30 years of experience in the field and has held automotive editorial leadership positions at Edmunds, JD Power, and The New York Daily News. Today, Chris owns a content agency called Speedy Daddy Media, and in addition to JDPower.com, his work appears on Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, and Edmunds.
