Alfa Romeo Junior review – small Italian crossover to rival Ford's Puma
The Junior is Alfa Romeo’s small crossover with hybrid and electric versions. The flagship Veloce has a real performance edge
This is the Alfa Romeo Junior, the artist almost known as the Alfa Romeo Milano before a last-minute name change at launch, harking back to a nameplate first used in the ’60s. It’s described by Alfa as a ‘sports compact’ but, with underpinnings shared with the Peugeot e-2008, ‘compact SUV’ or ‘crossover’ might be a more accurate title.
In Elettrica form, the Junior is Alfa Romeo’s first all-electric vehicle but it is also offered as a hybrid Ibrida version. To find out if this small SUV can muster that trademark Alfa character, whether as an EV or a hybrid, we’ve tested Juniors ranging from the Ibrida to the flagship Elettrica Veloce on UK roads.
Alfa Romeo says the Junior targets Giulietta buyers and even new drivers with its combination of a small footprint, sharp styling and practicality. Rivalling the Alpine A290 and electric Mini John Cooper Works, is the electric Junior Veloce. It extracts every last drop of performance from the underlying hardware, to give it credentials more in-line with a hot hatch than a crossover. It might share parts with the Abarth 600e but takes on a more mature and sophisticated positioning in-line with its Alfa badge.
Powertrain and technical highlights
- Hybrid and electric powertrains
- 276bhp electric Veloce is the flagship
- Veloce features a mechanical limited-slip differential
At the core of the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is a 54kWh battery pack (51kWh useable), sending power to a front-mounted electric motor driving the front wheels in all variants. At the time of writing, the Elettrica variant line-up starts with the entry-level Junior, followed by the TI, the Sport Speciale and culminates in the top-level Veloce. There’s no Veloce version of the Ibrida on offer in the UK currently, and a more potent ‘Quadrifoglio’ is not thought to be in Alfa Romeo’s product plan for the Junior.
> Abarth 600e review – Italy gives the Alpine A290 something to worry about
The Junior Ibrida uses a mild-hybrid powertrain with a total output of 143bhp (upped in 2026 from the 134bhp in earlier models). It pairs a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo engine with a 48V electric motor, packaged together with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
All of the lower-level Elettrica trims make do with 154bhp and 191lb ft of torque, but jump up to the Veloce and things get a little more serious. While far from the headline figures we see from some EVs in 2026, a brand new in-house developed motor develops 276bhp and 254lb ft of torque, giving the range-topper considerably more power than the model beneath it.
While many single-motor EVs opt for rear-drive power, the Junior has to manage this increased output through the front wheels only. To manage its potency, Alfa Romeo has fitted the same Torsen limited-slip differential as used on the Abarth 600e as standard equipment on the Veloce, making this Italian pair the only front-wheel-drive EVs to have this feature.
Performance and 0-62 time
Given its modest numbers, it should come as no surprise that the entry-level Elettrica isn’t the most potent of EVs. On the road, acceleration is just as smooth and instantaneous as you’d expect from an electric motor, but pull fades quickly after the 40mph mark – 0-62mph comes in 9sec, which is leisurely for an EV. Throttle mapping is consistent and easy to judge though, with the trademark Alfa Romeo DNA modes allowing for subtle changes in response.
Move to the Veloce and the situation is different, with its big jump in power giving it a 77bhp/ton power-to-weight advantage at 177bhp/ton. Throttle mapping is just as well judged as in the entry-level car, but the Junior now feels like a true performance model, pushing you into your seat from a roll. A 5.9sec 0-62mph time won’t break any records but does make it hot hatch quick, with a 124mph top speed some way ahead of the 93mph Elettrica. Switch to Dynamic mode and the Veloce is noticeably sharper on the throttle, allowing you to take advantage of that limited-slip differential to adjust mid-corner attitude and manage understeer on the limit – handy for tight British B-roads.
Performance in the 143bhp Ibrida is nothing to write home about; unremarkable but swift enough to make progress. Paddles on the back of the steering wheel enable manual shifting for the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Like the Elettrica, the Ibrida’s ‘DNA’ driving modes comprise Dynamic, Natural (or ‘normal’) and Advanced Efficiency. Even in Natural mode, the regenerative energy recuperation function is quite pronounced; as soon as you take your foot off the throttle, there’s a strong sensation of engine and motor braking, which can initially make you feel a little queasy until you’re used to it.
The brake feel in the all-electric version is different again. Keep the Veloce in its standard modes and you get a long brake pedal with spongy initial travel, making it difficult to gauge stopping power in some circumstances. As always with EVs, blending regenerative braking with friction brakes is a difficult task, so Alfa has decided to ditch this entirely in the most focused ‘Dynamic’ mode. As in the Abarth 600e, this mode disables regenerative braking through the pedal entirely, using only hydraulic friction braking to transform pedal feel, inspiring confidence thanks to a boost in predictability.
Driver’s note
‘Stellantis does offer another EV with an identical powertrain in the form of the Abarth 600e, but its setup makes it a different proposition. Numbers are identical on-paper, but the lack of an external sound generator in the Alfa Romeo makes it feel more grown up, with minimal artificial cabin sound allowing you to hear the real sounds produced by the powertrain – while admittedly subtle and much less audible at higher speeds, they correspond directly to wheelspeed to give you another point of reference for traction levels, something that the synthetic sound in the Abarth doesn’t allow for.’ – Sam Jenkins, evo senior staff writer.
Ride and handling
- Elettrica and Veloce benefit from being c300kg lighter than rivals
- Veloce is genuinely entertaining to drive
- Ibrida 240kg lighter than Eletrica
Based on the same e-CMP platform as the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e, the standard Junior Elettrica struggled to deal with the imperfections of the Lincolnshire roads we tested it on, lurching and leaning, its 1545kg kerb weight making itself known. Spring rate is on the slow side, but even on chunky 55-profile tyres its dampers struggle to prevent smaller imperfections from entering the cabin. The Ibrida is more than 300kg lighter, and it rides relatively smoothly. There’s a little headswing for occupants, as with the high-set seating positions in most cars of this type, but body control is decent enough.
Designed to be the driver’s choice of the range, the Junior Elettrica Veloce drops ride height by 25mm, applies more focused and (slightly) wider 225-section Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres to a set of 20-inch wheels, and a host of chassis changes. The result is best-in-class dynamics and engagement, according to Alfa Romeo, and based on our test on some of Britain’s trickier B-roads, we agree.
While rivals such as the MG4 and Cupra Born tip the scales at c1800kg, the Junior Veloce is said to weigh 1560kg (15kg more than the standard car), one of the lowest figures in its class – that certainly bodes well for the upcoming Peugeot 208 GTi that will also share these mechanicals. A combination of this and the use of a proper mechanical limited-slip differential help make the Veloce a truly entertaining offering, with a responsive front end, good composure and driving characteristics more like a good hot hatch than an electric crossover. The front end is easy to place with the Junior inspiring confidence to push on from the get-go.
There’s enough feedback through the wheel and seat to gauge the purchase of those front tyres, but outright steering feel is lacking as in most cars of this kind – overall weight is good, though, with more substance than even some conventional combustion-powered hot hatches. Switch to dynamic mode and the controls tighten up, with increased response making it that bit more engaging.
Clearly Alfa Romeo’s engineers have worked to imbue the Junior’s steering with some of the same characteristics of the Giulia, helped by having a slim-rimmed steering wheel. In all modes, including the heaviest Dynamic setting, it’s relatively light with quite a strong self-centring effect, which in the Junior Ibrida reminds a little of evo’s old Giulia Quadrifoglio long-termer. Nonetheless, being a front-driven B-SUV with different geometry, it’s naturally less accurate and different in character to that of the rear-drive Giorgio-platform Giulia Quadrifoglio.
The Abarth 600e with which the Junior Elettrica shares almost all of its underlying hardware adopts a slightly more focused setup, with its rear anti-roll bar thicker (19mm v 17mm) than the one found in the Alfa. The difference is not something you’ll notice most of the time, but build pace on an undulating back road and the Junior Veloce lacks some of the lateral control of the 600e. Regardless of this, there aren’t many rivals that do it better.
Our first drive in the Veloce was in sodden conditions on a tight karting circuit, but even then, the differential helped extract the most from the Junior’s 276bhp output, allowing for early power application and preventing the front end from washing wide. It’s considerably less reluctant to roll on turn in than the standard car despite that less aggressive anti-roll bar, and ride on Britain’s roads doesn’t suffer too much as a result – the Junior Veloce is undoubtedly firm, but hydraulic bumpstops help soften the edge over the larger bumps you’ll inevitably encounter at low speeds, with ride only improving with speed.
Likewise our Junior Ibrida test was in soggy weather. On wet country roads it turned in keenly enough, with impressive grip from its Goodyear tyres.
Efficiency and running costs
The Junior Elettrica manages a WLTP combined range of 255 miles in its most efficient form, with an efficiency figure of 4.2mi/kWh recorded on our mixed 30-mile test. For perspective, the Mini Cooper Electric and Cupra Born manage claimed ranges of 249 miles and 264 miles respectively.
Alfa Romeo has said it specifically ‘chose not to overpower’ the Veloce to keep weight to a minimum, but engineers might also have had range in mind. Combining the same 54kWh (51kWh useable) battery pack as the standard car with a much more powerful 276bhp motor makes for a WLTP combined range of 215 miles, and this figure is much less in reality should you use the performance on offer – we saw efficiency of around two miles/kWh during our road test. The Junior Ibrida is rated for 57mpg by WLTP standards, though getting anywhere near that will depend on your driving style.
Interior and tech
If you’ve spent any time in a recent Stellantis product, you’ll be familiar with much of the Junior’s interior. The gear selector and various buttons and switches are all shared with models on the e-CMP platform, which should come as no surprise. The benefit of this is that they all work well and feel solid, though these elements do detract from the sense that the Junior has an identity of its own.
Build quality is strong for the most part, with touch points all reassuringly solid. This isn’t to say materials are ultra-high end, though, with the door cards built from a cheap-feeling hard plastic like in the Abarth 600e. Regardless of this, the Junior Veloce feels like an Alfa inside overall and is available with numerous options, unlike its Abarth relative, adding Alcantara trim, supportive Sabelt seats (which the cheaper Abarth 600e Competizione gets as standard) and a more plush overall feel with the £2200 Sport pack. An optional electric sunroof (£1200) is also a desirable feature, elevating the Junior to a more premium position in the market.
The Junior features some unique touches inside to set it apart, with its air vents designed to reference the four-leaf clover, tastefully backlit, and the surround for the driver’s display as a homage to twin analogue dials – as is a theme throughout the cabin, even these feature ambient lighting, with a soft light tucked within the structure to highlight the shape of the surround.
The Speciale we tested features numerous materials throughout, with a wetsuit-like material applied to the dashboard and centre console alongside satin chrome, piano black and hard plastic trim – the latter is mostly limited to the door cards. Not much changes for the Veloce, but tick the aforementioned options pack and you’ll receive more supportive sport seats in Alcantara, along with a few other touches – while the padding protrudes awkwardly into some evo testers’ backs, these uprated seats are great in terms of lateral support. The regular seats can also take a little while to get comfortable in for testers with long legs.
Real buttons on the steering wheel and even a dedicated row of physical buttons and knobs for vital climate/media control functions are great to see in 2026, but the Junior does have its ergonomic quirks. The usable display area for the central infotainment is quite small, and with it mounted low in the cabin it can be a little awkward to read at times – this isn’t the case in the Abarth 600e, with the central display mounted at the top of the dash.
The touchscreen interface can be frustratingly laggy. That goes for the powertrain starter too; it sometimes took one, two or even three presses of the start button to wake the Ibrida up when climbing into it to start journeys during our test (amplifying the ‘is this thing on?’ sensation common to many hybrids) and even the digital rev counter had an element of latency, moving in jerky little ticks under big throttle openings.
Alfa Romeo says the Junior can accommodate a family, and while a tall tester can (just) fit behind the driver’s seat set in their ideal position, there’s not a huge amount of space. The driving position is a touch too high for some tastes and while it does provide a sense of sportiness, the high scuttle won’t be for some. The Junior does feature more storage space than some offerings though, with a useable glovebox and a space under the bonnet to store charging cables (not a given in all EVs).
Driver’s note
‘Faux suede trim on some surfaces in higher-spec variants lifts the ambience, although it’s also a magnet for dust. In my driving position, the B-pillar feels closer to my head and shoulder than in many cars of this type, which worries me a little in terms of the potential ramifications of a side impact.’ – James Taylor, evo deputy editor.
Design
If you’re looking for a crossover, the Junior is one of the sharpest looking on the market – since it’s designed by some of the same team behind the stunning 33 Stradale, this perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise. In a world where most cars are larger in reality than you expect, it’s refreshing to find that the Junior feels as compact as it should.
That trademark Alfa Romeo Scudetto grille makes it instantly identifiable out on the road, with slim, aggressive headlights and a large, full width lower intake giving it some real purpose. While perhaps a little tall, the Junior looks just as sharp from the rear, with the dark rear light element part of the aero design, and a contrasting black lower section reducing visual mass.
The range-topping Veloce features the same bumpers as the entry-level model, but a 25mm drop in ride height, increase in wheel size and change to suspension geometry all combine to give it a far more purposeful appearance. The large teledial-esque wheels are striking in person, but the large openings do expose the comparatively miniscule brakes behind them.
Driver’s note
‘Considering the design team has had to work around hard points common to the Junior’s shared platform, it has a distinctive presence and a strong identity. It might not be the type of car that arch enthusiasts would like to see the company building but it’s the type of car it needs to achieve greater sales volumes. It feels a more cohesive product than the larger Stelvio, even if it can’t feel special enough to be an Alfa to daydream about driving.’ – James Taylor, evo deputy editor
Price and rivals
At the time of writing, the Junior range begins with the £28,400 Junior Ibrida hybrid, rising to £33,900 for the base Elettrica EV, with the identically-powerful Elettrica TI commanding a small premium at £36,400 to bring more standard kit to the table. At the top of the range is our model of choice, the Veloce, with almost twice the power of the alternatives and a higher £42,300 price point.
The Abarth 600e is the Junior Veloce’s closest rival on-paper, with it boasting identical underpinnings. Despite this, the two aren’t fighting for the exact same position in this fledgling market, with the Abarth cheaper at £37,995 in top 276bhp Competizione form. The Abarth is also available with a lower 237bhp power output in the Turismo entry model but goes without the limited-slip differential.
Elsewhere in the market there’s the Cupra Born, starting from £34,190 before rising to £44,825 in its most powerful and highest specced form. In VZ trim, it can produce 322bhp to the Alfa's 276bhp. Range is on the Cupra's side though, with the entry-level car boasting a 265-mile range and the upgraded battery variant lifting this number to 355 miles. There's also the MG4 which starts from below £30,000, but even the 429bhp XPower variant (£33,995) lacks the dynamic finesse of the Junior Veloce.
The Alpine A290 is perhaps the closest to the Junior Veloce in terms of engagement and design, but while a £30,245 starting price is competitive with the Alfa, a 217bhp peak output in the GTS (from £34,245) isn’t enough to compete with the Veloce. The 254bhp Mini John Cooper Works Electric gets a little closer for £34,905, but we rate the Alpine more highly.
The hybrid Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida starts from £29,000, rising to £34,200 for the Sport Speciale trim, before options. Rivals include the Audi Q2 (of which a hybrid version is not available), Ford Puma (only available as a mild hybrid or in all-electric Gen-E form) and Lexus LBX (hybrid only). Some buyers may also wish to consider other cars on the same Stellantis e-CMP2/STLA Small platform, which include the Fiat 600, Jeep Avenger and Peugeot 2008.
Alfa Romeo Junior specs
| Veloce | Elettrica/Elettrica Speciale | Ibrida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | Single-motor, front-wheel drive | Single-motor, front-wheel drive | 1199cc turbo three-cylinder plus single e-motor, front-wheel drive |
| Power | 276bhp | 154bhp | 143bhp |
| Torque | 254lb ft | 191lb ft | 170lb ft |
| Weight | 1560kg (177bhp/ton) | 1545kg (100bhp/ton) | 1305kg (111bhp/ton) |
| 0-62mph | 5.9sec | 9sec | 8.9sec |
| Top speed | 124mph | 93mph | 128mph |
| Range (WLTP combined) | 200 | 255 miles | n/a |
| Price | £42,295 | £33,895 | £29,000 |
