Alfa Romeo Stelvio – performance and 0-60mph time
The petrol Stelvio is usefully brisk and flexible, but its 5.7sec 0-62mph figure feels out of reach
Quickest out of the blocks aside from the red hot Quadrifoglio is the 2-litre petrol, offering 276bhp and 295lb ft of torque. Sink the right pedal into the carpet and the Stelvio will cross the 62mph mark in a quoted 5.7sec, passing 100mph in around 15 seconds and eventually running out of steam at 143mph. For reference, a Porsche Macan equipped with the 2-litre EA888 four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine takes seven tenths longer to hit 62mph.
In the real world though, the Stelvio rarely feels as quick as those figures suggest. Even in Dynamic mode there's a slight slushiness and delay to the powertrain that robs it of ultimate response, and even when the motor comes on song, it doesn't feel like the Stelvio would hassle many hot hatches. There's also a gruff edge to the engine in the mid-range, but it's otherwise pretty well isolated during normal driving. You can build good pace in not much time, but it hardly inspires a spirited drive.
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The 2-litre diesel generates a more modest 207bhp, grumbling from rest to 62mph in 6.6sec and topping out at 134mph. Despite the performance gap to the petrol, the diesel still feels flexible enough for everyday driving thanks to its 52lb ft torque advantage.
Opt for Alfa’s aluminium shift paddles and you do at least have a tantalisingly tactile way of getting up to speed, though coming down from high velocities is less pleasurable. Alfa employs a system called IBS (Integrated Brake System) for its braking. The facelifted Stelvio has more reassuring pedal feel than the last Giulia we drove, which also uses the same system, but there still isn't enough bite at the top of the pedal and it's tricky to modulate the brakes smoothly.
Then there's the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which reaches 62mph in 3.9sec and tops out at a slightly loopy 177mph to make it one of the quickest cars in its class. The most potent Porsche Macan, the GTS, is half a second slower to 62mph and stops accelerating at 169mph.
