2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Overview

Italy may be best known for pasta, wine, and the Vatican, but it's the country's performance cars that live rent-free in the fevered minds of car enthusiasts like us. The 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is one such thoroughbred. It boasts 505 horsepower from its sizzling twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6, serves up keen handling, and is draped in gorgeous sheetmetal that turns heads no matter what color it's painted. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be an Alfa without a checkered history for reliability—something we experienced when we had one for an extended 40,000-mile long-term test. But to diehard drivers, the Giulia's performance and extroverted personality are worth any service headaches. There are other fun-to-drive sports sedans with better reputations, such as the BMW M3, the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, and the Mercedes-Benz C63, but the Giulia QF can go wheel to wheel with any of them—and it always feels fully alive and vibrant, no matter what kind of road you're on or how fast you're going.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

1

Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

STARTING AT: $62,390

2

Mercedes-AMG C63

STARTING AT: $95,000

3

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

STARTING AT: $81,855

4

BMW M3

STARTING AT: $119,695

5

BMW M4

STARTING AT: $77,995

6

Mercedes-AMG C43

STARTING AT: $61,050

What's New for 2023?

The high-performance Quadrifoglio variant of the Giulia sedan is unchanged for the 2023 model year and blazes on with no updates to its design or mechanicals.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

We wouldn't add much to the Giulia's equipment list, as it already boasts desirable features such as in-dash navigation, blind-spot monitoring, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, and a 15-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system. If you're into driver assists—and we understand why you might not care for them in a driver's car like this one—we'd suggest adding the Active Assist Plus package as it comes with lane-keeping assist, a driver-attention monitor, and Alfa's adaptive cruise control system, which features a lane-centering feature. All-wheel drive is not on the menu, however; the QF is strictly a rear-drive sedan, which is one of the reasons it's so much fun to hustle.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

With its rhapsodic twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 and a well-calibrated eight-speed automatic transmission, the rear-drive-only Giulia Quadrifoglio is a riot to pilot. The Italian-built, Ferrari-derived engine produces 505 horsepower, 443 pound-feet of torque, and a spine-tingling timbre that shames most rivals. Too bad a manual transmission isn't available. We're also sad to report that Alfa Romeo lives up to its reputation for unreliability, with our long-termer exhibiting several mechanical glitches. The Giulia's engine contains its excitement when cruising at low rpm and in top gear. Applying the throttle below 3000 rpm results in merely a hint of hesitation, but then the turbos spool up and power builds in a whirlwind of acceleration and a ripping exhaust note. The eight-speed automatic gearbox is decisive and quick to swap gears in the sportier drive modes, and the Giulia's supple chassis is a willing partner in high-spirited hijinks. The Alfa shines on track and handles daily driving well, with perfect damping and notable isolation from harsh impacts. The zestier driving modes don't compromise ride quality, either. And then there's the sensational steering: The thin-rimmed steering wheel feels like a blast from the past, offering feather-light effort, communicative feedback, and pleasingly quick response. The synthesis of these traits into a seamless whole is what separates the Quadrifoglio from its main rivals and helped it win a comparison test against the M3.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The Giulia QF and its supersedan rivals are virtually tied in EPA ratings, with the Alfa earning 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The version we tested on our 75-mph fuel-economy route beat its highway estimate by 1 mpg. For more information about the Giulia Quadrifoglio's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Giulia's interior is composed of leather surfaces and faux-suede accents. The attractive front seats are supportive without being restrictive. A pair of racing-oriented Recaro buckets are available, but they lack the power adjustments and heating elements of the standard set. The switchgear and swooping dashboard carry over from the regular Giulia, but the Quadrifoglio adds a copious amount of carbon-fiber trim. The QF's trunk would accommodate four carry-on suitcases, which is average for this class. The reasonably sized center console adds a bit of front-row storage. Back-seat passengers are limited to small door pockets and cargo netting on the back of the front seats to store their stuff.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

The 8.8-inch infotainment display in the dash can be controlled by touch or by a rotary knob on the center console. The interface is customizable and intuitive, but the driver may have some difficulty hitting the smaller on-screen icons when the vehicle is in motion. Still, Alfa's system has a wealth of features and comes with navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. A 15-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system is also standard.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The swoopy sedan has standard driver assists such as automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring plus a slew of available equipment. For more information about the Giulia's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard blind-spot monitoring
• Available adaptive cruise control with a lane-centering feature

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Alfa Romeo's limited and powertrain warranties are average for the class. Its corrosion protection is also middling, and its complimentary-maintenance period is shorter than BMW's.

• Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for one year or 10,000 miles

More Features and Specs