Updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio now on sale in South Africa – pricing and features

Alfa Romeo has updated the Stelvio, and its entry-level derivative is officially on sale in South Africa.

The Italian luxury car manufacturer has upgraded its exterior looks and added significant new features to the SUV.

Alfa Romeo currently sells three models in South Africa, the Tonale, Giulia, and the range-topping Stelvio.

According to the carmaker, the Italian SUV is only available in its Veloce trim at a starting price of R1,205,500, with the Quadrifoglio or “Q” model to be added to the line-up later this year.

Each purchase comes with a 5-year/100,000km warranty and maintenance plan.

Updated features

The Italian SUV has undergone a major upgrade with the addition of the new “Trilobo” grille featuring two primary air ducts. The grille is accompanied on each side by a set of “3+3” adaptive Matrix LED headlights that can adjust to oncoming traffic to prevent glare from affecting other drivers.

The newly designed head beams are meant to enhance the overall lighting system of the SUV. These beams work in conjunction with the daytime running lights, dynamic turn signals, and LED tail lights.

The dashboard has also undergone a significant upgrade with a “telescopic” digital instrument cluster featuring a 12.3-inch screen. This can be personalised with three different layouts – Evolved, Relax, and Heritage – to suit individual preferences.

These new additions join the list of equipment already found on the Alfa, which includes:

• Rain-sensing wipers;
• 20-inch alloy wheels;
• Dark matte exhaust tips and aluminium sports pedals;
• a leather multifunction sports steering wheel with paddle shifters;
• an 8-inch media screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto;
• A hands-free electric tailgate;
• A wireless charger;
• Electronically-adjustable and heated front sport seats, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, and an eight-speaker stereo.

The vehicle is also equipped with several advanced safety features including autonomous emergency braking, driver alert monitoring, lane-keep assist, active cruise control, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring.

Performance

According to the automaker, the Stelvio still boasts its Q4 all-wheel-drive technology that offers the advantages of 4WD, while also delivering the responsiveness and driving enjoyment of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle.

This vehicle is designed to be driven in 2WD mode, but it has the ability to quickly transfer up to 50% of its engine torque to the front wheels if it senses that the front tyres are losing traction. This transfer can happen in less than 150 milliseconds.

“This virtually eliminates any wheel slip in most conditions and ensures maximum vehicle performance and driving effectiveness,” it said.

The entry-level Veloce is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, giving it an output of 206kW and 400Nm while averaging 7.0l/100km.

The Italian SUV is also equipped with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds. Its top speed reaches up to 230km/h.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

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