An Italian stallion dressed as a pony. The little brother of the super sedan that is the Giulia Quadrifoglio that conquered the M3, affectionately known as the Veloce, is more than your average little brother, so the theory of the whole show and not go to your head.
With gloss black 19-inch wheels, with some matching black detailing and mirrors, this sedan looks like an event from the outside. Tested here at Alfa Red, it’s a particularly beautiful example of Italian design.
That flavor carries over to the interior too, with body-hugging sports seats, a D-shaped steering wheel with interior-mounted push-button start, with a large Alfa Romeo emblem emblazoned in the center.
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A good-sized infotainment system can be controlled via the touchscreen or radio dial, and offers all the usual suspects when it comes to Bluetooth connectivity, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wired) , as well as a wireless charging pad.
The latter can be tricky to jam your phone into, but there are USB ports if you’re having trouble. There’s 480 liters of boot space if you need that too, a lovely leather shifter stitched with the Italian flag at the base, along with two decent cup holders.
2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
But it’s the optional Lusso package fitted to our tester that makes this car stand out for us. It adds a double glass roof (with the front panel it’s a fully functional sunroof), a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a burglar alarm and additional leather trim around the cabin.
Now let’s drive again. Sitting low in the cockpit (as you should in a performance saloon), it’s hard not to reach for the column-mounted paddle shifters, engage them and hit the throttle. We should probably do it then.
Push the starter button and you’ll hear an exhaust note, albeit muffled, that will make you question whether it’s really just a 206kW/400Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine under the bonnet. For the record, it’s paired with an 8-speed torque converter automatic.
Enough of that though, first you’ll be amazed by the fact that the seat remembers where you sat last time and automatically moves backwards and forwards to help you get in and out. If he had hooked us, it would have blown our minds.
Back to that engine, and the fact that a quick blast down a straight road will tell you two things. The first is that it’s good for a sprint to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, and the second is that it has a ton of mid-range pickup. However, you will want a bi-mode exhaust.
Inside the 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
As the first corner approaches, in your mind you think “ok, we’re in a relatively large four-door sedan, it’s probably going to be pretty heavy in the corners.” And then you turn, and the front end grips like you wouldn’t believe.
Next to that, the rear end has that nice looseness to it, while still feeling controlled. It makes you feel involved, as if you were driving the car. How dare Alfa Romeo build a driver’s car as a mid-spec model.
The Veloce comes with an Alfa-link suspension, which is double-wishbone at the front and vertical bar at the rear. Couple that with its 1,490kg curb weight and you’ve got a sedan that’s not only punchy, but also loves corners.
The downside is that it doesn’t really like potholed roads. Apart from that, the brakes are excellent and according to the carmaker, so is the fuel economy, at 6.1L/100km. We couldn’t get close to 10.1 though, but that might have been how we drove it.
Alfa Romeo’s DNA drive mode system is also on board, offering dynamic, normal and advanced efficiency (aka Eco mode) to keep you on the straight and narrow, or loose and wild if you prefer. The choice is entirely yours (Dynamic rocks quietly).
Inside the 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
In terms of safety, the 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce includes lane assist, lane steering, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, and a reversing camera. There is also a rather excessive braking hazard warning in a long list of other safety products.
If you want to own one, you can opt for black or red leather on the inside (the tan color option is no longer there), while on the outside there’s Alfa White, Vesuvio Grey, Vulcano Black and Misano Blue to accompany the red of our test vehicles.
Overall, the Giulia Veloce offers practicality and comfort, enough room to fit all your friends, a driver-friendly cabin and a vehicle that delivers power and handling. It’s an excellent everyday road warrior that looks good and turns heads.
Priced from a further $72,950 on-roads, you’ll need to spend close to $86,000 drive-away to secure one in its tested form (with the Lusso pack). That’s not bad, and means you can still have a bit of the performance pie, without spending a fortune on the Quadrifoglio.
It comes with a 5-year unlimited kilometer warranty and 5-year roadside assistance. To find out more, check out the Alfa Romeo website. Buy a good deal or you can visit PriceMyCar for the best price. If you’re interested in one and need financing, talk to CreditOne.
Inside the 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
Our test vehicle was provided by Alfa Romeo Australia. For more information on the 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce, contact your local Alfa Romeo dealer.