ALFA ROMEO 159 SALOON REVIEW

For The Alfa 159 is an attractive car with a large, comfortable cabin and plenty of equipment, all at prices that undercut the usual German suspects

Against The 159 isn’t brilliant to drive compared with, say, a BMW 3 Series and resale values are weak. Alfa Romeo also struggles with reliability and customer service.

What Car? says

2 out of 5 stars

A distinctive, unusual alternative. Its beautiful design could have you gasping with delight, but weak resale values could leave you gasping for breath.

Reader review rating

3.925926

The Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon full review Read in full

Performance
3 out of 5 stars
A diesel engine makes most sense
Ride & Handling
2 out of 5 stars
Comfy and assured; but not fun
Refinement
2 out of 5 stars
Good, if not class-leading
Buying & Owning
2 out of 5 stars
Residuals are comparatively weak
Quality & Reliability
2 out of 5 stars
Solid, but not German standards
Safety & Security
4 out of 5 stars
As much safety kit as rivals
Behind The Wheel
3 out of 5 stars
No-nonsense dash; good driving position
Space & Practicality
3 out of 5 stars
Boot not as big as rivals'
Equipment
4 out of 5 stars
All cars come well equipped

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There are 8 Alfa Romeo 159 versions available

Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 136 Turismo 4dr	£22,500	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 170 Turismo 4dr	£23,500	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 1750 TBi Turismo 4dr	£23,515	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 136 Lusso 4dr	£24,150	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 170 Lusso 4dr	£25,150	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 136 TI 4dr	£25,650	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 170 TI 4dr	£26,650	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 1750 TBi TI 4dr	£26,665	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5

Alfa Romeo 159 Saloon 2.0 JTDm 170 Turismo 4dr

No question, the 159 is a good-looking car, and the decent 2.0-litre diesel engine makes this our favourite version. The rest of the car is well off the compact executive pace, though.

What Car? says:2 stars out of 5

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Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

Alfa Romeos are bought with the heart, not the head. The 159 compact executive might not be a scamp of a coupe, care-free drop-top or sexy supercar, but this maxim still applies. The styling proves that everyday cars like this can also be lovely to look at.

However, there are lots of other warning signs that you have to swerve around before you arrive at 159 ownership. The What Car? Reliability Survey shows that the brand hasn’t got a great track record in this area, and our in-depth customer satisfaction study with JD Power shows that Alfa customers aren’t happy, even if they do drive an attractive car.

While equipment levels are high, and discounts tempting, resale values are weak and will hit you where it hurts.If you’re not put off, the 159 has a five-star Euro NCAP rating to keep you safe, and a three-year warranty to cover the things that are likely to go wrong.