Used Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon 1997 - 2006 review

Avoid the weedy 1.6-litre petrol; the 1.8 is a much better bet and produces the sporty snarl that Alfa Romeo enthusiasts expect, while the direct-injection 2.0 JTS provides more punch for not much more money.

For even more pace, there's the 192bhp 2.5 V6 and range-topping 3.2 V6 GTA. The latter is an all-out performance model, and comes with a six-speed manual or five-speed Selespeed paddleshift gearbox.