Item: Used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2016-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/xe/saloon/used-review/n831">Jaguar XE</a> puts a similar emphasis on being very nice to drive as the Giulia does, thanks in no small part to its clever suspension that soaks up bumps with aplomb. However, it does take up a lot of space, which means the boot is on the small side and rear leg room is poor.

Remarkably, a used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/used-review/n801">BMW 3 Series</a>&nbsp;of the 2012-2019 vintage is not much more than an equivalent Giulia. This is most likely due to the fact that this generation has been replaced by an all-new version that has captured the public imagination but is too new to have made a dent on the used market yet. Either way,&nbsp;this version is still one of the best executive cars you can buy.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/saloon/used-review/n787">Audi A4</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/used-review/n796">Mercedes&nbsp;C-Class</a>&nbsp;are also worth a shout. The latter has glitzier looks, while the former is more practical and its interior is made out of nicer materials.&nbsp;

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If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/alfa-romeo/giulia?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Alfa Romeo Giulia,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3 dir="ltr">Tyre Scrub</h3>

If you experience tyre scrub when on full steering lock in your Giulia, don’t worry, they all do that – the Quadrifoglio is the worst for it. This is due to aggressive steering geometry that allows the car to have very quick steering and resist understeer at speed.

<h3 dir="ltr">Recall</h3>

There has been one recall so far for the Giulia that involves cars built between 14 November 2017 and 15 December 2017. Mineral oil might get into the braking and clutch system, so it’s worth checking with your Alfa Romeo dealer to see if your car is affected. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also, it’s worth pointing out that you should never leave a credit card or car park ticket on the sliding cover over the front cupholders, because the gap between this and the dashboard is large enough for such things to slip into the centre console, never to be found again. &nbsp;

This is the section in which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/alfa-romeo">Alfa Romeo</a> usually gets a kicking, but not so much any more. The brand finished in 25th place out of 31 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey, and it has, in recent ones, finished even higher than that. Likewise, the Giulia has in the past finished in the top three in the executive car class, although this year it finished in a respectable mid-table position.&nbsp;

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Saloon

Alfa Romeo now has one of its strongest-ever model line-ups, after years of living off past glories.

The BMW 3 Series-rivalling Giulia executive saloon is one of the best cars in its class to drive and has performed very well in the annual What Car? Reliability Survey, while the closely related Stelvio competes in the booming SUV class.

Smaller and larger SUVs are planned, as is a two-door coupé version of the Giulia that will take on the Audi A5, BMW 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé.

It’s all a long way from the days when Alfa Romeo just had a couple of dated hatchbacks (the Mito and Giulietta) and the niche 4C sports car in its range.

ALFA ROMEO

GIULIA

A used Alfa Romeo Giulia is a fine and stylish alternative to the usual executive suspects.

Used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2016-present

As long as you aren’t going for the Quadrifoglio (an official WLTP fuel economy figure of 27.2mpg), it shouldn’t cost you the earth to run a Giulia.

Diesel models are particularly frugal, since both the 148bhp and 177bhp versions of the 2.2-litre engine get a combined figure of 53.3mpg. The 197bhp 2.0-litre petrol gets 36.2mpg, while the 276bhp version is a little down of this at 33.6mpg.

All four-cylinder petrol Giulias should cost you £195 per year in tax. However, any&nbsp;Giulia registered after 1 April 2017 will be subject to the new flat rate fee currently&nbsp;£155&nbsp;per year in road tax, although if your car was worth more than £40,000 when new (this includes the price of options), it will also be penalised by the £335&nbsp;luxury car surcharge until the car is more than six years old.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/alfa-romeo">Alfa Romeo</a> servicing can be pricey through main dealers, although the brand offers an Easy Care servicing package for used cars that allow you to set up direct debit payments for upcoming services.

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A used Alfa Romeo Giulia is a fine and stylish alternative to the usual executive suspects

Prices for a 2016 or early 2017&nbsp; Giulia with an average to high mileage start at around £14,000, this probably for a lower-powered diesel model. Meanwhile, below-average mileage Super models of the same vintage come&nbsp;in at about £15,000. A 2017 Speciale model with plenty of equipment is roughly £16,000, while a 276bhp Veloce begins at around £18,000. Spend around the same&nbsp;on a good condition 2018 car, and maybe around or up to £22,000 on a 2019 car with a nominal mileage. Expect to spend £25,000 on a post-facelift 2020 or 2021 car. Quadrifoglio versions understandably&nbsp;cost&nbsp;more, but you can put one on your driveway now from as little as £40,000.

&nbsp;

This depends on how you’re planning to use your Giulia. If you do lots of miles, you’ll need the cheaper running costs of a diesel. While it is a slightly noisier engine than you’ll find in some of its rivals, it isn’t overly so and the eight-speed automatic does a good job of quietening things down at a cruise.

The standard Giulia comes with plenty of equipment, but it’s the Super version that we would recommend because it has a slightly better interior and part-leather seats that give it a more premium feel.&nbsp;

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/alfa-romeo">Alfa Romeo</a> Giulia: 2.2 JTDM-2 Super

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes. If rear space is crucial and you’re willing to put up with a less-than-premium badge, the Skoda Superb is tough to beat, while if you want a premium badge on the bonnet then the BMW 3 Series is consistently one of our favourites in this class.

And don't think you're limited to just petrol or diesel-powered choices in this class,&nbsp;because at the top end the Tesla Model 3 is well worth considering for its long range and engaging driving style.

Executive

Not all Giulias came with front or rear parking sensors, so you should have a look for signs of parking scuffs in the bumpers or for evidence of poor paint repairs that could affect the manufacturer’s paint and bodywork warranty.

The alloy wheels on some models can be susceptible to kerb damage, which can be expensive to repair.

It’s fair to say that a number of people might have bought a used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/alfa-romeo">Alfa Romeo</a> in the past simply because it looked really good and its value had dropped faster than a lift with the cable cut.

But times change, and the Italian firm&nbsp;has made great efforts over the past few years to improve its build quality and make its cars more competitive. Now, with the Giulia, you have a really compelling alternative to the usual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/executive">executive car</a>&nbsp;suspects. It competes with these cars on performance and running costs and also offers a great driving experience to boot. It's well screwed together and, of course, it wears that wonderfully evocative badge.&nbsp;

Those usual suspects include the German big three: the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/saloon/used-review/n787">Audi A4</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/used-review/n801">BMW 3 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/used-review/n796">Mercedes&nbsp;C-Class</a>. But you can also include the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/xe/saloon/used-review/n831">Jaguar XE</a>, because both it and the Giulia put plenty of emphasis on being fun to drive, since they’re both available with rear-wheel drive and come with sophisticated suspension setups.

Powering the Giulia is a choice of petrol and diesel engines in a number of different outputs. The range starts with a 197bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol, but this can be increased to 276bhp with the Veloce and Veloce Ti versions. The diesel range stems from a 2.2-litre four-cylinder with either 148bhp or 177bhp. Then there’s the top-of-the-range <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/giulia-quadrifoglio/saloon/used-review/n19852">Quadrifoglio</a> – our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/used-car-of-the-year-awards-2021-performance-cars/n22038">Used Performance Car of the Year </a>for 2021, no less – with a 2.9-litre V6 that kicks out 503bhp. All engines come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Standard equipment is decent, with all models getting an 8.8in infotainment system that in earlier models is controlled with a rotary dial, plus cruise control, dual-zone climate control and a host safety systems such as lane departure warning, forward collision alert and automatic emergency braking. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It came initially&nbsp;in four trims: Giulia, Super, Speciale and Veloce. The entry-level Giulia trim equips the Alfa with 16in alloy wheels, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a chrome exhaust pipe, LED rear lights and a wealth of safety technology - including that autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and forward collision warning, as mentioned - as standard. Inside there are manually adjustable front seats, a leather-clad steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers and lights, and Alfa's infotainment system complete with a 6.5in display, a DAB radio, and USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

Upgrade to Super and 17in alloys, aluminium door sills and part-leather seats are included&nbsp;alongside an uprated infotainment system with a larger 8.8in display and sat-nav, while opting for the Speciale adds numerous luxuries to the package. These include 18in alloy wheels shod in run-flat tyres, bi-xenon headlights, electrically adjustable and heated front sports seats, a heated steering wheel, electrically folding door mirrors and a sporty bodykit.&nbsp;

The range-topping Veloce model gets an unique set of alloys,&nbsp;an upgraded braking system, front parking sensors and lovely crafted aluminium paddle shifters. Those after a more thrilling drive&nbsp;can opt for the lunacy of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/giulia-quadrifoglio/saloon/used-review/n19852">Quadrifoglio</a>, which not only gets you a 2.9-litre V6 punching out 503bhp&nbsp;and the ability to propel the Giulia to 191mph at full chat, it also gets a wealth of additional equipment as standard too. These include 19in alloys, more powerful bi-xenon headlights, blind-spot monitoring system, interior ambient lighting, a bespoke leather and Alcantara upholstery, a rear-view camera and a quad-exhaust, not to mention Alfa's clever active aerodynamics package, active torque vectoring system, chassis control and dedicated race mode.

To drive, the Giulia is&nbsp;a lesson in how even a ‘dull’ executive car can be made to handle well. The first thing you’ll notice is the light yet lightning-quick steering that you get used to within a few miles. It helps to disguise the size of the Giulia and makes it feel really nimble, along with the added boon of making parking a breeze, as you can get a lot of steering lock with relatively few turns of the wheel.

The ride has a fluid quality over bumps and is particularly good on Giulias fitted with the adaptive dampers that come as part of an optional Performance Pack. They stiffen up in Dynamic mode, but when you enter a town or come across a poorly maintained bit of Tarmac, you can simply hit a button to slacken them off in an instant.

Inside the Giulia, the fit and finish can’t match that of the 3 Series or A4, but it is smarter than the XE. Space is also better in the Giulia than its British rival, although&nbsp;leg room in the rear still isn’t a patch on that of the A4. The boot, although its opening is rather awkward and hampers usability a little,&nbsp;is among&nbsp;the deepest in the class, and on Speciale versions&nbsp;there's a highly useful 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench as standard.&nbsp;

In 2020 the Giulia was treated to a number of minor updates, with a redesigned centre console and the infotainment system being upgraded to a touchscreen affair, albeit still with a rotary dial to control certain functions, and the interior materials being improved. Quality overall was said to be improved, too, with added advanced driver assistance systems and the Giulia's connectivity upgraded with smartphone mirroring now standard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trim names were changed at the same time, to Super, Sprint, Veloce, Veloce Ti and Lusso Ti. The 2.2-litre diesel engines were enhanced to 160 (158bhp) and 190 (187bhp) versions.&nbsp;

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/alfa-romeo/giulia?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Alfa Romeo Giulia,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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Used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2016-present review

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Wondering what the best used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2016 - present is for your money? The expert What Car? review team can help you out.

This depends on how you’re planning to use your Giulia. If you do lots of miles, you’ll need the cheaper running costs of a diesel. While it is a slightly noisier engine than you’ll find in some of its rivals, it isn’t overly so and the eight-speed automatic does a good job of quietening things down at a cruise.,The standard Giulia comes with plenty of equipment, but it’s the Super version that we would recommend because it has a slightly better interior and part-leather seats that give it a more premium feel. ,Our favourite Alfa Romeo Giulia: 2.2 JTDM-2 SuperPage 4 of 5

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Used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2016-present review

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