Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida long term test: report 1
Our chief photographer wanted an economical car that he'd enjoy racking up miles in, and that won't shirk a bit of hard work...
The car Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To find out if this small SUV is as practical and easy to live with as it is full of italian brio
Needs to Be comfortable on motorway trips, entertaining on country roads, frugal everywhere and practical all the time
Mileage 756 List price £33,295 Best Price £27,499 Price as tested £33,295 Official economy 57.6mpg Test economy 57.6mpg Options Technology Pack (£2200), Premium Pack (£2000), Bi-colour Nero Black / Brera Red paint (£1200)
26 August 2025 – New car, new me
A dominant, assertive, and confident individual, often seen as a natural leader. All of those are terms that describe the Alpha Male, and they make me feel rather happy about myself, being that I now am one of those individuals. Actually, I’m a male who drives an Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida. Same thing, right?
After the past few months driving the eminently sensible, very talented but perhaps slightly unevocative Skoda Kodiaq, the Alfa Romeo is something of a contrast. It’s a rather slinkier small SUV, and its glamorous badge – the figurehead of a brand with a long and illustrious history of sports cars and motorsport success – carries a certain swagger. I’m looking forward to the new light in which my friends are bound to see me, now that I’m a dominant, assertive and confident Alpha male.
So what, exactly, is the Junior Ibrida? Well, it’s Alfa Romeo’s smallest SUV – smallest model, full stop, in fact. Under the surface, it’s actually closely related to the Jeep Avenger, Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Mokka, the makers of all of which belong to the Stellantis Group, as does Alfa Romeo.
Ibrida, meanwhile, is italian for hybrid, but that’s stretching the point a bit. My car’s 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine is electrically boosted, but it’s only a mild hybrid, so there’s no real scope for pure-electric running in urban traffic like you can in a Honda HR-V or a Toyota Yaris Cross. Still, that electric helping hand should be good news for fuel economy; officially, 57.6mpg is possible, and I’ll be delighted if that proves true.
That’s because I cover quite a lot of miles in my position as chief photographer for What Car?, and my petrol bills can be quite intimidating in a car with a heavy thirst. I also need those miles to slip past as relaxingly as possible, with plenty of indulgent creature comforts and a decent stereo to keep me entertained. A few smart interior details to nourish my eyeballs are always welcome.
The Junior Ibrida is offered in only a single trim level, and the extent to what it indulges is determined by how many option packs you add. Mine has two, the most expensive of which is the £2200 Technology Pack. Key features of this are adaptive cruise control with lane centering and traffic jam assistance, plus traffic sign recognition, together with LED matrix headlights that promise to maximise illumination on dark nights while automatically shaping their beams in such a way that they don’t dazzle other road users. The wireless smartphone charging pad and hands-free power tailgate are other practical features that come with the pack, and being able to open the boot while my hands are full of photographic gear is sure to be something of a boon.
Then there’s the £2000 Premium Pack. From this, the dark tinted rear wheels and black painted bodykit no doubt add even more style, but it’s the heated, six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support and massage function that I really wanted. Anything that promotes good posture and soothes backache during life on the road is a must-have in my book. Other boxes I ticked were for a £1200 bi-colour paint treatment, namely a Nero Black roof over Brera red bodywork – what else for a dominant, confident and assertive go-getter like myself?
All told, that brings the options tally to £5400. I could have picked the £4100 Sport Pack instead of the Premium pack; the unique Alfa shield front grille and red highlights that it brings, along with Alcantara-trimmed race-style seats held a certain appeal, but I think my car looks the part inside and out even without it.
Out the door, the price stands at £33,295; you’d pay a little more for a similarly specced Audi Q2, then, and you’ll likely pay a bit less if you take advantage of our New Car Deals; there might well be a tastily discounted Junior Ibrida in stock somewhere that’s in the right spec for you. Either way, with such a generous pile of features, you’re unlikely to feel short changed.
My road testing colleagues reckon the Junior Ibrida lives up to the Alfa Romeo name by being one of the best small SUVs to drive, and I’m looking forward to confirming that for myself; after a week of hard work slogging along motorways from one photo spot for the next, having a car that can bring a bit of country lane pleasure at the weekend will be terrific.
Trouble is, I feel I need to dress in a suitably sharp suit to complement such a stylish machine, as well as to fit my new, thrusting personality.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
Read our full Alfa Romeo Junior Ibreda review >>
Read about more long-term test cars >>
Buy a new car with What Car?
Like the sound of the Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida?
If so, check out our New Car Deals pages to see how much you could save on an Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida .
We’ve got the biggest selection of discounted new cars available in the UK.
