SUV/4X4 | On the road

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

By Bill McCarthy

A FEW years ago the thought of an SUV sporting the badges of motors with a racing tradition would have been unheard of.

Then Porsche produced the Cayenne, then the German giants Audi, Mercedes and BMW and Jaguar. Even luxury brands Bentley with the Bentayga and Rolls-Royce with the Cullinan have joined the party.

You perhaps would have bet money on it not happening with Alfa. But there you go.

The Stelvio was born and Alfa seem to cracked the conundrum of marrying Italian styling to a largish SUV with it Q4 all- wheel drive, while retaining its signature sporty performance.

This is aided by absolutely minimising weight with light materials, such as carbon-fibre for the driveshaft and aluminium for the bonnet, rear wings, engine and suspension, which also delivers better fuel efficiency.

A range of petrol and diesel engines also deliver excellent performance, including the lightning quick 2.9-litre 510bhp turbocharged Quadrifoglio, which can hit 60mph in under four seconds. This model, a 280bhp was no slouch either, hitting the same speed in a neck-wrenching 5.7 seconds.

Named after a mountain pass linking Italy and Switzerland, there is no mistaking it is an Alfa with its signature large shield grille, flanked by large air scoops, slanting, cat’s-eye like headlights and swooping bonnet. Can an SUV look sexy? Maybe.

The interior continues the theme. it is a riot of leather, chrome and wood effect, with soft touch finish.

The familiar flat-bottom multi function steering wheels is a key feature as is the central control screen which operates key functions. Steering wheel, auto gear lever and dash all chrome trimmed with alloy sports pedals completing the sporting look.

The electrically operated seats are figure hugging but comfortable and the layout of the cabin is easy on the eye with everything logically placed. There is room for three rear passengers and of course, as an SUV, it is practical with the seats folding. This means that an already generous boot area of 525 litres can be expanded to a huge 1,600 litres. Some rivals are bigger, but you sacrifice styling for not a huge amount of extras space.

That and the off road capability and its perfect for the country set.

On the road it is an excellent drive. Mated to an eight-speed gearbox, the car accelerates seamlessly through the gears. Like other Alfa models it features the now familiar DNA drive setup. D for dynamic, N for natural and A for all-road. Self explanatory really. Select dynamic and the large paddles behind the steering allow for a more sporty drive.

Dynamic is an apt description. The car, although slightly higher than the Giulia it is based on, handles nearly as well. Pin sharp, responsive steering and a excellent grip means the car responds to the slightest adjustment especially on a series of curves and beds, this is partly aided by the optional Dynamic Suspension with frequency selective damping.

Drive is to the rear wheels, with up to 50 per cent of power transferred to the front when conditions require it. Long gone are the days of Alfa poor steering lock. Slow it all down and occupants get a comfortable ride, although it is prone to crash over lesser surfaces.

Equipment is comprehensive, all the usual electric and electronic wizardry and creature comforts, with the central screen hosting infotainment and connectivity systems like Apple Carplay and Android Auto, to project your smartphone onto the screen, which can also send and receive SMS and display Google maps.

Safety is key with performance cars like this and the Stelvio offers in addition to usual assisted braking and comprehensive air bag cover, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) as standard.

If you like your SUVs, chic, sporty and practical, then the Alfa is a fine choice.

Factfile

Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0 Q4 AWD Speciale

Price: £43,705

Mechanical: 290bhp, 1,995cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving four wheels via 8-speed automatic gearbox

Max speed: 143mph

0-62mph: 5.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 40.4

Insurance group: 29

CO2 emissions: 161g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/62,000 miles

Volvo XC40

By Bill McCarthy

IMITATION is the sincerest form of flattery but despite Volvo saying design-wise, the new XC40 compact crossover is more of a cousin than a sibling to the larger 90 and 60 Series cars,there is no doubt it a chip off the same block.

Like its bigger stablemates, it is a luxury 4×4 SUV that has just about everything including excellent engines, off-road capability and state of the art technology and it comes with its own personality, expression and character.

Volov says the XC40 is defined by a strong graphical design, a real feeling of strength and quality and a more playful nature in terms of colours and materials.

Marketing speak for smaller and cheaper than the big ‘cousins’, but the same quality is apparent throughout.

It has the same nod to Nordic mythology with the signature ‘Thor’s hammer’ light design, the LEDs built into the front light clusters in the shape of the Norse god’s hammer.

Cheaper, the model range starts at just over £28k, but is still pretty well equipped.

There are a number of power units and the two-litre petrol model here, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, delivers an impressive 190bhp, for plenty of pace but with decent economy.

It hits 60mph in under 8.2 seconds, while delivering official economy of around 40.4mpg

It does look good, with stylish light clusters to front and rear and a choice of striking alloy wheels.

The interior on this model features leather faced upholstery, soft touch trim to doors and dashboard and neat chrome touches.

A top end interior with leather and chrome throughout

The dash is dominated by a nine-inch tablet style touchscreen which controls major functions with voice activation, like the Sensus sat nav (which has full European mapping with traffic information and map updates, infotainment), climate and phone connectivity via Android and Appleplay as well as a number of apps and web browser capability.

Volvo On Call allows your smart phone or tablet to control various functions remote and is an emergency tracking service.

In fact the latest Sensus connect can even be configured to allow the car to pre-book itself for a service.

Car information can also be monitored on a 12.3-inch active TFT driver’s information display behind the smart, multi-function steering wheel.

It gets better, with classy touches like the starter knob, which is twisted rather than pressed and a knurled silver knob which allows you to select one of three drive modes of economy, standard or dynamic, depending on road conditions.

Standard kit on all models includes heated front seats, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, cruise control, hill start assist and cruise control.

Well equipped it may be, but like many of its competitors you can spends thousands on add toys and goodies, which on this model included the Xenium Pack, comprising powered panoramic sunroof, automatic parking assist and 360 degree camera.

Even at high speed, engine and road noise is muted, with just a hint of wind noise.

Handling is better than it’s bigger stablemates feeling composed and bends, while the ride is comfortable but firm.

Boot space is decent and the 60/40 split folding rear seats open up a cavernous space for larger loads, although the load height quite high.

Volvo has always been at the forefront for safety and this car is no exception with its raft of technologies, such as autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian, animal and cyclist detection and front collision warning.

Also standard are full set of airbags and lane mitigation, which steers you back into the correct lane if drifting.

Smaller of the three XCs, but still pretty well formed.