2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione: 5 good/bad things

A week with the limited-edition 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione is like experiencing an Italian sports car posing as an SUV. But as with every vehicle there are good and bad things, so let’s dig into some of those things.

5 good things on the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione

Let’s cut right to the issue and discuss the top five good things I noticed during my week with it.

First, the exterior styling is simply eye-catching. The unique front grille and the Alfa Romeo logo planted right on the nose grab your attention.

The next thing that got my attention was the matte finish on the paint. Alfa Romeo calls it Moonlight Grey Matte. I call it weird, in a good way. If you rub your hand on the paint it just feels different.

The Moonlight Grey Matte exterior paint is very cool in person.

Behind the wheel, there’s no doubt this is trying to be like a sports car. The 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine produces 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. This translates into a 5.4-second 0-to-60-MPH time and a top speed of 144 MPH. Playing around with the Alfa DNA Drive Mode selector, I found a sport setting that really turned those horses loose.

In the corners and on rough roads, the Alfa Active Suspension, available on the Competizione package, really smooths things out and makes cornering much more fun. Trust me, I found a lot of corners and had a lot of fun.

Finally, the additions from the Competizione package adds a lot to this SUV. This package, priced at $6,100, adds the exterior color, red brake calipers and 21-inch alloy wheel design on the exterior. Inside, it includes a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, leather-upholstered dashboard, seats with red stitching and Competizione badging on the seat sides and headrests. Finally, darker privacy glass finishes the additions.

All wheel drive is standard. This test model is priced at $59,670 including $1,595 in destination fees.

5 bad things on the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione

There is a lot to like on the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione, so my “bad things” list is rather tame.

First, I just couldn’t get used to the shifter after a week. It resembles a joystick like from the flight simulator games or a jet plane. Sure, it looks cool, it just takes some time to get used to it.

Another item on the bad list is the the infotainment screen, which is just too small, especially considering today’s market with SUVs. Many of the new SUVs have large tablet-like screens with larger fonts and graphics. There’s nothing wrong with the Alfa Romeo software, it just needs a bigger screen.

The interior layout looks great, but various pieces can be difficult to use. 

I found also it to be fairly tight inside the cabin with myself and my kids. Don’t get me wrong, it does seat four. I realize some people are going to love the small size for parking and maneuvering through traffic. My point is: If you have a family, I’d suggest you look elsewhere.

Another ding of note: It takes some time to get used to the various items in the cabin. For example, the start button is on the steering wheel below the horn on the left side. Also, activating the DNA selector took some time to figure out as did finding the right settings. This is an SUV that has a learning curve.

Finally, I would have liked the 2.9-liter V-6 twin-turbocharged engine found in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. That powertrain produces 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. It is a Ferrari-derived engine with a 3.6-second 0-to-60-MPH and a top speed of 176 MPH. It is also mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

While the 2.0-liter engine did a fine job, the Stelvio is designed like a sports car with “near perfect 50/50 weight distribution and class-leading power and performance with key race-inspired features, including a class-exclusive carbon-fiber driveshaft, flat-bottom Formula One-inspired steering wheel,” according to the press release.

I just think if it is meant to be a sports car, then opt for the biggest and baddest engine to go with it. Though that version comes with a hefty price tag. Starting price for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is $87,715.

The bottom line

While I wished for more power behind the wheel, the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione is quite a bit cheaper than the Quadrifoglio. For $28k less, I’d opt for this version with its unique paint and a slew of upgrades for $6,100. Although, I’d day dream about the Ferrari-derived engine.

2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Competizione Photo Gallery

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