Used Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2016-present review

According to a number of car enthusiasts, everyone should at some stage own an Alfa Romeo. To do so over the past few decades would have been an act of supreme faith, as the firm’s cars have often been lacking in the sparkle and the performance that made older Alfas so charismatic. And that’s before you’ve mentioned the spectre of build quality.

Enter this Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. It was so important to the image of Alfa that it was actually launched slightly before the cooking version of the car, the advanced Giulia executive saloon. It was immediately marked out for its light construction, its dynamics, its looks and its potential for low-stress ownership. It took on its mostly German rivals and gave them a tremendous run for their money. Those same enthusiasts wept with joy.

And it was completely justified. Under the bonnet is a 503bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that was, say the car’s engineers, inspired by a similar unit in a Ferrari. Other features included adaptive dampers that you can stiffen or soften, a rear differential that can send 100 per cent of the drive to either rear wheel, a trick suspension and a host of electronic chassis refinements designed to work together to balance the car when the going gets tough.

New, the Giulia Quadrifoglio cost a little more than a BMW M4 but slightly less than a Mercedes-AMG C63, and its standard equipment was up there with both. You’ll get 19in alloy wheels, xenon headlights, leather and Alcantara seats and cruise control.

To drive, this Alfa is right up there with the best. The engine is a delight, with an instantaneous response to the throttle and a huge surge of power. It sends that shove through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and the Quadrifoglio can cover the 0 to 62mph sprint in just 3.9sec and go on to a top speed of 191mph. There are four varying driving modes you can choose from: Race, Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency.

All that clever chassis electronics help it corner wonderfully, too. It feels light and nimble, with super-quick steering and plenty of grip. It feels delightful, with handling that is multi-adjustable and supremely entertaining. It rides well, too, with a suppleness rare in cars of this performance.

The driving position is excellent, too, low down and with everything well-positioned around the driver. The seats are supportive and have a good range of adjustment, as does the steering wheel. The dashboard and surrounding areas are logically laid out, and the dials are clear and easy to read. The infotainment system is controlled by a rotary controller and relayed through an 8.8in colour display that appears as if from nowhere behind a smoked screen. There's built-in sat-nav and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Rear-seat space is good, if not outstanding. There’s enough leg room for taller passengers, although head room isn’t overly generous. The boot’s a good size too, bigger than most of its rivals, but the rear seats don’t fold to enable a greater carrying capacity.

A facelift in 2020 enhanced the interior further, bringing even more generous lashings of carbonfibre, a higher-quality flat bottomed steering wheel and a matching leather wrapped gear selector; as well as detail touches like an Italian flag motif at the base of the gear shifter to remind you of the reputation for luxurious craftsmanship that Alfa Romeo’s home nation has always enjoyed – if not always where building saloon cars is concerned. Best of all, though, the ergonomic and quality quibbles that blighted earlier Giulias were addressed. For example, the rotary infotainment controller, which felt a little loose, now has a solid click.

In 2021 a lightweight and 533bhp GTA version, and a stripped-out GTAm, was added to the range, in a limited edition that soon sold out.

If you're interested in buying a used Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, or any of the other cars listed here, head over to our used car classifieds site here.

Prices for the Giulia QF can start at around £35,000 to £37,000, this for an early 2016 or 2017 car with an average mileage for the year and a full service history, bought privately or from an independent dealer. These cheaper cars can also be Cat S so check carefully. More tend to cost in the region of £40,000 to £42,000 for a 2017 car, bought from a franchised dealer, while £43,000 to £47,000 will secure you a 2018 car with a low mileage from a franchised dealer. Expect to pay £48,000 to £50,000 for a 2019 model and a little more for a post-facelift nearly new 2020 car. You'll need in excess of £50,000 for a 2021 or 2022 model.

It ain’t gonna be cheap. The first thing to consider will be the frightening fuel consumption. In our real-world True MPG tests it achieved just 23.5mpg, and long-term use has backed up that figure too. The official figure of 34.4mpg under the older NEDC tests and 28.5 under the more realistic WLTP test might be hard to achieve in everyday use, we fear.

Cars registered before the tax changes of April 2017 came into being will pay the annual car tax (VED) at a rate based on CO2 emissions, so at 189g/km that’ll be sizeable. Those registered after that date will pay a tax at the flat rate, currently £165 a year, but will additionally pay a supplementary luxury car tax for cars costing over £40,000 new, and that is £355 a year at the moment.

Insurance groupings are high, so expect heavy bills there too. Servicing costs will be high, too, and we’d recommend not only seeking out a car that has a full Alfa Romeo service history but also getting the car serviced by a franchised dealer, especially while it’s still young.

There is only the one rather magnificent engine on offer here, ignoring the later GTA models, and the one trim level. There are plenty of options you could have added to a new Quadrifoglio, including carbonfibre-backed Sparco seats, which are firm but amazingly supportive. You could also have specified the optional ceramic brakes, which work well, especially from high speeds, but can take time to heat up.

Our favourite Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio: 2.9 V6

The BMW M4 is a two-door coupe rather than the four-door saloon of the Giulia, but it’s comparable in terms of performance. It’s blisteringly quick and has very high limits of handling and grip. Used prices are quite competitive, too.

The Porsche 911 is the everyday supercar, so despite the fact it only has two doors it’s still reasonably practical. It’s seriously rapid and tremendously grippy, yet it’s also quiet and refined when you want it to be.

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If you're interested in buying a used Giulia Quadrifoglio, or any of the other cars listed here, head over to our used car classifieds site here.