This review is about an Alfa Romeo. But not any Alfa Romeo. It is an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrofoglio Verde (green cloverleaf), a name that hints at the badge that it so proudly wears. This particular badge is a nod to the italian automaker’s racing history. Nowadays it is applied on high end trim levels of the cars in order to differentiate them from the more common models that they share the platform with.

This model comes equipped with the 17 inches rims and 225/45 R17 tires. The way a car looks is most often a subject of debate as many times beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder. With the Giulietta however, the matter is really simple : this is maybe the most beautiful hot hatch on the road. Viewed from certain angles it even has a Ferrari vibe to it. The way the taillights seem to drip towards each other, the hidden backdoor handles that give it a coupe look, the agressive headlights and the classic Alfa Romeo shield make for an excellent lesson in design. All the competitors should take notes. The rims are quite big and the tires can take quite a pounding when driving on less maintained roads. The black matte finish of the rims is especially attractive but it can be quite a challenge not to get them scratched. Even if it does not have the biggest trunk in its segment, it is sufficient and falls in line with the compact class. A nice touch is the fact that the trunk lid is well balanced and gives a nice sound when it effortlessly closes.

The car is brought to life by a 1.8 liter turbo charged engine that runs on petrol and outputs a total of 235 bhp and a maximum torque of about 258ft/lbs. It is a very responsive engine and it is aided by an equally good turbine that reaches its optimum pressure very quickly and at relatively low rpms. The accelerations are good and it truly gives the sensation of a proper super hot hatch. All this power means nothing unless the car can actually transfer it to the wheels. Traditionally all true sport cars have rear wheel drive, and for a good reason. As a car accelerates, a good portion of the mass is transferred to the back. This is a good thing as it results in a very good grip to the wheels that move the vehicle. The Giulietta is a front wheel drive car and it suffers from the same symptom as all front wheel drive hot hatches: a relative lack of traction. This is a constant problem for the engineers and many have employed a range of tricks in order to mitigate the issue, ranging from different suspension setups to clever differentials and torque steering. The Italians have installed a system called DNA (it stands for Dynamic, Normal and All Weather), an electronic differential that tries to put all the torque to good use and make the car more manageable under sudden accelerations. In the Dynamic mode, the car tries really hard to make a good impression and not let down that QV badge and it manages for the most part. From a dynamic point of view it will always struggle behind cars like the BMW 1 series but at the same time it is nowhere near as bad as the Mazda 3 MPS. The six speed gearbox is something of a let down. There is an option for a dual clutch automatic but the manual feels a bit imprecise. The lower gear ratios can especially be a bit hard to change if you build the revs near the limit. The engine is electronically limited to about 6000 rpms and it really comes to life as it hits  3000 to 3500 rpms and above.

The interior of the car is quite beautiful from a design point of view but it consists of a mix of good materials and some really cheap looking ones (especially the steering wheel that looks totally bland and out of place ). The Italian auto maker is considered somewhat of a premium brand, definettly a notch above the likes of Fiat and the car really tries to make a case for itself. There is a red stitched leather steering wheel along with matching front seats, aluminium insertions, round dial controls for the AC, a fake aluminium gearshift knob and so on. Some of these design choices make sense, others not so much. There is also a matter of ergonomics. For example the lateral support of the seats, although decent, has quite a big design flaw. The armrest is positioned in such a strange way that if someone chooses to use it often,  it results in a rather unpleasant feeling when changing gears as the driver’s elbow usually hits the lateral upholstery of the seat. There is also the case of quite a strange placement of the different buttons on the central console. The car also lack proper storage compartments and the ones that are present are quite small. There is an ever present feeling of a waste of space in the cabin. The driving position is very good with plenty of visibility . Overall the interior and ergonomics of the controls do not live up to the excellent exterior image of the car. Where the car does score some big points is in the safety department where it performs admirably when subjected to crash tests.

As a hot hatch, the Giulietta is not hard to recommend. It is a really good looking car with an overall decent interior, a very lively engine that likes to be pushed to its limits and quite an economical one when driven like a normal city car and it is not crazy expensive considering its image and performance. For someone looking at an alternative for the likes of Golf GTI, it is a good car to tell everyone that you chose with your heart and appreciate the seductive Italian madness more than the bland and cold pieces of German engineering. If however you are looking for the best driving chassis, good ergonomics and the uttermost performance, than you need to look elsewhere.