Seeking a main course with punchy Italian flare dressed up in crossover body style? Order up the tempting 2025 Stelvio prepared to your liking and assembled with great pride in Cassino, Italy by the renown Alfa Romeo.
Building and baking since 1910, the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo serves up three main courses here Stateside circa 2025: the Giulia mid-size sedan, Tonale Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) and our tester this week, the Stelvio crossover sporting a scrumptious 2.0-liter 280 horsepower turbocharged engine standard. Consider Stelvio a beefy compact or diminutive mid-size selection with two seating rows standard.
All three undergo a diet of sorts in 2025. For the past several years each presented a trio of trims level (Sprint, Ti and Veloce). This year, each scales down to a single trim but with multiple option packages. Taking early retirement upon the end of 2024, a performance-spec, high-output, 505-horsepower, twin-turbo V-6 motivated Quadrifolio option within Stelvio. Also retired as of 2024, a rear-wheel drive variant as Stelvio now sports all-wheel drive standard.
Upgrades include the addition of Verde Fangio metallic exterior paint joining six other hues. In addition Stelvio welcomes two 2025 model year special low-volume, limited-editions to the team; the Tributo Italiano Edition boasting technology upgrades and an Intensa Edition flaunting gold exterior highlights.
Stelvio debuted Stateside in 2018 and continues forward with the same aging-like-fine-wine yet fun-to-drive and responsive platform. Expect a next-generation debut sooner rather than later.
With its racecar heritage and top-shelf tastes, Alfa Romeo finds itself a proud team member of the Stellantis Group in 2025. Back in 1986 another prominent Italian automaker Fiat purchased Alfa Romeo and reintroduced into the U.S. market in 2008. Both folded neatly into the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles umbrella/merger in 2014. Seven years later, FCA merged with French automaker Peugeot to create Stellantis whose Latin roots meaning translates into English loosely as 'brighten with stars.'
Starting price for Stelvio's single trim: $48,995. Our tester added the $2,000 Veloce Package (sport leather seats with adjustable power bolsters, limited slip differential, gloss black roof rails, gloss-black brake calipers and eight-way adjustable passenger seat) and $700 Active Driver Assist Package (instrument panel traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, active blind spot assist and hands-free power lift gate). Single extras included Alfa Rosso red exterior paint ($695), Sunroof ($1,500) and 20-inch sport wheels ($1,750). With a hefty $1,995 destination charge, the bottom line landed at $57,635.
The 2025 Stelvio dish requires premium-grade fuel when feeding the returning-from-2024 2.0-liter turbo charged four powering all four wheels generating 24 miles per gallon of fuel economy in combined city/highway sight-seeing and punching out 280 horses. Teaming with a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, this luxury-branded compact sparks a pleasant, peppy driving experience and decisive, athletic handling. A nearly perfect 50-50 front/back weight ratio enhances driving delicacy. Underpinnings share familiar working with its well-regarded Guilia sport sedan sibling, but within a lively, five-door crossover guise.
Drivers benefit from a large 12.3-inch deep-set instrument cluster first introduced in 2024 built upon thin-film transistors creating a highly animated and digital effect. It's multi configurable with three formats AR defines as Evolved, Relaxed and Heritage displayed through two heart-like chambers. The dashboard top, extending from end to end along the windshield's bottom edge, includes eyebrow-like half-moon arches above each chamber.
A second screen further east measures in with a mid-size 8.8 inches and builds directly into the center dash supporting infotainment functions including standard navigation. This touch sensitive screen also functions via a rotary dial with adjoining short-cut push buttons found within a center console between front bucket seats. Nearby a smaller twist stalk controlling volume/on/off while also jetting side-to-side allowing station selections. Apple Car Play and Android Auto Smartphone compatibility arrives standard easily allowing Smartphone interaction through the sound system.
Dual-zone temperature controls reside separately from the touch screen below the vertical air vents with circular dials at each end monitoring temperature and push buttons between for selection fan direction, speed along with front and rear defrosters.
Two circular air vents bookend the largely black dashboard with a pair of horizontal-styled air ways below the in-dash screen. Brushed aluminum highlights jet mid-level from the far right-side vent to the instrument panel housing. All four side doors include ceiling handles easing entry and exit. The black interior highlights with black leather seats and optional sport leather variants with black or red leather sport seats.
The circular electronic start/stop ignition button locates on the steering wheel's 9' o 'clock arm nearby cruise control functions, a smart location far from the lower dashboard where interference from the very same steering wheel often times comes into play. The 3'o clock arm houses additional sound/radio controls.
Many Stellantis family vehicles (Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler) include extraordinarily convenient secondary toggle-like vertical pads on the steering wheel's flip side allowing finger tips the important job of volume and station control in their natural positions. One of the best designs available to easily adjust radio functions and one Alfa Romeo would be wise to incorporate.
The eight-speed automatic transmission shifter between front buckets fits effortlessly into the driver's right hand and easily glides into reverse when moving forward and into drive when moving downhill. Park requires a push of a topside button on the shifter itself. Look closely at the base and Stelvio includes a tri-color salute (green, white, red) to the Italian flag. Southwest of the shifter, a suspension dial for choosing between 'normal' driving and 'dynamic' mode when desiring the need for better handling and/or a sporty experience.
Travel to row two and experience an ambiance best described as cozy. Limited leg room and the vertical transmission hump down the floor's center best welcome two travels although Stelvio's marketed as a five-seater. A fold-down arm rest with dual beverage holders nicely sets the table for two. Cargo dimensions, with or without second-row backrests folded, remain snug for this tweener size.
A couple of observations generating a tiny iota of heartburn. Stelvio's turning radius, most noticeable during U-turns or three-point turns (this evaluator gets lost easily requiring extensive evasive maneuvers), doesn't provide the tightness of many similar-sized rivals. The engine's start/stop design activates by quieting the car when at a prolonged stop, summoning the engine back to life once the right foot lifts off the brake pedal. It's gentle rumble and audible cough unfortunately catches the driver's attention too often, but disengages with the push of a button located towards the far left end of the dashboard.
The steering wheel's gaudy pair of brushed aluminum manumatic transmission shifters need some size reduction. While welcoming the ability to manually guide the automatic transmission shift points early or late without a foot clutch raises the fun factor, this design does not jibe easily with hand positions when gripping the wheel. Better to use the manumatic option built into the eight-speed transmission shifter.
Interior quality materials and design while pleasant, fall short Alfa Romeo's upscale, rich ambiance. Currently European rivals such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo provide a slight advantage. Its distinctive outward appearance, however, scores upmarket distinctions.
All three Alfa Romeos sold in America share a unique, identical front end with a long tri-angular, portrait-style center nose resembling an elongated stretched letter 'V' flanked by two large black air dams along the bottom. Narrow, stretched headlight housing continues the tri-angle theme with inside daytime running lights boasting a tri-wave pattern. Red neon lighting highlights the rear with a boomerang pattern connecting side fenders to the hatch door.
Stelvio's wheels sport a five-leaf clover design while strap-like door openers retain body color. Two dual circular exhausts build-in below the liftback providing throaty, audible feedback. Narrow, protective cladding frame circular wheel wells and all four lower side doors.
The prominent upfront nose also displays the company's circular logo, incorporating imagery seemingly summoned from a quirky Quentin Tarantino flick; a serpentine snake devouring a helpless and hapless human juxtaposed with a revered red cross. Both dig deep into Italy's rich backstory and make appearances on the lower liftback, all four wheels plus the inside steering wheel; a logo more than a century in use created without an army of focus groups or multiple peer reviews.
In 2024, Alfa Romeo sold 8,868 vehicles in the U.S., down 19 percent from the previous year with 1,447 of those delicacies Stelvio crossovers. A half-dozen Alfa Romeo dealerships dot the Chicagoland Metroscape.
2025 Alfo Romeo Stelvio
Price as tested: $57,635
Engine: 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbo
Horsepower: 280
Torque: 306 lb.-ft.
Wheelbase: 111.0 inches
Overall Length: 184.6 inches
Overall Width: 74.9 inches
Overall Height: 66 inches
Powertrain warranty: Four years/50,000 miles
Fuel Economy: 22 mpg city/28 mpg highway
Assembly: Italy
