VERDICT: Italian style for the fashion-forward

CATEGORY: Two-row crossover

SEATS: 5

STARTS AT: $48,170

COMPETES WITH: Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Genesis GV70

Alfa Romeo has been building cars in Italy since 1910, and it’s not anywhere near ready to retire. The Stelvio two-row crossover was introduced for model year 2018, the brand’s first SUV. Named after the Stelvio Pass, a mountain route in northern Italy bordering Switzerland, this crossover is as fun to drive as the road itself. That’s what the Stelvio is all about pure driving fun. It’s not cheap, it’s not practical, but who cares? It’s an Alfa Romeo. The Stelvio has style written all over it.

For 2023, the trim lineup includes Sprint, Ti, Lusso, Veloce, Estrema, and Quadrifoglio. Starting at $48,170, the Stelvio can cost as much as $87,270 at the top of the line for sumptuous interior details like sport seats and more leather throughout the cabin. This is no run-of-the-mill SUV; it’s a pedigreed machine, complete with the red, white, and green badging of the Italian flag.

The base Stelvio is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. That’s fun and all, but it’s the performance-tuned Quadrifoglio and its twin-turbocharged 505-hp (443 pound-feet of torque) 2.9-liter V6 that will knock your socks off. Good to know: every Stelvio is equipped with all-wheel drive except for the Sprint, which has a rear-wheel drive setup with all-wheel drive as an option.

Whether taking your kids to lacrosse or tuba practice, the 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space might feel a little small. However, if you can fold down the second row, there are 56.5 cubic feet at your disposal. That’s about the size of a 6-foot by 4.5-foot garden shed, which is plenty for several suitcases or a whole pile of sporting equipment. And if you need to tow, the Stelvio can handle up to 3,000 pounds, enough to haul a trailer with a few snowmobiles or watercraft.

The all-wheel-drive Stelvio gets an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in combined city/highway driving, and the rear-wheel drive version improves that number by one mpg. Hardly worth it, in our opinion. All-wheel-drive is included as standard, starting with the Ti trim, and it also has a dual-pane sunroof, wood trim inside, a hands-free power liftgate, headlight washers, and larger wheels for a $5,000 upgrade.

Inside the Stelvio, car seat anchor points are clearly marked and easy to access. It’s ideal for convertible seats and boosters; while a rear-facing infant bucket seat will fit, it will limit the motion of the front-row passengers.

Overall, the Stelvio is a delight to drive if you’re interested in Italian fashion and panache and care less about practicality. Alfa Romeo vehicles are fun and zippy with tons of personality, especially in Verde (Green) Montreal Tri-Coat, which we’d argue is the most beautiful green tint of any vehicle out there. Bellissima.