Alfas have always been heart-over-head purchases, but this 2025 Intensa model is the most refined, complete, and resolved Giulia we have driven. Much of it remains the same vehicle since its debut nearly ten years ago, with some new window dressings, LED lights, steering wheel and shifter design, and adoption of more digital screens, but it’s better put together, the headrests no longer feel like a sack of rocks, and what used to be innovative is finally beginning to be appreciated. Perhaps it’s the rest of the automotive market coalescing into a homogenous hodgepodge of digital interiors and soulless shapes, but even after a decade on the market, the Giulia is a refreshing sight on the road.

Alfa nails that sense of occasion from the moment you enter the vehicle, the Ferrari-like engine start button on the steering wheel giving you motorsport tingles, and the large, cold, metal column-mounted paddle shifters letting you know this isn’t a BMW or AMG. Unfortunately, what follows the ignition action is a rough, raspy bark that sounds agricultural, even under heavy throttle application, but the more you listen to the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, the better it sounds, almost like a quarter-size caricature of the Quadrifoglio V6.

The Giulia powerplant hasn’t changed since the 2017 Ti model we drove, but it does feel somewhat punchier in the mid-range and smoother in the low-end. It produces the same 280 hp and 306 lb-ft of torque, more powerful than the BMW 330i (255 hp, 295 lb-ft) and Mercedes C 300 (255 hp, 295 lb-ft), but the swift speed of the 8-speed automatic makes each gear feel meaningful as it carefully lets the torque swell over its maximum crest before passing the baton to the all-wheel drive system to sort out the rest. You want to keep the needle just above 4,000 rpm, giving you the excuse to pull the majestic paddles at any time to hear its satisfying click-clack response. 

Time and the shifting focus of its competition have only made this Giulia’s dynamic composure more attractive. The sharp, reactive steering is a hallmark of this Alfa and stands out amongst the overboosted, overcompensating racks on the BMW 330i, Mercedes C 300, and all their electric SUV variants. While electrically-assisted, it’s light, accurate, and easy to gel with on a winding road. It doesn’t require Herculean effort to rotate, but there’s a meaningful response accompanying each degree of steering rotation. The ride composure is excellent as well. The Intensa model comes with an adaptive suspension and is clearly tuned for road handling, settling nicely after negotiating bumps and settling into a smooth rhythm on a glassy road. 

The Intensa series is Alfa’s way of injecting a new lease of life into its 2025 lineup. With it comes beautiful, golden-accented 19-inch telephone dial wheels, iconic paint colours like our Verde Fangio, and brown accents throughout the interior, including the steering wheel, seat stitching, and center console lining. 

While fit and finish has improved, and the Giulia is well put together by general Stellantis standards, it still lacks the polish, solidity, and material weight that the German and Japanese competition have clearly mastered. The panels here feel thin and hollow, and the switchgear feedback is cheap, wiggly, and underwhelming, but if you have isolated yourself into only Jeeps, Dodges, Fords, and even Lincolns, you likely won’t know any better. But spending a few hours in a rented Honda or Toyota will show you how the minor, often-overlooked finishing touches make a difference to the overall driving experience. These are important quality layers that should never be overlooked or underestimated. 

And some other oddities as well: there’s a noticeable whine from the steering column whenever we give it full lock, the column is notably off-center from the driver’s seat, the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay ages this Alfa considerably, there is no auto-brake hold function, and the front seat side bolsters are tight and confining by default, meaning my slim figure finds it perfect but those with wider waists or torsos may find it constricting and painful without much leeway for expansion. 

But you don’t buy an Alfa Romeo Giulia for its interior quality or ergonomic design. It appeals to the heart with a fantastic sense of occasion that starts the moment you fire up the engine. The Giulia drives as a sport sedan should, and makes the heavier, more muted 3 Series and C-Class appear unfocused and ungainly. Even a decade later, Alfa is schooling the competition in emotional automotive design, and while it’s clinging onto the last of its nine lives, it’s nice to know that it still provides an exciting, dopamine drip on every drive.

Specifications:

Model: 2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia Intensa
Paint Type: Verde Fangio Metallic
Base Price: $68,995
Price as Tested: $70,995
Wheelbase(mm): 2,819
Length/Width/Height (mm): 4,635 / 1,872 / 1,435
Curb weight (kg): 1,647
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Horsepower: 280 hp @ 5,200 rpm
Torque: 306 lb-ft @ 2,000 – 4,800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, AWD
Observed Fuel Consumption (L/100km): 11.2
Tires: Pirelli P Zero; 225/40R19 front; 255/35R19 rear