Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV - Interior & comfort

Despite its 2023 facelift, the Stelvio still struggles against its German rivals when it comes to its interior. While the reliance on quite a few physical buttons and controls helps it feel familiar, competitors with larger touchscreens get an edge when it comes to contemporary styling.

The Stelvio feels calm and composed on the road, with only those examples riding on large alloy wheels feeling a little unsettled by poor road surfaces. This phenomenon is exacerbated in the Quadrifoglio model, which has the largest alloy wheels available and a firmer suspension setup to aid performance. The car feels more brittle than the standard Stelvio as a result, so be sure the car's performance is something you're happy to make sacrifices for.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio dashboard

The dashboard architecture of the Stelvio is very similar to the Giulia saloon, with hooded main instruments flanked by a large central infotainment screen. The biggest news for the facelift was the arrival of a digital driver’s display, although this can still mimic Alfa’s traditional analogue dials in its ‘Evolved’ mode. ‘Relax’ minimises information, while ‘Heritage’ has a retro look inspired by iconic Alfa Romeo models of the 60s and 70s, with inverted numbers at the end of the speedometer.

A central 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard across the trim levels, with menus that are easy to grasp, but responses which can be laggy and a display that doesn’t look as sharp as most rivals.

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Equipment

Every Stelvio sold in the UK has a pretty comprehensive specification. The facelifted Stelvio range has been divided into a simple three-tier lineup: Sprint, Veloce and Competitzione, plus a powerful Quadrifoglio model. So far, we’ve driven the mid-range Veloce, which is expected to account for most sales and comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, heated sports seats and a sporting bodykit.

Competitzione is fitted with 21-inch ‘5-hole’ alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, a Harman Kardon stereo upgrade and a leather-trimmed dashboard. It’s also available with matt grey paintwork and red brake calipers, while rear occupants should enjoy looking up through the panoramic sunroof.

Options

As is the norm for most cars in this class, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio can be loaded with extras. A Leather Seat Pack for the Sprint trim upgrades the interior, adding not only leather upholstery but also heated front seats and a heated steering wheel for £2,500. A £1,000 Driver Assistance Pack brings features like Traffic Jam Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist making driving in traffic less stressful and bolstering safety.

Buyers can also add tweaks like tinted rear windows (£350) and an opening sunroof (£1,200), along with practical items like a factory-fitted tow bar that power folds when required.