Are Alfa Romeo Cars Reliable?
Stylish good-lookers on the outside, unreliable buckets of bolts on the inside.
At least, that's the stereotype . . .
Thing is, it's the year 2024. Alfa Romeo has come a long way.
It's a brand that can now compete with almost all of its rivals for safety, mechanics, and customer experience.
Why the Bad Rep?
Alfa Romeos may or may not have run like lemons back in the 60s and 70s, and unfortunately that reputation has carried over to the present day.
We live in the digital age. Almost everyone has a voice.
And for every Alfa Romeo horror story, you'll find many satisfied Alfa Romeo drivers.
Much of the bad press surrounding Alfa Romeo cars can be traced back to models like the Alfasud (a small family car produced in the 70s) with its track record for rust and other issues. But as you'll soon find out, newer models like the Giulietta, the Tonale and the Stelvio, are far more dependable.
What Does Customer Feedback Say?
In 2022, the UK-based What Car? Magazine surveyed 14,000 car owners and asked them to share their experience with vehicle faults. These faults were placed into 14 individual categories, including battery, bodywork, brakes, engine, exhaust, exterior lights, fuel system, gearbox, interior trim, and more.
For each fault category, the car owners were then asked how much time their car spent off the road as a result of the fault. They were also asked to report on the overall cost of the repair and whether their manufacturer's warranty covered it. Once the data was compiled, each vehicle was then given an overall reliability score by the magazine and ranked against competition brands.
The survey awarded Alfa Romeo with a fifth place overall reliability out of a total of 32 manufacturers, outperforming well-known 'safe' brands like Honda and Subaru, as well as more prestige ones like Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Not bad, eh?
How Reliable are Consumer Reports?
To be honest, pretty reliable. After all, car owners are the ones who are actually driving the cars, so the feedback is coming straight out of the horse's mouth, so to speak. Plus, the What Car? survey results were based on the experiences of 14,000 drivers, which is a large sample size.
Consumer surveys ask those who own the cars, and they also draw upon recalls and faults. So all in all, they are are probably the best way of knowing the longevity of a certain car or car make.
Common Alfa Romeo Problems
Yet despite their overall reliability, other data suggests that Alfa Romeos are particularly prone to more minor faults.
These are usually issues with the suspension or traction, or with certain electrical faults (for example, heated seats or the alarm system). Engine and gearbox faults of the more serious kind make up only a small percentage.
These non-serious faults are something that a lot of Alfa Romeo drivers are willing to forgive due to the better things about an Alfa Romeo – not least, the pleasure of being able to get behind the wheel of a premium brand.
So you can rest assured that when Alfa Romeos do 'break', it's usually not a major fault that's going to put the car out of action for any long period of time.
Are Alfa Romeos Expensive to Maintain?
Putting your car in for a servicing is worrying enough without it being an Alfa Romeo. Even more so if you're driving an older version (which you won't be, if you're leasing).
We won't mince our words here. Even though the chances are that your Alfa Romeo won't break down (especially if it's one of the newer models we've just outlined), in the unfortunate event that it does, Alfa Romeos can cost a pretty penny to maintain. It is a luxury brand, after all, and the required replacement parts are unique to its models. So if something major does go wrong, (relating to the engine, for example) then expect to have to dip into your pockets.
In order to minimise that risk, just make sure that you are regularly maintaining it and putting it in for servicing, like you would with any other car.
Which Alfa Romeo is the Most Reliable?
The main Alfa Romeo vehicles hitting the roads today are the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the Alfa Romeo Giulia, and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Tonale SUVs. Let's look into each model separately in regards to reliability. You might be surprised by some of the verdicts.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta (Reliability Rating: 8)
Launched in 2010, the Giulietta hatchback is by far the most common Alfa on our roads. Known for its sporty style, luxurious interior and (depending on your taste) striking front grille, it's been a key driver in bringing about a change in the brand's fortunes. Whilst sales peaked in 2011, the vehicle's popularity has been on a steady (though not steep) decline ever since then.
The Giulietta was given a very impressive reliability score of 98.6% by WhatCar? magazine, sitting two places above the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which scored 97.2%. It's living proof that Alfa Romeo is capable of building reliable cars. In fact, if the Giulietta was the only car belonging to the brand, then Alfa Romeo's overall reliability rating would be pretty high indeed.
Alfa Romeo Giulia (Reliability Rating: 7)
Arguably the best-looking sports sedan in the segment, this saloon car takes its cue from the all-too familiar Mercedes-Benz and BMW saloons, and you can't deny that there's something BMW-like about its appearance. Yet its sleek, sporty style helps to make it stand out from those cars it tries to live up to. And not only is the Alfa Romeo Giulia a pretty car, it's a powerful one as well. The 197bhp 2.0-litre engine is one that performs well, letting you drive from 0 to 62mph in 6.6 seconds.
The spiritual successor of the Alfa Romeo 159, it's safe to say that the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a step up in terms of reliability. Although not quite as highly-rated as its Giulietta counterpart, the Giulia has still managed to impress some car enthusiasts, especially its Quadrifoglio variant. It was scored 9/10 by Top Gear and 5/5 by Auto Express.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio (Reliability Rating: 6)
The only crossover SUV on offer by Alfa Romeo, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (named after a scenic mountain pass in northern Italy) meshes all the power and practicality of a 4x4 with the fast-tuned performance and verve of a sports car, giving it a powerful presence on the road. Best of all, it still manages to retain the classy, distinct flavour of the brand.
Question: does the Alfa Romeo Stelvio live up to the high standard set by its Giulietta and Giulia siblings? Well, maybe not quite, but it still holds up well.
Alfa Romeo Tonale (Reliability Rating: 6)
Celebrate the electric era in style with the Alfa Romeo Tonale. The first step in Alfa Romeo's electric journey, the Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid SUV is a great way to celebrate the green era in style. Much like the Stelvio, it's still the Alfa Romeo design we all know and love, but in SUV form. Power comes from either a standard 256-hp turbo-four or a more powerful plug-in-hybrid powertrain with more than 30 miles of estimated all-electric range. The Tonale can sprint from 0 to 60mph in 6 seconds, with a potential top speed of 130.5mph.
It's no Giulia or Giulietta, but like its closely-related Stelvio, it'll get you from A to B without too much trouble.
Alfa Romeo Vs . . .
Like with any other manufacturer, how it's valued depends largely on how it compares against its rivals, so to give you a better idea of Alfa Romeo's overall reliability in the market, why don't we look at some of the brand's main competitors.
Alfa Romeo Vs. Audi
Audi's not only one of the most reliable brands, it's also one of the ones that we're seeing more and more of in the streets, from the ever-popular A1, A3 and A4 ranges to the trademark Audi TT.
When comparing Audi with Alfa, the A6 vs the Giulia springs to mind. The A6 is definitely at the higher end of the scale, but when it comes to reliability, it's arguably pipped by the Giulia, with brakes, engine, and fuel systems all being a common problem since 2013. Thing is, Audi has a more reliable track record of producing reliable cars, which means it often wins out for potential Alfa drivers.
Alfa Romeo Vs. BMW
Similar problem as before. Many of Alfa Romeo's recent vehicles are actually equal to or greater than some of BMW's in terms of reliability, but because BMW has a better track record of producing high-quality, reliable cars, many drivers will choose that brand instead.
Does It Help If I'm Leasing?
Yes, at least a little.
Because leasing deals are almost exclusively on new cars, you'll be driving an Alfa Romeo that's brand spanking new, so there's going to mean less problems on the road than if you were driving a used Alfa Romeo.
Less chance of things breaking down, less money being thrown down the drain, and less waiting around at repair shops.
Also, most Alfa Romeo models (including the Giulietta) don't hold their value too well, with many models hitting the 50% loss in value mark after only 1 year of being out on the road. On the other hand, some versions of Alfa Romeo, like the Quadrifoglio, hold their value pretty well, with some models hitting that same 50% loss in residual value mark after 3 years of being on the road.
However, any loss in value won't be an issue when leasing, because you won't have the option (or the hassle) of selling the car on at the end of the agreement.
LEASING 1 - 0 PCP.
So, Is Alfa Romeo Reliable?
For the most part, the new ones are, but they still tend to suffer from minor electrical issues.
The brand definitely gets a lot more flak than it deserves, particularly when we have a tendency to let its more traditional rivals off the hook (just check out the potential maintenance cost for a BMW). It's safe to say that the recent models represent a massive improvement in reliability over some of Alfa Romeo's past vehicles, even to the point of preserving the brand's future existence.
That being the case, we might continue to see Alfa Romeo crawl up the sales charts (or in our case, leasing charts). So next time you're in the market for a luxurious, sporty car, don't be too quick to write off Alfa Romeo. Several of their more recent models might even prove to be a better choice than those from some of the more reputable German brands.
So yes, there’s certainly still plenty of room for improvement, but if you really do have your mind set on getting behind the wheel of the luxury Italian brand, then who are we to stop you!
FAQs
Does Alfa Romeo have reliability issues?
Older Alfa Romeos generally did, but things have greatly improved in recent years.
Is Alfa Romeo expensive to maintain?
Unfortunately, yes. It is a luxury brand, after all. If something major goes wrong, the replacement parts on Alfa Romeos are unique to the model and are therefore going to be quite expensive.
Is BMW or Alfa Romeo more reliable?
Generally speaking, BMW is still the more reliable brand. However, as we've said, Alfa Romeo is slowly making its way up the charts.
Which Alfa Romeo is the most reliable?
Probably the Quadrifoglio versions of each model, in particular the Stelvio.
Are Alfa Romeo Giulietta parts expensive?
Short answer, yes. Alfa Romeo Giulietta parts are, or at least certainly can be, pretty expensive.