Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The model that will be discussed today is a compact hatchback, released by the Italian manufacturer in 2010. Alpha Romeo Juliet is a bright representative of Italian sophistication, so there is a desire for it only in the female form. The model is timed to coincide with the centenary of Alfa Romeo brand and was created as a senior model of Alfa Romeo MiTo. The whole model range is Alfa Romeo.

Exterior

The appearance of the Italian hatchback Juliet was able to preserve the design traditions of the automobile company Alfa Romeo and not bad shines with the appearance of 8C Competizione and junior MiTo. The nose part of the Italian is decorated with unusual lamps of the lighting system.

The front bumper, which combines a heraldic shield of the grille of the false radiator and a fairing with massive air intakes located at the bottom, serves as one beautiful detail. Side by side, the fog lights are installed. On the hood there are a couple of characteristic ribs, as if the car hints at the sports qualities.

The body is shaped like a coupe with strong supports at the back and has a relief stamping along the entire length of the machine. The handle of the back door is already synchronized in a glass frame according to the traditions of the Italian company. Interestingly, if you look at the car fluently, it feels as if there is only one door in it, but it is not so – there are two of them.

The matter is that Italian masters could hide so accurately in a frame of back doors the small handle that it almost is not noticed. The back part of Alfa Romeo Giulietta has the form of a sculpture, which froze in metal. Everything looks so perfect that it feels like words can hardly describe it. There is also a huge bumper, which is complemented by an a la diffuser, a small trunk door with a pair of spoilers.

The most important one was installed at the junction of the roof and the rear door glass, and the second one was in the form of a punching hole on the edge of the glass into the surface of the “hatch” of the luggage compartment made of metal. Finish all the “performance” of the unique lanterns of light-amplifying equipment with lines of LED system. Interestingly enough, the Italian car did not have just a few points to win in the prestigious category “European Car of the Year”.

And all this is deservedly deserved – for example, if you pay attention to the stern of the car, or rather to the rear lamps with a garland of LED lighting system, which has the form of “curls” that were in the very Juliette Capulet of the world-famous novel by Shakespeare. The car can be painted in 10 different color variations. Among them are white, silver, grey, dark grey, 3 red shades, blue and a pair of black.

Interior

The interior of Alfa Romeo Juliet retains the style of an elegant and sporty car, which was born in Milan. The front of the torpedo has an original shape and the grip steering wheel is leather covered and tilted. On the dashboard there are wells with brightly reddish illumination.

The central console is divided into three parts: a multimedia screen is located at the top and slides out; the audio system is in the middle and the climate control system is located below. The gear lever handle is a ball-shaped handle, and as an option you can also order aluminium pedal pads, a red stitch with the Alfa Romeo logo on many details of the interior – all of these criteria can be traced back to the Italian spirit.

The deflectors installed in the center were made in the panel, which is quite unusual in principle. The front seats are comfortable enough, have a bucket-shaped appearance and have a sufficient range of settings (admittedly, side support could be done even better), the rear sofa can comfortably accommodate three passengers.

The car has a rather low seating height, which again emphasizes the desire to be athletic. Only passengers with high height may lack free leg and head space. In terms of ergonomics, everything is acceptable, all controls are located nearby, the feeling of interior elements is quite pleasant. The checked cut of the controls also made us happy.

It is clear that the level of assembly can not be equal to the German car manufacturers, but the interior of Juliette from the whole range of Italian company looks the most solid. I am pleased with the infotainment and comfortable equipment, which includes the presence of “music” with the support of CD/MP3 for 6 speakers, air conditioning, electric package, etc.

As an additional complete set it is possible to establish satellite navigating system, Bluetooth headset, 2-Zone climate control, electric servo-mechanisms of change of armchairs with function of memory. The basic equipment includes airbags, safety curtains and Isofix child seats.

The luggage compartment has 350 litres of free space. If necessary, it can be increased by removing the backrest of the rear row, which will provide 1,045 liters of usable space.

Specifications

Powertrain

Looking under the hood of Alfa Romeo Vitlietta, all the already received pleasant feelings do not go anywhere, because the company will be able to meet the needs of each consumer. The Italian car is equipped with 5 engines, including a pair of turbocharged diesel engines – 1.6 JTDM (105 hp) and 2.0 JTDM (170 hp).

Next come 3 gasoline-powered engines, which are also turbocharged – 1.4-liter Multiair TV with 120 horsepower, 1.4 TB Multiair with 170 horsepower and 1.750 TV, which is designed for 235 horsepower. The latter is designed for the exclusive Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde model.

The 120 hp engine provides acceleration to the first hundred in 9.4 seconds, and the maximum speed is set at 195 km/h. The fuel consumption ranges from 5.3 to 8.4 litres per 100 km. The 1.4-liter power pack with manual (automatic) gearbox is capable of accelerating the machine to the value of 100 km/h in 7.8 (7.7) seconds, and the maximum speed will be at the level of 218 km/h. It eats a little less than its smaller brother, from 4.6 (4.3) to 7.8 (6.7) litres per hundred litres.

Running gear

The McPherson suspension system is mounted at the front with McPherson columns and swiveling fists, and a multilever system is mounted on the rear axle. Alfa Romeo Giulietta is a modern car and therefore has an electronic assistant Alfa DNA, which has three modes of operation: Normal, Dynamic and All-weather.

The electronic system can change the characteristics of the accelerator pedal, shock absorbers, steering wheel control, brake system, ESP, differential (active differential Q2). It depends on what help will be chosen to set up the DNA, the driver will get a car with a different character, from a quiet city car to a fast sports car.

Driving connoisseurs will be pleased that the electronic system will interfere with the control only at the very last moment, which will not deprive the driver of the pleasure of feeling united with the car. The system of suspensions is distracted by the presence of elasticity and comfort, as well as boldly keeps the trajectory when turning.

Steering is quite adequate, there is no nervousness. Therefore, even on road sections with poor quality pavement, and in the Russian Federation almost everywhere, walking shows excellent energy consumption.

Dimensions

If we’re talking about the size of an Italian hatchback, they’re next. The length of the car occupies 4,351 mm, width is 1,798 mm, height is 1,465 mm. Wheelbase is 2 634 mm. The ground clearance is set at 120 mm, and for cars that will be supplied to the Russian Federation this figure will be increased to 150 mm, which is very good, given the quality of our roads.

Safety

Already in the standard equipment of hatchback Alpha Romeo Juliet includes various progressive services to help the driver, such as ABS, EBD, HBA, ASR, MSR, VDC, Hill Holder, Q2. Questions on passive safety also disappear. There is an active headrest of the 2nd generation, which is designed to prevent whiplash injury, three-point safety belts with double pretensioners and load limiters, injury-free pedal unit and steering column, 6 airbags.

Moreover, the FPS service automatically stops the fuel supply in the event of a collision, minimizing the possibility of ignition. The vehicle was able to get the highest marks in the Euro NCAP crash test.

Crash test

Restyling 2014

A group of Italian designers and engineers prepared the hatchback of Alfa Romeo Juliet for release in 2014. For the first time everybody could see it at a car show in Frankfurt in autumn 2013. In the Russian Federation, another dealer, Chrysler Jeep Russia National Sales Company, will be responsible for selling the new product.

Restyled version of Juliet 2014 is very difficult to distinguish from the previous version – only a little bit changed the compact grille of the false radiator, which looks like a shield, and the small eyes of fog lights were framed with chrome. Dimensions of the Italian car remained the same. Among the variants of body colors there was a presence of moonlight, bright blue and bronze color.

The appearance of the light alloy wheels has been changed to accommodate 16, 17 and 18 inches. Otherwise, the 2014 Alfa Romeo Giulietta is exactly the same as its predecessor. But if to speak for an interior, here there are much more changes and innovations. The designers managed to equip the restyled car with new maps and door handles, became wider than the range of offered color solutions for finishing seats, panels, installed in front and other interior elements.

Given the installation of the new upgraded multimedia system Uconnect with displays, which have a diagonal of 5 or 6.5 inches and which have touch input support, the central console has been changed. USB and AUX connections, media player, iPod and iPhone and other popular smartphone brands are now supported.

Introduced a navigation system, where the image is displayed on the display with 3D effect, which provides a view of the terrain from a bird’s eye view. There is also a new steering wheel and a new diesel-powered engine – it has a combustion chamber volume of 2.0 liters and produces about 150 horsepower. This engine has better characteristics in terms of noise and fuel consumption.

Complete sets and prices

The cost of Alfa Romeo Giulietta will be different in terms of equipment and modification. There are only three options for equipment. Progression is a standard tooling that has a presence in it:

• steel discs;
• a special tire repair kit;
• EBA, EBD, ABS;
• anti-skidding system;
• traffic stabilization services;
• seat-belt pretensioners;
• a pair of front airbags;
• of the on-board computer;
• air conditioner;
• interior fabric upholstery;
• heating of the front window and power windows only on the front doors.

Rear-view mirrors are equipped with heating and electric drive options, the steering wheel and gearshift handle are upholstered in leather, there is a steering wheel and the option of heating the front seats. Radio and CD support with 6 loudspeakers is available as a music system.

За охранную систему отвечают иммобилайзер вместе с центральным замком. Передняя светоусилительная техника представлена галогеновыми лампами, присутствуют противотуманные лампы и омыватели фар. Следующая комплектация Distinctive уже поставляется с наличием 2-ух зонного климат-контроля, легкосплавных дисков, запасной докатки, самозатемняющегося зеркала задней обзорности, электрических стеклоподъемников на всех дверях, клавишами настройки MP3 аудиосистемой, которые расположены на руле и передних подлокотников.

Комплектация Exlusive включает в себя наличие комбинированной обивки (кожа+ткань), электроскладываемых боковых зеркал, подлокотника на заднем диване, поддержку USB, AUX-In, датчика дождя, круиз-контроля, заднего парктроника и систему Hands free. Стоимость итальянского автомобиля Alfa Romeo Giulietta будет равняться от 19515 $ за 120-сильный силовой агрегат. Ценовая политика с другими двигателями будет меняться от 23799$ – 26179$.

The pros and cons

Summing up

In the end, when concluding the conclusion to the car of the Italian company Alfa Romeo Giulietta, I would like to say that there will still be a dispute about its design – in principle, everyone has already got used to the fact that the appearance of Alfa Romeo cars is liked by someone, someone is not. Everyone will decide for themselves. But one thing is certain – the unusual look of designers still bribes.

The car looks elegant, youthful and sometimes even sporty. The presence of LED lighting system and increased road clearance for the implementation of cars in the Russian Federation is good news for us, because the road is clearly not like in Europe. Inside Juliet, everything is intuitive and easy to read.

The quality of all the details, although not at the German level, still differs in its level of finish. Very nicely pleased even the basic stuffing kitting. The safety level of the car is also impressive and makes it a worthy competitor in its class. There is a pretty good list of power units, which make it possible to feel confident on the road and during overtaking.

The engines have enough power, especially those operating on gasoline. There are a large number of various electronic systems designed to help the driver with driving on the road. Of course, tall people will not sit comfortably on the back sofa, as there will be discomfort in the knees and above the head.

The luggage compartment is not a record-breaking one, however, this Italian car is perfect for small families and city trips, because its consumption is acceptable, which will save on fuel. Alfa Romeo Giulietta will allow to plunge into the world of Italian history and poetry, which can be felt only by driving a hatchback.

The restyled version of the car has only improved the existing advantages of the car. That’s why before and after the upgrade we can confidently say that the car turned out to be unforgettable.

We advise you to read the article: History of Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo Giulietta photo

Test drive

Video overview