2025 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Review

In today’s world of high performance motoring, much has been forgotten about what this segment essentially means. Some brands are obsessed with figures, others with efficiencies. Increasingly we’re seeing car makers attempting to find the right balance of both. We’re almost there but it’s still pretty much work in progress.

Progress isn’t what you get in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Launched in 2016 and with just one minor refresh so far, it’s still mostly the same car as the one unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show nearly a decade ago. But it’s this staleness that makes the Stelvio Quadrifoglio such a thing to celebrate today, for it’s come from an era where driving satisfaction was, above all else, the core of every performance cars.

That’s not to say the need to balance performance with sustainability isn’t important, it’s just that a car as focused and pure as the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is a very good rarity these days. It’s a dying breed and indeed, the fast Alfa Romeo SUV is approaching the end of production with no replacement announced. Not yet.

At $162,700 a pop before on-road costs, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is up against much newer rivals that are mostly electrified in some sort of ways, including the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 and BMW X3 M. Being a little less expensive than its German competitors isn’t at all what the Italian uses to market itself, though. Rather it’s the heart and soul you get one from driving one of these.

There’s no denying, after all these years, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio still looks as fresh as ever. The beautifully sculpted body is lustily attractive and looks superb draped in the optional Montreal Green hue as seen on our test vehicle here.

Quadrifoglio signature details include the four-leaf clover triangular emblem on the base of the A pillars, bonnet vents, beefed up from and rear bumpers, wider wheel fenders connected by side skirts, quad exhaust tips and massive 20-inch wheels finished in gunmetal.

Further evident of its lack of progression, the recent refresh saw the headlights and taillights given new motifs with a ‘smoked’ appearance and that’s the extend of the exterior update.

While the striking exterior can be excused for needing much of a change, the interior is the opposite. It’s really starting to show its age and it certainly can do with a major tech overhaul. Instead, the cabin is pretty much carried over from before, save for a wireless phone charger, a new 12.3-inch fully digital instrumentation cluster and an updated infotainment system that now support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The digital instrumentation cluster retains the sporty Alfa dials and is a big step up from before but it lacks customisability and distinguishing Quadrifoglio elements such as sports gauges and lap timers. The 8.8-inch centre touchscreen, though with an updated interface, is still very small in today’s standard, especially in the performance luxury segment. There also isn’t any mood lighting strip to set the tone at night.

The interior’s got splashes of dry carbon fibre trim on the steering wheel, dashboard, centre console and door cards but it’s a mostly monotonic vibe with really not much that shouts performance and exclusivity. This is a $160k super-SUV and some contrast stitching and bright seat belts would be nice to set the tone for some spirited driving.

What really stands out is the steering wheel. Not only that it feels so nice to hold, it looks fantastic. That bright red engine start button on the wheel is race car-like and each of those fixed paddle shifters is made out of a single piece of aluminium. It has passion dripping all over it.

Heated and with electric adjustment, the front sport seats are heavily bolstered for maximum support, but those with smaller frames might find the bolsters getting in the way a bit. The rear seats, in contrast, are a little flat. While the space up front is decent, rear space isn’t what you’d call roomy either. The rear feels a bit tighter than cars like the Mercedes-AMG GLC and Audi SQ5. There’s also a fairly large drivetrain hump which the middle rear passenger will have to deal with.

A 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system comes standard and plays your favourite tunes with superb clarity and depth. There’s also a panoramic sunroof and powered tailgate. However, the lack of surround-view camera and head-up display at this price point is disappointing.

The boot opens up to 525 litres of cargo capacity which is fine for a couple of large suitcases plus some smaller bags. The space can be expanded further with the rear seats folded down. There’s no spare wheel under the flat boot floor, instead there’s a tyre repair kit.

Powering the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is what could well be the best engine in the segment. It’s a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol produced in collaboration with Ferrari. Constructed entirely out of aluminium for lightweight, it features a 90-degree angle between cylinder banks and uses both port and direct fuel injection. There’s also cylinder deactivation where the right cylinder bank is shut off at low load to improve fuel efficiency.

With a peak power of 375kW @ 6500rpm and 600Nm of torque spread between 2500-5000rpm, channeled to all four wheels via an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is capable of sprinting from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Top speed is rated at 283km/h.

It’s not just super quick off the line, the sound it makes as the tachometer sweeps around the arch is enthusiastically raspy. Switch to Race mode and the soundtrack dials up a few notches. We like to call this the ‘full experience’ mode but beware because Race mode turns off the electronic watchdogs including traction control.

The highly strung engine is eager and responsive. The transmission is crisp and quick. At no point in time you’re left asking for more power or in a power void. Plant the right pedal and a surge of forward thrusts is served up nice and quick.

The rear biased AWD delivers true sports car feel and dynamics to the SUV while maintaining a safety net of traction and stability that ensures all weather versatility. Turn-in is sharp and there’s very little roll around corners. In its firmest adaptive suspension setting which is Race mode, its hot hatch-like tautness and flat cornering stance really allow you to explore the limits of the car on a stretch of challenging roads.

At just over 1.8 tonnes, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio isn’t that heavy by medium SUV standards owing to extensive use of lightweight construction. And it does translate to impressive agility and response. That incredible engine aside, the steering is the highlight of the drive. It’s sharp, precise and nicely weighted with good feedback from the road. This further inspires driving confidence.

When you’re done at the twisties and it’s time to pack up the family, the Alfa is relatively civilised and relaxed when you’re just cruising around. The exhaust settles down to a deep burble that’s not at all intrusive with the drivetrain just effortlessly doing its job in the background. Just don’t expect the ride to be as cushy as a regular Stelvio because there’s always a layer of firmness in the Quadrifoglio even in the softest damper setting. It’s far from uncomfortable but you’ll certainly feel more of the road.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio isn’t a car you buy for fuel efficiency but if you care you’d be looking at around 13.7L/100km on the real-world combined average with about 350km of mixed driving. This is far thirstier than the brochure’s 10.2L/100km. It also runs on RON 98 octane fuel so running cost isn’t going to be cheap. That said, the car is backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre factory warranty with complimentary 5-year roadside assist.

Verdict

2025 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio pricing and specification