Alfa Romeo Giulietta review

The Giulietta was a pretty decent drive at launch, and this one enhances things a little more. It still can’t match class-leaders such as the VW Golf and, surprisingly, the Seat Leon (‘the Spanish Alfa’ beats the real Alfa – oh, the irony), but is still quite a sweet thing to drive for those more interested in entertainment than comfort. Play around with the Alfa DNA switch and you can make it feel almost hot hatch sharp (the Q2 electronic differential function is a worthwhile addition here): the final polish is inevitably lacking but it’s still pretty fun. The firm ride isn’t as bad as it could be, either.

The fizzy engines are where the real fun lies, particularly the wonderfully revvy 1.4-litre MultiAir. Even the entry level Giulietta comes with a 120bhp version of this fine motor. The 2.0-litre JTDm-2 diesel has been improved for 2014 as well, with the 175bhp TCT version making a surprising Golf GTD chaser.