[Scottlarson737]

2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio First Drive: A New Inner Beauty

The 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio addresses some of the biggest problems of the earliest models, with an updated cabin and smarter tech.

www.motor1.com

More in depth review.

Gotta admit the new infotainment sounds sweet, and the addition of a wireless charging pad is too..would love to not have cords in my interior...might make up for the shorter armrest.

And yeah..that Gold is interesting. Very eye catching.

My Jetta was goldish..called gangsta grandma gold....cause and only ganstas and grandma's have gold cars....

Wonder if the new steering wheel uses the same leather....touching the steering wheel rim is my favorite thing about the car...that leather is tactile joy..

I agree totally with the leather feel! Also, I have noticed that the steering wheel is a PERFECT diameter for my hands to grip (not the size of the steering wheel, but the thickness of the steering wheel). I think that was the very first thing I noticed when I sat behind the Stelvio for the first time.

 

[PashaAlfa]

Went to LA Auto show yesterday with wife, saw the 2020 Stelvio, I have to say interior looks so much better with new shifter, leather dash with contrast stitching, steering wheel is nice too. they made it little thicker & feels really good. Biggest change is the infotainment system, Exterior looks same. We're thinking about moving on to something else, when our current Stelvio lease was up ( in 4 months) but wife wants another Stelvio & I agree with her, I don't see anything better out there, so most likely we'll end up leasing 2020 model when they arrive. Hope 2020 model will be more reliable ( all kinds of electrical issues) but overall I think all new cars have electrical issues. Hope we can get good lease deal on new ones. We'll see.

 

[Sarlacc]

I checked them out at the LA Auto show yesterday. The new changes to the interior are nice...but not anything so amazing to up and switch to one. The little wireless charging pad near the center console storage is nice BUT it eats into the said storage...by about half.

I sat in one that had an optional carbon Fiber interior trim vs the textured aluminum which was nice. I could live with either.

I didnt play with the new infotainment. The one I sat in was turned off, and I didnt feel like waiting for another vehicle.

Also, the Tonale concept is NICE. I just hope it still "feels" like an Alfa since its FWD based.

 

[zvezdah1]

The Tonale name is going to be a problem at least in the US, EVERYONE will say "they named your car toenail?". BTW, the leather dash is actually an option, also includes the top doors as well, It's been available it's $1150 I think, unless they've changed and made it standard, it absolutely makes a huge difference on the interior. My next stelvio will def. have it.

 

[ttaidapos]

For those that want the shifter and trim piece below are the part numbers. Don't know if they would be a direct fit or any modding would be needed. i'm sure going to give them a try at some point. Check your local dealer

These are from EMEA parts.

Aluminium trim
156151217
44€

Shifter
156150609
360€

 

[KZquad18]

YES - I just want the new shifter ! Maybe if we all complain that we are cutting our fingers on the sharp crappy plastic on the shifter, Alfa will have to do a recall to replace it. Maybe they could just do it to be nice. ?

100% need to retrofit the new shifter. Let’s build a coalition of the willing, maybe new thread!?

 

[KZquad18]

For those that want the shifter and trim piece below are the part numbers. Don't know if they would be a direct fit or any modding would be needed. i'm sure going to give them a try at some point. Check your local dealer

These are from EMEA parts.

Aluminium trim
156151217
44€

Shifter
156150609
360€

Any word on whether quad model will have its own (suede?) variant of new shifter?

I've seen with smooth leather and perforated in 2020 cabin photos, but none yet of a 2020 quad.

 

[drdon]

All these complaints about the shifter? I don't get it. I've driven late model SUV's with mechanical shifters and they were absolutely horrible!! And just because Alfa interiors are minimalistic they are considered "cheap". I remember getting a two year old Passat as a loaner not long ago and the chrome on the interior bits was peeling off. "Cheap" suggests a life expectancy that is less than expected. I don't see the evidence.

 

[dbla]

All these complaints about the shifter? I don't get it. I've driven late model SUV's with mechanical shifters and they were absolutely horrible!! And just because Alfa interiors are minimalistic they are considered "cheap". I remember getting a two year old Passat as a loaner not long ago and the chrome on the interior bits was peeling off. "Cheap" suggests a life expectancy that is less than expected. I don't see the evidence.

From my perspective, it's not that its an issue with the shifter functionality itself, it's just that the hard plastic covering feels cheap for a $50,000+ car. It's one thing being minimalistic, it's a completely different thing having sharp hard seams on the one of the parts of the car that you touch every time you drive. Just my 2 cents.

Alex..

 

[ALFAOFFROAD]

I just dont like holding it because of the hard seams...but my habit is to hold the shifter....

Otherwise my opinion is the same as yours DrDon....I like the interior and find it to be wearing better than most "luxury" interiors so....

 

[mrpink]

All these complaints about the shifter? I don't get it. I've driven late model SUV's with mechanical shifters and they were absolutely horrible!! And just because Alfa interiors are minimalistic they are considered "cheap". I remember getting a two year old Passat as a loaner not long ago and the chrome on the interior bits was peeling off. "Cheap" suggests a life expectancy that is less than expected. I don't see the evidence.

I agree with this. I don't have a problem with the shifter, leather would be better, but whatever....not worth complaining about. And I absolutely love the simplicity and minimalist feel of the interior.

If I was going to complain about the interior I would (and have) complain about the base seats. They are terrible for a car at this price.

 

[ttaidapos]

Any word on whether quad model will have its own (suede?) variant of new shifter?

I've seen with smooth leather and perforated in 2020 cabin photos, but none yet of a 2020 quad.

Same part number for Stelvio and Stelvio QV I ordered the Stelvio part to fit it on the Giulia with a hopefully safe assumption that Giulias will also have the same part number. Fitting it on there will be a different story.

Personally, I just want the new shifter because it looks nicer and probably because it should have been there on first release. It has nothing to do with the rest of the interior and frankly, out of the many many cars I have owned, this has the best interior. Minimal, not 1,000 buttons to confuse the **** out of you and not 1,224 lights either. The rotary control button needs a little TLC but that's about it.

You cant really throw stones at people for wanting to change something to their taste, it's their personal opinion and choice. I've seen some horrible cars on this forum and really don't express my opinion unless asked. I have a $2.00 fake carbon part on my SQV and love it, it did the trick for me enough not to think about the shifter until i saw the pics of the new To each their own!

 

[Meggorock]

WOW. I just got my 2018 (5k miles) Stelvio in July, but I'm going to have to seriously sit on my hands to keep from running out to get a new 2020. Can't say I love the yellow but there's nothing like the Vulcano Metallic Black anyway.

 

[AlfaJohn]

WOW. I just got my 2018 (5k miles) Stelvio in July, but I'm going to have to seriously sit on my hands to keep from running out to get a new 2020. Can't say I love the yellow but there's nothing like the Vulcano Metallic Black anyway.

What yellow? Is there a yellow one? Or are you referring to the Gold?

 

[Sarlacc]

What yellow? Is there a yellow one? Or are you referring to the Gold?

Painted Calipers

 

[OhioF1]

[QUOTE="ttaidapos, post: 132729, member: 5643"
Personally, I just want the new shifter because it looks nicer and probably because it should have been there on first release.
[/QUOTE]
So true ! I love the interior of my Stelvio. I really think the existing shifter is a few days of quality engineering away from being acceptable. I have worked on producing plastic parts before. The shifter design is OK, but the final execution and part production is not correct. This had to be a "we just don't have time" problem for AR production engineering.

 

[Tom]

Does anyone know what model Alfa that is at 12:12 in the video? It's seen briefly parked on the street as they make a right turn.

 

[milos]

giulietta.Imho best looking golf class hatchback. in production from 2010, wtthout any exterior changes still looks fresh

 

[Meggorock]

What yellow? Is there a yellow one? Or are you referring to the Gold?

Gold paint actually.

 

[AlfaJohn]

Gold paint actually.

I look forward to seeing that in person. It must be a new trend at I see a Chevy Traverse in this Gold metallic at work.