We get behind the wheel of the first electric car from iconic Italian brand, Alfa Romeo…
If all had gone to plan, Alfa Romeo’s debut EV would have been called the Milano. However, after a political row, the company had to dip into its heritage to resurrect the Junior moniker.
You see, Alfa Romeo isn’t the thoroughbred Italian than it once was because it’s now part of the giant Stellantis group, which also includes Citroen, Peugeot, Fiat, DS, Jeep and Abarth.
So, the Junior is built some distance from Milan at the Tychy plant in Poland, and it shares its platform with the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600, which are also manufactured there.
The good news is that the Alfa Romeo Junior (also available as a mild hybrid) is one of the best compact SUVs on the market.
The EV version, marketed as the Junior Elettrica is priced from £33,895, and there’s a choice of three models – the Elettrica, Elettrica Speciale and Elettrica 280 Veloce.
All three use the familiar Stellantis 54kWh battery pack. However, the electric motor in the Elettrica and Elettrica Speciale develops 154bhp, while the range-topping Veloce is uprated to 278bhp. Drive on all three is via the front wheels.
In acceleration terms, that’s 9 seconds compared to 5.9 seconds for the Veloce to reach 62mph from standstill. The downside is that the official range for the latter drops from 250 to 215 miles.
The Elettrica is well equipped and comes standard with 18-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, LED lights, auto wipers, a 10.25-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10.25-inch driver’s display and safety kit including AEB, Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Lane Assist.
The Speciale adds privacy glass, an electric driver’s seat, a180-degree camera, a hands-free tailgate, sports styling tweaks and keyless entry with proximity access technology.
The top-rung Veloce gets 25mm lower suspension, red brake callipers, 20-inch alloys, leather steering wheel, and sports pedals.
I tested a mid-range Elettrica Speciale in stunning Brera Red, with a contrasting black roof.
Slotting in below the Tonale and Stelvio SUVs in the Alfa Romeo line-up, the Junior is an attractive car, managing to look both delicate and aggressive.
There’s even a new take on the scudetto – or shield – up front. The ‘shield grille’ is now embedded with the Alfa Romeo logo. Personally, I think it looks like a 3D printing exercise and some of the Alfa Romeo identity has been lost in the process, but judge for yourself.
Inside, it’s very driver-centric, with the large infotainment screen angled towards you.
The seats are comfortable and supportive, while visibility is good at the front and sides, but trickier at the back thanks to the rising window line and chunky rear pillars. Thankfully, every Junior comes with rear parking sensors for parking manoeuvres, while the Speciale and Veloce get a rear-view camera too.
The infotainment is a mixed bag. It’s by no means best in class in terms of graphics, layout and response times, but it does the job and you can always connect your phone via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
The system’s saving grace is the row of real buttons below the touchscreen with key features including temperature, fan speed and volume. If only the likes of Tesla and Volvo would do the same, because physical controls for essentials are easier and safer than prodding and swiping a screen on the move.
Build quality is good, but the overall experience would be classier if there were a few less hard plastic surfaces in the cabin.
Rear passenger space is reasonable, so it’s just possible for me to sit behind an adult of the same height (5’11”), but it would be a tad cosy for a long journey.
Boot space is OK with 400 litres (or 1,265 litres with the 60/40 seats flipped). There’s also a small ‘frunk’ under the bonnet – ideal for storing your charging cable.
So far so good, but it’s when you get behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Junior that it starts to become, er, speciale.
Unlike most electric crossovers, the driving position is very good. The seat can be lowered so you don’t feel perched, as is often the case.
This pays dividends once you’re on the move, because you immediately feel more involved with the car and the overall driving experience.
With a decent turn of speed, plus light, yet sharp and accurate steering, it’s nippy and easy to drive in town.
Overall ride quality is on the firm side, but not uncomfortably so, chiming with the Junior’s sporty driving characteristics.
Push it on more challenging roads and it handles well. Body lean is well controlled and there’s decent traction. If the brakes were more progressive, it would be even better.
Weighing in at 1,545kg, it’s relatively light for an EV, so it does feel agile, but if you want more of a hot hatch experience you’ll have to pay £42,295 for the Veloce which has more power, a lower ride height, beefed-up suspension, stiffer anti-roll bars, bigger brakes and uprated tyres.
Like other Alfa Romeo cars, the Junior gets DNA (Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency) drive modes, which adjust steering weight, throttle response and brake feel.
As ever, Dynamic is fine for fun, short bursts with maximum power on tap and Advanced Efficiency dulls the engagement factor, so best to stay in Natural for the best blend of performance and efficiency.
The other thing to say about the drive modes is that there’s mild regenerative braking in A and N, and none in D. If you want higher regen, you’ll have to switch the gear selector to B, but it’s not quite the one-pedal effect.
Talking of recharging, every Junior has a standard heat pump, which should help with winter battery efficiency, but my experience after a week of mixed driving is that the real-world range from the 154bhp Elettrica Speciale is closer to 200 miles, which is a bit disappointing.
And if you do have to stop (you will on a long journey), Alfa Romeo quotes a 10-80% charge time of 30 minutes at speeds up to 100kW DC.
Ultimately, the Alfa Romeo Junior Speciale isn’t perfect, but it’s brimming with character, and it does deliver an engaging drive, unlike most of its rivals.
Verdict: If you’re looking for an electric compact SUV that is fun to drive, stands out from the crowd, offers good value and is well-equipped, then the Alfa Romeo Junior should be high up on your shortlist.
Alfa Romeo UK
