Why Giulietta Was The Beginning Of The End For Alfa Romeo (For Me)

Today, I'm going all out. I have a real love hate affair with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but this afternoon I'm feeling hate. Here's why this car frustrates me perhaps more than any other Alfa.

#AlfaRomeo #Giulietta

Big thanks to Sports Italia, whose courtesy car this was (and much appreciated too).

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[TheKrazyKat]

No better way to start the new year than a hangover and listening to someone talk smack about your real world car. Happy new year, James!

[brancomarcina]

I bought my first Alfa, a 1.4 2013 Giulietta about 6 months ago. I've been amazed about how good it is to drive in comparison to what the Japanese and Germans offer for the same money. So far reliability hasn't been an issue. Sorry JayEmm, from my point of view you're completely wrong. Owning an Alfa Giulietta has opened my eyes on how good they are. I feel

[postbodegt]

I own a manual, 260HP remapped QV in the same color as the reviewed car. It has the older style leather seats with red stitching, which gives the interior a massive boost. I love the car and it has been almost flawless for the 2 years I own it. The only thing I replaced was the thermostat, but that's an Alfa thing 😂

It is being maintained by a specialist here in the Netherlands who is very good. Last time when my car was there for maintenance, the garage owner gave me the keys of a Giulia Quadrifoglio and said have some fun. So yeah, my experience has been quite different!

[sotirismp]

They may have their issues, but mechanically they are surprisingly reliable and when you can get a well equipped multiair 170 for the same money as an enjoyment sucking 1.2 tsi Mk7 golf or a nasty high mileage a class with its dacia engine and beam suspension, they are brilliant

[achimhaun]

I own a 2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sportiva QV, same colour as the one you were driving. I bought it from a specialist at the end of 2021 in Germany, the car had 90.000km on the clock, it now has 120.000km. My first car. It cost me 6.000€ to buy including a one year waranty on any drive train faults from wear or user error including user maintenance. At that time 2.000€ more would've gotten me a 2015 VW Golf base model with a 5 Speed manual transmission with 280.000km. A friend of mine bought an Opel Corsa four seater that same year, cost 7.000€, doesn't even have a sixth gear, the interior plastics are slightly warping and creaking, really cheap, hard Opel cloth seats, no room in the back and little trunk space. It had 80.000km on the clock. It's about as fun to drive as a block of cheese.
All faults since I bought it:
-One headlamp washer went out,
just wouldn't retract anymore. Cost: 70€, did the job myself

-Rear hatch wiring is starting to frail, known error on a lot of hatchbacks after 10 years, 100€ in parts and 2h of your time if you do it slowly.

-My German made Continental Radio sometimes doesn't like low volume levels when it's freezing out, most likely old soldering joints, fixable by turning it up, disappears after 30s.

Was the interior up to snuff when it was new considering the unbelievable price tag? No. No it wasn't. Is it still a way better place to be than a BMW 1 series, Golf or especially Vauxhall from that time? Absolutely.

I am a bit disappointed with Alfa for this, I disagree with Jay's opinion when it comes to the Giulias interior, I love it, except for the gear lever surround in the center console. Why.

But: When I compare it to similarly priced cars that were on sale at that time and especially now that the Alfa has come down soo much in value, there's not a ton of better options on the used market.
When it comes to reliability surveys: Considering price and age, my car has been extremely reliable and never left me anywhere or had to stay at the garage for any length of time, but I digress, that might be the exception.
Yet somehow in these surveys, BMW, Audi and, most perplexingly, Mercedes Benz usually come out quite favourably. Brands that haven't made pretty much anything reliable after the 100.000km mark since 1992. They just coast on their reputation from the 1960s through 80s. It seems to me that especially when it comes to German automotive journalists, there's a SEVERE doubpe standard. Thirty years ago this was unbelievably blatant: The ZDFs Car review calling identical test results admirable for an "Audi 100", the identical results of the cheaper Toyota Supra mk3 "Troubling, borderline dangerous".

Alfa do more than enough things wrong, but the things they DO get exactly right, pretty much no one else can. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience Jay and I agree with almost everything you say, but somehow, in the end, I step on that throttle, and all of that just.. Vanishes into thin air...

[millibar]

Owned a 2012 loaded Giulietta 1.4 Multiair 170 since new after having 3 A3’s (inc a 1.8t). I absolutely love the car, admittedly only covered 44k. It’s been super reliable & a joy to drive. Just the one issue being the LHS tailgate loom which is a known weakness but easily repaired with the available kit. The original battery was replaced last year maybe due to lack of use, but otherwise I can’t fault my owner experience 😍

[TJC]

So to be clear, the radio not working, a suspension issue due to maintenance (probably worn bushes) and a blocked washer jet and the Giulietta is “chronically unreliable”? It’s a shame you have to churn out the usual tripe that most motoring journalists dish out.

Also there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Giulia interiors - they’re superb (from an owner).

[Blanc]

I have a Giulietta QV manual. I've done 130k kms all over Australia including a lot of kms on dirt roads in the bush and outback. It's been impeccably reliable, much more so than the Mk5 Golf TDI it replaced.

[Grahame]

My dad was always a Ford man. Until, that is, when in 1979 Alfa ran a campaign to boost sales of the Alfasud. They gave interested potential customers one for the weekend. No mileage limit. You could drive it to France and back if you wished. Alfa knew that the Alfasud drove so well that few would want to give it back. It worked on my dad and he bought a 'Sud Ti. Then another. Then – as they had stopped making the 'Sud – a 33. My stepmother after they split up bought a 33. Then another. Her new husband bought a 33 Station Wagon. Then another. I bought two 'Suds myself (I really, really regret selling the second, a red 1.5Ti). Later, my son, having travelled many miles in my 'Sud Ti and his mother's 'Sud SC, bought a Brera (a gorgeous Prodrive Brera S), then a Guilietta (which he still owns). The bottom line: all these sales would possibly not have happened were it not for that Alfa campaign back in '79. The servicing was good back then too and I can not recall a single bad experience. Quite the opposite. Once when on holiday in Cornwall (in my Ti) the brake master cylinder failed and started leaking fluid. (Incidentally the one and only time any of my Alfas have broken down.) I stopped at the local dealership, It was a Sunday and the servicing department was closed but an off duty mechanic working on his own car fitted a new master cylinder on the spot for a tenner. That was when Alfa Romeo cared. Alfa could perhaps learn a lot from the past.

[andrewpreston]

I think the major regret of this reviewer is that the one he's driving didn't let him down at all, and he was unable to stand by the road, thumbing a lift, and muttering to the camera.... "..Look..., look... at that ****ing thing, what did I tell you ..?".

[SturbokSensei]

Washer fluid pump gone on a ten year old car so it is trash? Okay.

[Rhysbay]

Had a Giulietta JTDM 175 TCT for 6 years, it’s never let me down apart from a few minor things that could happen on any car. Just be prepared to take it to a specialist and pay to maintain it properly

[karlpatten]

You're initial comments are absolutely spot on James. Did the German thing. Now the proud owner of an Alfa 147 GTA. Last of the Bussos 👌

[NK-bn]

I wish someone talked about BMW's unreliability like that as well. Alfa Romeo is more reliable and more fun to drive.

[matthewparkes]

I had a Giulietta Quad - absolutely loved to drive it. It did have issues though, the DAB radio being one of them. The other more annoying issue was that if you dropped the rear windows, you could not close them again without turning the engine off and on again!! I've since replaced it with the Stelvio Quad, which is an even better driving experience (as you would imagine). 2 x Alfas for me in my driving career, I love the brand and the passion.

[leonchrapko]

I had a 2lt 164 for 7 years and that never let me down. He was replaced by a 3lt 166 which I have had now for close on 19 years and apart from the odd suspension issues it has never let me down. Had the 3.2 Brera for a few years, nice car, engine not a patch on the Busso and ultimately too heavy but again it never let me down. Currently the 166 which remains as part of the family has been superceded by a 2lt Stelvio which like it's predecessors has been flawless and fun in the last 3 years. During this period my wife has had 2 159's, the last a 1.7tb much better than the first. Due to needing more space these have been replaced by petrol Discovery Sport. And if you think Alfa dealers are bad they can't match the arrogance and condescending attitude of Land Rover dealers.

[cfzcfz]

I think this is a testament to how a few bad experiences can ruin a car (and a complete brand) for a person. He has mentioned the "chronic unreliability" of the Giulietta in multiple past videos and the comments have torn him apart over it consistently, including this one lol.

[majesticjavelin]

I have a 2010 Giulietta 2.0. With the full fabric seats I agree the interior can look abit dated but I’ve got the Half leather seats with darkened interior and think it looks amazing!

Probably feels cheap but can assure you it’s not as bad as you might think. Any parts I’ve removed have a nice weight to them and clip back into lovely. Much better than other brands were once removed, stuff never seems to fit quite right.

[imdane]

Another thing, by far the most unreliable cars I’ve owned have been GERMAN. The worst being BMW, both Alfas I’ve owned have been much more reliable.

[EazyDuz]

You're really complaining about a £15 washer pump? That's miniscule for a used car