2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Review: Goodbye Green Clover

Performance SUVs: everyone’s got one. Yet Alfa Romeo won’t in a matter of months.

It’s true: like so many other members of the greater Stellantis family over the past year, the hi-po Stelvio is speeding off into the sunset. The 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is the last of its kind—no, the warmish Tonale isn’t the same—and while it’s still a flawed, imperfect package, it goes out as the best-driving compact SUV around.

The changes don’t dramatically alter what remains a very distinctive design. A curvy design that gives strength and sensualness in equal measure, there’s no mistaking the Stelvio for anything else on the road. It garnered quite a few admiring glances and comments during our week together, no doubt at least in part due to the searing red paint and immensely pretty 21-inch alloy wheels. To these eyes, it isn’t perfect: there’s still too much empty space above those wheels, especially out back. Ain’t nobody off-roading this thing, so let’s just stop pretending, Alfa.

I sure am going to miss this 2.9-liter, 503-horsepower twin-turbo V6. Famously co-developed with Ferrari, it’s an animal of an engine, ripping to redline with a quickness. The revs fall as quick as they raise too, making it especially satisfying to pull on either of those large, gorgeous aluminum shift paddles. There’s a well-weighted, deliberate actuation to them—a far cry from the glorified buttons found on many other performance models—and the ZF-sourced eight-speed auto ‘box responds just as quickly and smoothly as it does in so many other applications. Some folks might quibble with the column-mounted shifters, preferring wheel-mounted to follow their hands through corners. I get it, but the sheer size of the paddles almost makes up for it.

The V6 soundtrack is… purposeful. Alfa’s done about as well as it can do here, with a bassy burble that stops shy of show-off, even in Race mode. But it’s still a V6, the cylinder formation almost allergic to sounding truly fantastic.

Not that buyers are going to be prioritizing fuel economy, but the Stelvio QF is thirsty. Official figures pin it at 19 mpg combined (12.3 L/100 km in Canada), and let’s just say I didn’t match that.

Buried in the ’24 QF press release is the news that Alfa has swapped the torque-vectoring electronic rear diff of yesteryear for a mechanical limited slip differential. This unit is based on the one found in the limited-production Giulia GTA. Without a previous model to compare back-to-back, I can’t comment on how different this setup is.

What I can speak to is the continued rightness of the driving experience from behind the wheel. Alfa has baked in genuine feedback and feel in the wheel, providing drivers with a helm they can trust within the first few corners. The whole vehicle feels light on its feet, with a level of precision that doesn’t seem possible for an SUV. Pitch it into a corner and the Stelvio paints a clear visual of what’s happening at road level, giving the driver choices on how to proceed. Always composed and remarkably agile, the suspension ensures those big contact patches stay in constant contact with the road. The QF is flattering without being condescending, keeping the driver firmly in the middle of the fun.

There are noticeable changes to the drive modes, too. Not so much between Advanced Efficiency and Natural, but certainly between the latter and Dynamic, or that and Race. Dynamic perks up throttle and transmission responses; Race hunkers down and gets ready for action, yet despite the name, still feels tolerable on (very smooth) roads.

Do the big 21-inch alloy wheels give the Stelvio QF a stiff ride? Yes. It’s still friendly enough to not piss off passengers mind you; there are certain expectations when getting in a vehicle that looks like this, after all. Poke the little button in the middle of the DNA dial and you’ve got the softer suspension setup instantly, which goes a long way towards making the Alfa a genuine everyday proposition. Tire noise is high, but again, part of the territory.

The redesigned sport seats aren’t different in shape, and that’s okay. They strike a good balance between long-distance comfort—say, on a mission for pizza—and the support needed for back-road hijinx, but aren’t extraordinary in either. The backseat is tight, dark, and a little claustrophobic; the price we pay for a footprint that’s still actually compact.

The Stelvio cabin isn’t big on distractions. The key touch points—wheel, shifter, pedals, seating position—are all excellent, and there’s suitable amounts of former cow for luxury purposes. Put your hand anywhere else and the quality is… fine. It was fine three years ago though, and the standard has moved on. Some nicer textures, a bit more metal, and the same level of tactility found in those paddles would do wonders here. The most egregious parts are in the lower center console, but as I said back in 2021, it sure beats piano black.

The styling is pretty ageless, which does help. A clean dashboard design and cool bulls-eye vents are hard to argue with, and if you’re going to go carbon fiber, this low-gloss approach is best.

That new digital instrument cluster is something of a sideways step. It’s undoubtedly flashier than the old analog/digital hybrid, but it’s fairly limited in customization so in that sense still lags behind the competition. On the flip side: classic-style dials! Win.

The central screen still runs the old infotainment setup, not one based on Uconnect 5. Mostly that’s fine: what the 8.8-inch screen lacks in sheer breadth of abilities, it makes up for in straight-forward use. Wired Apple CarPlay is starting to feel old, mind you. Something at this price should probably have a head-up display too, right?

The driver assist suite is sparse but works as expected, including the well-judged adaptive cruise control.

This wouldn’t be an Alfa without some level of hiccups. During the week of testing, the Stelvio’s electronic parking brake kept throwing a fault. It also would only sometimes automatically deactivate when shifting to park; other times, it’d need to be done manually.

Oh boy, the Stelvio QF has become expensive. Admittedly there’s little in the way of options: just the larger wheels ($2,000 / $1,600 CAD) and the expanded safety suite ($700 in the US, included in Canada). The classic Alfa Rosso paint is another charge in America ($500) but one of the few no-cost hues in Canada.

All in, this would run $92,165 including destination in America; in Canada, we’re talking $109,348 CAD. The BMW X3 M and X4 M are both more affordable while offering a more rounded experience. Even a Porsche Macan GTS starts for less, which gets closer to the Alfa’s driving joy—though good luck finding one without thousands in options.

That the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is flawed is not news. It’s been the case since the hot SUV burst onto the scene years ago. The QF is cramped, sparsely equipped, and expensive.

Yet for those who prize driving dynamics above all else, it set the high-water mark. It earned kudos around the globe for its accessible, engaging spirit, offering the sort of polished drive that’s rare in high-riders. We can be sad the Quadrifoglio is disappearing—at least in this form—but be happy it even existed at all.

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