Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio 2020 UK first drive

The second issue was its usability. Alfa certainly wasn’t messing around with the Stelvio’s set-up, and its engineers absolutely nailed the brief in terms of creating a bona fide driving machine. For all intents and purposes, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio was the most exciting and engaging performance SUV on sale. But that focus came at a price: as thrilling as it undoubtedly was, its usability as an actual family SUV was compromised by a demeanour that was just a bit too unyielding and hardcore during regular daily driving.  This updated Stelvio Quadrifoglio addresses one of those concerns without entirely resolving it. The cabin is now a slightly more luxurious place to spend time, but to say the differences are night-and-day would be stretching the truth. As with the updated Giulia Quadrifoglio, the most recognisable change involves the centre console. Where there was previously a good deal of dull plastic surrounding the gear selector and other various rotary controls housed here, there’s now carbonfibre. 

Regardless of whether expansive carbonfibre is to your tastes or not, everything looks far more cleanly integrated than before. The addition of a new touchscreen is welcome too, although it remains off the pace in terms of its responsiveness and graphical sophistication. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio still isn’t quite up there with the likes of the Porsche Macan then, but the gap is certainly closer than it was previously.

Otherwise, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio experience remains as it was before, which is to say that there’s huge scope for driving thrills when the mood takes you. From its willingness to change direction at the drop of a hat to its stout body control, obvious rear-drive bias and enormous straight-line performance, it still feels like a sports car trapped in an SUV bodyshell, even when driven at relatively sociable speeds.

But for all of the excitement it can throw your way when you’re really in the mood, it remains a pretty uncompromising machine to simply run about in. Compared with the Giulia Quadrifoglio, it’s far stiffer and more animated when rolling over lumpen stretches of road, even with the dampers in their softest setting. In fact, it seems to spark and bristle beneath you regardless of the surface you’re driving on; it still feels a bit too tetchy and lively on the motorway to really be considered comfortable.