Nearly new buying guide: Alfa Romeo Giulia QV

The dashboard and surrounding areas are logically laid out, while the instrument dials are clear and easy to read. The infotainment system is controlled by a rotary controller and relayed through an 8.8in screen. It’s easy to operate, even if some rivals’ systems have sharper graphics. There’s also a built-in sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. 

Space in the rear is good but not outstanding. There’s enough leg room for taller people, although head room isn’t overly generous. The point here, though, is that there should still be plenty of room for your family to come along too. 

The boot is also a good size, bigger than most of its rivals, although the rear seats don’t fold to enable a greater carrying capacity. 

And now here’s the really good news: prices for the Quadrifoglio now start at around £35,000 for early cars with average mileage for the year. Most 2017 and 2018 cars command between £40,000 and £45,000, and you can expect to pay between £45,000 and £50,000 for a 2019 or 2020 model and something like £50,000 to £55,000 for a 2021 or 2022 car.

Stack those prices against that of any Ferrari and you can see this is one dream that could quite easily become a reality.

Our top spec

There’s just one trim but plenty of options that might have been added, including carbonfibrebacked Sparco seats, which are supportive yet comfortable, and carbon-ceramic brakes, which work well from high speeds but can take time to heat up.

Need to know

Alas, its fuel consumption can be frightening. The official 30.7mpg will be hard to achieve in reality. 

Cars registered before April 2017 incur high VED; younger ones incur the £165 flat rate plus the £355 luxury levy from years two to six. 

If your tyres scrub on full lock, fear not: it’s due to the aggressive steering geometry that allows the car to have a very quick rack and to resist understeer at speed.

Buyer beware

Recalls: There has been a recall for the whole Giulia range that involves cars built between November and December 2017. Mineral oil might get into the braking and clutch system. The QV also had a recall for the possibility of the rear brake discs having micro-cracks. Check both have been done. 

Reliability: Reports suggest the Giulia isn’t the most trustworthy car, backed up by our QV long-term test experience. In our sister title What Car?’s latest Reliability Survey, it finished 25th out of 26 cars in the executive class. Alfa Romeo as a whole was ranked 29th out of 32 manufacturers.

Our pick

2.9 V6: There’s only one engine on offer here, but the brawny V6 is undeniably the highlight of the QV experience, delivering a razor-sharp response with hardly any lag, despite being heavily turbocharged.