Published:
18 May 2012A sizeable silvered dashboard insert is the most striking feature of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta’s interior, unless it’s ordered with red or tan leather, which make a stronger visual impact. The Giulietta’s instruments are presented in a hooded binnacle that’s been an Alfa Romeo feature for decades.
A high quality soft-feel moulding snakes its way around the dashboard’s outer edge, though much of the assembly is hard-feel plastic. But, overall, the Giulietta’s cabin still looks classy, lifted by piano wood or aluminium-effect decor around the gearlever console and door armrests.
As you’d expect, there’s a four-way adjustable wheel and a driver’s seat height adjuster, yet despite this the Giulietta imposes more than a hint of the long-arm, short-leg posture that has troubled many a driver of Italian cars in the past.
Some will end up lowering the wheel to the point where it makes the already less-than-clear speedo even harder to read (the revcounter, by contrast, is a model of legibility).
The seat has no tilt function and lumbar adjustment isn’t standard (it’s a cheap option), which is mean on a car of this calibre. More annoying is a centre console that allows little room for your left foot. However, it is possible to get comfortable, despite these moans.
The cabin is reasonably spacious front and rear, and the back seat provides decent support – if not the class best. However, the tapered rear end and narrowing windowline means rear seat headroom isn’t great, while it’s also dark in the back and a little oppressive. A full-length glass sunroof brightens things considerably, but it’s a costly option.
