Alfa Romeo Giulietta Cloverleaf hatchback Review

1. Exterior

The standard Alfa Romeo Giulietta stands out in a car park, but the Cloverleaf version really is a head-turner. Distinctive 18-inch alloys and a lower ride height lend the car a sporty appearance. This is added to by twin, chrome-tipped exhausts and a relatively restrained body kit. Alfa’s signature ‘hidden’ rear door handles lend the Giulietta the appearance of a three-door hatchback and the shapely rear lights accentuate that. Some buyers may not appreciate the large white Cloverleaf badge fitted to the front wings, but overall this is one of the most attractive hot hatches on sale today.

2. Interior

The dashboard design in every Alfa Romeo Giulietta is attractive and modern – and feels well-made. A black leather interior is standard on the Cloverleaf and it makes the car seem even more special. The controls are sensibly laid out and the design of the alloy gear knob and toggle switches harks back to early Alfa Romeos. Overall it’s a more distinctive cabin than is found in most of the Giulietta’s rivals.

3. Practicality

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Cloverleaf is as spacious as the Ford Focus andVolkswagen Golf. However, the rear seats can feel a little claustrophobic due to the dark trim and the shape of the side windows. The latter also hampers the driver’s visibility. We found the pedals too close together and there’s very little room on the left of the clutch to put your foot. That said, there’s a wide range of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel and boot space is decent at 350 litres.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback Review

1. Exterior

Read pretty much any Alfa Romeo review on Auto Trader and you’ll find that the exterior design is one of the areas in which this Italian company excels, and it’s no different here. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta’s heavily tapered nose looks superb with its sleek headlights, prominent three-sided grille and spoiler. The strong shoulder line that runs the length of the car lends just the right amount of aggression, and it’s perfectly balanced by the heavily sculpted rear end that incorporates lights that are interesting rather than contrived.

2. Interior

Alfa’s designers have done a great job of blending traditional styling touches with modern. The result is a cabin that’s inviting, easy to use and clear. A huge insert in the dash dominates, finished in black piano wood or aluminium. This finish is replicated elsewhere in the cabin and it contrasts nicely with the other colours used throughout the interior. The key thing though is that the materials look high-quality and everything feels as though it’s been assembled with care. The seats look nothing short of sensational, but their slightly convex shape make them uncomfortable on long journeys and there isn’t as much support as you’d expect.

3. Practicality

The Giulietta is offered in five-door hatchback form only, so from a practicality point of view things look promising. Certainly, for passengers it’s generally good news as there’s ample head and leg room for anyone in the front or the rear – it’s not over-generous, but there should be enough for most people. Where the Giulietta falls down is with the boot space, because with the rear seats folded it can stow just 350 litres, and with the seats folded this jumps to all of 750 litres. This compares with the five-door BMW 1 series, which can hold a much more useful 1150 litres with the rear seats stowed, but just 330 litres with them in place.