Motortrend COTY: Alfa Romeo Giulia

[SJ_GTI]

I saw an article (CNN Money) that the Giulia won the MT COTY award (other finalists were the Honda Accord and Tesla Model 3). I was a bit surprised. I haven't driven one (never got the ambition to go test drive one, there are no local dealers) but I felt like the consensus was that it was a good first effort but not as nice as the BMW and Audi overall (though it was "sportier" to drive).

Almost as interesting was that the Model 3 did not win.  I figured it would have been a shoe-in with the Tesla hype behind it. Sounds like there were some gripes and the high price (60k as tested?) hurt it.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/27/autos/motor-trend-car-of-the-year/index.html?iid=hp-stack-dom

Motor Trend magazine has named the Alfa Romeo Giulia its Car of the Year. The finalists included the new, redesigned Honda Accord and the Tesla Model 3.

At the same time, Motor Trend also named the new Honda CR-V its SUV of the Year and the Ford F-150 Truck of the Year.

To be eligible for these awards, a vehicle must be either an all-new model or must have been substantially redesigned for the 2018 model year. Manufacturers lend examples of eligible vehicles to the magazine's staff which subject them to lengthy testing on various test tracks and on real roads.

[Xer0]

Surprised by the Giulia win.  I can't recall one review/comparison of it where something randomly didn't go wrong with the car.

[MexicoCityM3]

Most reviews agree the Giulia is the best driving sports sedan in the segment. I think it's a deserved win. Maybe it'll help it sell a little more. I have seen a total of one on the streets here in Mexico since it launched.

[12,000 RPM]

It can be a great sports sedan for the mags but it's still a complete crapshoot to own. A rushed, complicated FCA product?

[2o6]

It's also ugly with no lease deals and a marketing campaign that clearly caters to internet enthusiasts.

[MexicoCityM3]

It can be a great sports sedan for the mags but it's still a complete crapshoot to own. A rushed, complicated FCA product?

Maybe. I think it's too new to really have anything to say about its reliability.

[2o6]

Maybe. I think it's too new to really have anything to say about its reliability.

It wouldn't get me out of my theoretical 330i M-sport.

[Raza]

It's also ugly with no lease deals and a marketing campaign that clearly caters to internet enthusiasts.

It's gorgeous. 

[MX793]

R&T did a lengthy piece about how terrible the reliability and quality of their test car was.  Lots of issues that went beyond minor annoyance (like car going into limp mode for no reason).

[2o6]

It's gorgeous. 

It's better looking in person, but it's not really pretty like the old 159 was.

[FoMoJo]

It is distinctive to the brand and expresses a continuity of the design language associated with the marque.  Not the glorious shapes of the romantic era of Italian vehicle design, but still a nice looking car.

[CALL_911]

It's better looking in person, but it's not really pretty like the old 159 was.

I don't totally disagree with the 159 call, but it is gorgeous.

[giant_mtb]

R&T did a lengthy piece about how terrible the reliability and quality of their test car was.  Lots of issues that went beyond minor annoyance (like car going into limp mode for no reason).

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a10308214/alfa-romeo-giulia-issues/

Last week, this magazine took a Giulia to Gingerman Raceway, in Southwest Michigan. The Quadrifoglio, the most powerful Giulia sold, and ostensibly built for that environment. But the trip did not go well. I got that out lap, or most of one. I also got no more than that. Not a single complete lap. I tried several times, but on a mild summer day, the car couldn't make it through a single lap.

The first time that check light lit, I winced, then parked the car to let it cool. I sat, sighing, in the paddock.

When I left the pits, with Race Mode on and stability control off, the car ran normally. By the time I reached the track's back half, less than a mile later, the Alfa had thrown a check-engine light, reactivated its stability control, and dumped its drive mode back into Normal.

When we told FiatChrysler that we were taking the Giulia to the track, the PR department sent a prep sheet with tire pressures and a few pieces of advice. If you see a rise in lap times, the sheet said, stop every three laps to let the car's differential cool.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

It's gorgeous. 

Yup......

[12,000 RPM]

It's better looking in person, but it's not really pretty like the old 159 was.

Now you have confirmed your crack cocaine addiction

[r0tor]

Not sure I can agree on making something this unreliable COTY... plus it's interior is shit and rear legroom is abismal for a sedan.

COTY should be something you should be able to recommend people buy... and feel good about yourself later

[giant_mtb]

It's also ugly

[12,000 RPM]

Not sure I can agree on making something this unreliable COTY... plus it's interior is shit and rear legroom is abismal for a sedan.

COTY should be something you should be able to recommend people buy... and feel good about yourself later

MTCOTY reached punchline status at one point though

http://www.motortrend.com/news/car-of-the-year-winners-2/

[2o6]

Don't be a dick. Was that necessary?


I don't think it's a good looking car. There's nothing wrong with that. It's got a weird bird face, and stylistically it doesn't look as expensive as a BMW or MB.

[2o6]

The Alfa looks aggressive, but I've always associated Alfa with a more delicate sort of road presence. The 159 and co had aggressive front fascias, but delicate detailing.

This car will please a handful of internet enthusiasts, but


- y'all dont have any money

- y'all are borderline skitzo as far as your opinions go. This year you'll like it, but 18 months from now y'all will slam it and make it sound like the worst car ever produced in the handful of cardom.

Most people will be like "wow that's kind of cool looking!" then walk to the nearest BMW, MB, Lexus, or even Cadillac dealer. This car is borderline unremarkable in more basic trims, not in the sense that it's a bad car, but there's no real reason to buy it.

The Stelvio will likely fare better, but I can't see it beating out the NX, X3 or GLK(or whatever this model is called now)

[CALL_911]

Don't be a dick. Was that necessary?

Now that we know you're good at it, you have to admit, it's pretty funny

[MexicoCityM3]

Not sure I can agree on making something this unreliable COTY... plus it's interior is shit and rear legroom is abismal for a sedan.

COTY should be something you should be able to recommend people buy... and feel good about yourself later

I really liked the interior on the one I sat in a few months ago. Unreliability yeah probably an issue, but most of the evidence is in fairness anecdotical.

[CaminoRacer]

I just think it's dumb that the Model 3 was even in the running. Maybe in 2 years, when they actually start producing them.

[veeman]

http://www.motortrend.com/news/car-of-the-year-winners-2/

I was looking at their COTY choices thru the years. 

Some WTF choices:

2012 - VW Passat
2002 - Ford Thunderbird
1997 - Chevrolet Malibu
1995 - Chrysler Cirrus

[GoCougs]

(X)OTY awards have always been nonsense, predicated on premise (only "new" models qualify). Total BS.

[2o6]

The Model 3 is basically a Body-in-white prototype at this point.