Engine and Transmission

From Car and Driver

Engine and Transmission Rating:

The Stelvio’s turbocharged four-cylinder sends a hearty 280 horsepower through an eight-speed automatic transmission. While this powertrain was effortlessly quick and sounded great, the Stelvio’s sole setup-aside from the high-performance Quadrifoglio-eliminates choices for the buyer and limits towing to a maximum of 3000 pounds.

The same standard powertrain is also found on the 10Best Cars­–winning Alfa Romeo Giulia. However, only the sedan is currently available with rear-wheel drive. Interestingly, the heavier all-wheel-drive crossover was quicker than the rear-drive sedan in our acceleration tests. Likewise, the Stelvio had the quickest times against its competitors in our testing. During daily driving, we were particularly fond of its responsive throttle and smooth power delivery. The Stelvio’s raspy exhaust note sounded enthusiastic and appropriate for this application. Powertrain traits such as throttle response and shift points are modified depending on which of the three drive modes-Dynamic, Neutral, and Adaptive (DNA, as Alfa calls it)-is selected, and the transmission constantly adapted to our driving style, shifting itself accordingly.

Test Results: Acceleration

Manual Shifting Capability

A pair of lanky paddle shifters are mounted on the column behind the steering wheel on the Stelvio Sport and Ti Sport models-and on Stelvios equipped with the optional Ti Performance package. These paddles make ordinary grocery runs feel like a track day, and their prompt operation and prominent location are wonderful.

Automatic Stop/Start

Tow Ratings Compared

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