Just a couple of weeks ago, I personally put the all-new BMW 330i up against one of my favorite cars on the road — the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Despite its many flaws, of which I’ve never been shy of criticizing, I love the Giulia and get giddy every time I see one on the road. Yet, despite that, I gave the nod to the 330i. It’s 8 or 9/10ths the driver’s car that the Giulia is but better in every other way. So it’s the more well-rounded sports sedan and the one I’d put in my garage.
Continue Reading Below
But what if being well-rounded wasn’t the point. What if the only metric used to test the two cars was driver appeal? Motor Trend put the two cars back-to-back to see which is the better driver’s car, flat-out.
MT gave their win to the Giulia, for simply being the better sport sedan to drive for thrills. It’s hard to argue if that’s the sole metric of testing the two. The Giulia’s steering is delicious and its chassis is superbly balanced. That’s not to say the BMW 330i is much worse it’s just not quite as crisp or as sweet as the Giulia. We’re talking small differences, though.
Personally, I came to a different conclusion. However, in fairness, it must be mentioned that the Alfa in MT’s test was quite a bit different than mine. Theirs was rear-wheel drive, mine was all-wheel drive. Theirs had the Ti Sport RWD Package and the Ti Sport Performance package. Mine had the Lusso package, which is the luxury package. So theirs had larger wheels with stickier tires, a sportier suspension and a limited-slip rear diff. Mine had the softer suspension and all-season touring tires.
It’s entirely possible that I’d come to the same conclusion as MT with an Alfa similarly equipped to the one they tested. My tester was a more luxurious model while it went up against a BMW 330i with an M Sport package. That might not be fair but I, like all publications, can only test what’s available and don’t get to pick and choose trim levels, specs or packages.
Either way, there’s no denying that these two are excellent sport sedans that should be at the very top of anyone’s list that’s buying a sport sedan.
[Source: Motor Trend]
The color combinations in their test cars are exactly the same which helps for an accurate comparison.
In the thumbnail for the interior, they look almost identical. From the exterior however, the BMW looks heavy and bulky but it’s the direction they’ve been moving in for some time. In contrast, the Alfa front-end looks light and elegant.
Wish they would have talked about the handling more but I’m sure more comparisons are coming soon.
Nothing new here, MT are the best BMW haters especially the fat one with the beard. He ate Jason Camisca who was a BMW lover and removed it from the MT. So you can just imagine how objective they are. I’m taking 330i RWD with Mpack don’t want to hear for Alfa and their cars . Alfa is for italians who are rich enough and have plenty of time to spent in the fiat service center. No thanks I’d get the 330i
Who cares? Customers know best and they will buy the 3-series in yuge numbers.
Sure re sales, but customers know best? Not judging but the typical BWM 3-series driver in my area, which is probably the most common car along the the Elantra, Accord and Camry. From looks I suspect they attract largely the same buyers. Customers know best? Which is why the Kardashians and Katy Perry et. al are so popular, because the population at large has such good taste. If the Giulia didn’t exist I’d probably be looking at an M Sport G20 but certainly not because “they sell in huge numbers so they must be good.”
most of BMW byers dont even know they are RWD cars.
M Sport with Track Package and adjustable shocks against the Alfa thus equipped would have been the correct match. Even if the Alfa is a little better balanced, the rest of the BMW is what sways the buyer along with fit and finish. For a generation one design, the Alfa is certainly commendable.
Not buying a big ticket item from a manufacturer seeking (& failing) to find a buyer for years now, better chance of 8th gen. 3er≥2nd gen. Giulia. And that’s without considering dealers or FCA reliability ratings.
FCA are very profitable now. More so than GM or Ford. They also have $4 billion in the bank + no debt. One of the strongest auto companies now. The pipeline of new product is coming on strongly as well. The willingness to merge is more to do with finding cost savings rather than survival; the Renault tie up would have saved $8 billion in the first 5 years. The late Sergio marchionne was obsessed with finding ways to save his shareholders money from unnecessary R&D that contributed nil to the ownership experience. eg window wipers.
User surveys with 18000 participants out of the UK show Alfa have outperformed, including BMW in terms of reliability.
https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17810
The Guilia had some well publicised software glitches when it first came out and the patch upgrades have solved these issues.
BMW will always outsell Alfa, but those in the know will understand Alfa have claimed the “pure driving pleasure” mantle.
Since I live in a city of 7 million, “pure driving pleasure” is not the issue (in fact the ride qualities the previous model was criticized for are advantageous on our roads). I loved Chrysler in the ’90’s, under Bob Lutz & Tom Gale, & would request original Neon or last LHS as rentals over competitors. But Daimler ruined them & FCA haven’t brought them back, liked the 200, it didn’t even stay in production. I don’t know how they’re doing globally, but I thought Jeep was their big money maker? Almost never see an Alfa here & the rest of the range doesn’t interest me, why I’m on bmwblog. Loved Alfa in the past but today they seem more corporate & bland. But then I guess everything is.
The Giulia has dismal reliability ratings…
It’s a gorgeous car but not something I’m dropping well north of 50k for
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a23145269/alfa-romeo-giulia-quadrifoglio-reliability-update/
The 2017 had their electrical issues but easily fixed with a new battery and software updates (check three forums). Other reports are on par or even better than most Germans counterparts.
Dude, this was this issue if MotorenTrend as well. Never saw either mag lament problems like this with a X3 in either trim.
and what about BMW?
https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2018-germany-vehicle-dependability-study-vds and thats not only one year…
One car does not a “reliability rating” make. Re issues in general, the Giulia 2.0 and 2.9 have been very different animals. After sorting the early software issues, the 2.0 has been flawless, basically. some people report an occasional infotainment glitch but that’s about it. One reads more accounts of issues with the 2.9 though I’m not aware of any serial issues.
I wouldn’t buy an Alfa Romeo, because Fiat is in trouble and Alfa is a washed-up brand that has no future.
i would not breath, because in the end we will die :) LOL³
BMW gave up on their sedans. Everyone is rushing to put their best effort into crossovers, because they are more profitable. It’s a shame.
Aren’t they all on the same CLAR platforms, drivetrains, suspensions & engineering? The market has moved to crossovers, BMW X have been called tall wagons since original X5.
In the 1970’s ago traded my Citroen Light 15 and MG Magnet 1600 Varitone for 1 new red with crema type 116 1800 Alfa Romeo Alfetta. Hankered after the Spider but couldn’t afford it. The Alfetta was the only Italian car I have ever owned and what a car! One of the best cars ever owned.
Traded into German – Mercedes and Bavarian – BMW makes after that, and once into these it is difficult to return to the Italian offerings in those sectors! Was at one stage tempted by the Giulia and tested it but the affair with the Alfetta kept coming back and the modern Guilia was just not there. In this context I still think I would favour the BMW 3.
Verrrry funny .)
I have the Giulia Veloce ti and a nice M3 2016… so it is funny what people say and tell, and
that a cupholder is this… i do not even giff a fuck, if the car has no navi ore some shit for fat animals..
but i do it with both in Clarksen style…. burn.
But…. i hope the Alfa Legio brings back lighter 1100 kg Beauty!
Something with 5 Gearbox and 160 hps going back to the end.
Smaller and lower and all the GTV 2000 made so… brute.. )
In real the monster of SUV will eat em up and another UGLY FAT PIG LIKE A GLASS BAROQUE HEARS with say Nanci Shmitt in Austin Texxes, to drive the Butblug in the next shopping mole, ore a fat small man with 165 cm high in his UGLY PANZER X6 oder such a strange caricature of optical shame :)
MARKETING BROUGHT US SUV AND SUV ARE A HORROR OF NO DESIGN AN D TASTE!
BUT PEOPLE BUY THEM… and what do they eat? mc donalds… garbage :)