The Italian sports sedan that won’t cost a fortune to maintain

Italian cars have long carried a reputation for thrilling performance and expensive upkeep. But one sports sedan is rewriting that narrative. It captures the passion, design flair, and dynamic handling Italy is known for while offering ownership costs that won’t break the bank. This blend of beauty, power, and practicality makes it a standout choice for enthusiasts who crave character without the financial sting.

Step inside, and you’re greeted by an interior that feels distinctly premium yet purpose-driven. The seats, materials, and controls exude craftsmanship, while the driving experience blends precision with emotion in a way few rivals can match.

By delivering reliability improvements and more manageable maintenance costs, this Italian sedan proves that performance and peace of mind don’t have to be mutually exclusive. For drivers who want soul and sophistication without supercar bills, it’s one of the smartest buys in the luxury sport sedan segment.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including the EPA, CarEdge, J.D. Power, and RepairPal.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia is surprisingly reliable and affordable to maintain

When you think of Italian cars, it’s likely that raunchy performance and sleek looks are the first things that come to mind. Unfortunately, the next thing that you generally think about is their poor reputation for reliability and high maintenance costs. However, there is a fantastic sports sedan that manages to deliver the best of both, with a generally good track record for being sturdy and affordable to run.

Reliability and owner testimonials

While it might not be what you expect, the Alfa Romeo Giulia actually has a reliability score that is well above average. J.D. Power collates data based on the reviews of verified owners as well as through their own testing. While the 2025 and 2026 model years have yet to be rated, the 2024 model year, which is mechanically identical, scored an 81 out of 100. That means it nets a higher score than the current iteration of the Toyota Corolla.

Owner reviews definitely support the score awarded by J.D. Power. While a lot of owners on Cars.com claim to be aware of Alfa Romeo’s poor reputation, most claim that they haven’t had any issues with their Giulia. This story continues as you go further back to the earliest model years, showing that high mileage owners also feel the sedan is sturdy.

The ride is so smooth you feel like you’re driving on butter. A lot of people knock it for reliability but it hasn’t broken down on me yet and I’m absolutely obsessed with it! Sporty and luxurious feel to it.

Cars.com

Warranties and after-sales support

• Limited Warranty: Four Years or 50,000 Miles
• Powertrain Warranty: Four Years or 50,000 Miles
• Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance: One Year or 10,000 Miles

If you’re still not convinced about the reliability of the Giulia, then warranties are an important factor. While the Italian automaker doesn’t really exceed expectations, they match the warranty packages that are offered by their luxury rivals. They also throw in your first scheduled maintenance visit on the house, though other luxury brands offer more.

Expected maintenance costs

• Average Ten-Year Maintenance Costs: $7,259
• Chance of Needing a Major Repair in First Ten Years: 19.65%
• Recalls: 0

When you think Italian, affordability probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is among the most affordable premium sedans on the market when it comes to maintenance costs. CarEdge estimates that you’ll spend $2,531 less on maintenance for the Giulia in its first ten years than you would on the average luxury sedan.

CarEdge classifies a major repair as anything that costs more than $500. The Giulia is 9.22 percent less likely to need a major repair in its first ten years than the average luxury sedan.

Recalls are something that generally plague luxury car owners. However, the Giulia has had relatively few over its lifetime. Both the 2025 and 2026 models have zero recalls issued. The 2024 model has two, but both are for fairly minor issues.

This Italian sports sedan doesn’t feature a bloated price tag either

We’ve established that the Giulia isn’t a super expensive car to take care of, but even better is that it won’t cost you an absurd amount to buy. Absurdity being relative here as it is still a luxury sedan. The Alfa Romeo offers a ton of standard high-end features and rugged good looks inside and out, while still keeping its price competitive with its in-segment rivals.

2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia trims and pricing

Alfa trimmed down its trim offerings for the 2025 model year, getting rid of the Sprint, Ti, and Veloce and replacing them with a standard base model. They did, however, also add two limited edition models to the lineup, the Tributo Italiano and the Intensa. The Giulia may not be the most affordable compact luxury sedan on the market, but it is much more affordable than the Audi A5 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It is priced very similarly to the BMW 3-Series.

For those with a little more to spend, we’d heavily recommend opting for the Tributo Italiano while you still can. It not only adds a ton of luxury features, but it also boosts performance with a limited-slip differential and adaptive suspension. It comes with a ton of unique styling elements throughout the cabin, premium leather upholstery, and a high-end sound system. All-wheel drive costs an extra $2,000 on to the price, but we’d stick with the standard rear-wheel drive anyway.

Interior dimensions and comfort

At the end of the day, the Giulia is a sports compact, meaning that you shouldn’t expect the interior to be cavernous. That being said, there is more than enough room to comfortably fit four adults. Second row legroom may not be class-leading, but it’s enough. Cargo capacity is also reasonable, sitting near the top of the segment without really challenging the most spacious models.

Some may feel that the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class feel more luxurious in terms of design. We think the Alfa just takes a different direction. Its sleek lines and premium materials do more than a good enough job of making it feel premium. You get a reasonable amount of high-end features standard as well, such as heated front and rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and ambient interior lighting.

Infotainment and technology

The dashboard sweeps across the cabin, acting as a visor that shades the Giulia’s standard 8.8-inch infotainment screen from the sun. As well as responding to touch controls, this system can be operated via a rotary knob on the center console. It sits above the climate controls, which are refreshingly analog rather than operated using gimmicky screens. A 12.3-inch digital gauge display is also standard, with three themes that can be selected.

There are a number of USB-C ports up front that come standard, as does a wireless smartphone charger, built-in navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The standard sound system is reasonable, but audiophiles will want to upgrade to the 14-speaker Harman/Kardon unit instead.

Alfa Romeo’s Giulia is one of the most engaging sports sedans you can buy

As well as being pretty reliable, the Alfa Romeo offers some exceptional levels of performance. Those are two things that simply don’t usually go together. While there are a ton of fantastic compact sports sedans on the market, we feel that the Giulia is one of the most entertaining models that you can buy, with dynamics that will more than satisfy even the most critical enthusiast.

2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia performance specifications

With the 505-horsepower Quadrifolgio no longer an option, every Giulia comes equipped with a pretty impressive turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It produces more power than most of its direct rivals, such as the BMW 330i, and according to Alfa’s estimates, it is quicker too. It comes standard with a slick eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive being an optional extra.

Giulia’s come equipped with a drive mode selector, allowing you to choose between Dynamic, Natural, and Advanced Efficiency (DNA). Regardless of your choice, it feels primed. The Alfa is built for those that like to drive, with a slightly firmer ride than its rivals, but agility and steering feedback that is near unmatched.

Fuel economy

The Alfa doesn’t cost more than its rivals when it comes to fuel either. It may not match the segment’s best, but it comes pretty close. We also appreciate that there isn’t much of a consequence for opting for all-wheel drive, with these models only losing a single mile per gallon over the rear-drive models in most scenarios.