- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.4DT, 5 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 400Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Alfa Romeo 159 JTD
Alfa on song
But. A small word, yet in the case of Alfa Romeo, one that has appeared all too often.
The 156, launched in 1998, was a case in point. Lovely to look at, full of character and not at all bad to drive, but as a package it was too flawed to cut it with cheaper mid-sizers from Japan, let alone the prestige players at which it was targeted.
However, Alfa's replacement mid-sizer, the all-new and supremely sexy 159, dances to a different tune. It's an immensely polished, well-thought-out package that needs no excuses.
The advance is immediately obvious on a bad road. Unlike the 156, which felt restless on lumpy B-grade tarmac, the 159 covers choppy ground in an inherently relaxed manner.
Ride quality is good, effortlessly soaking up all but the worst lumps and bumps while maintaining a good dose of control. The body feels extremely solid (Alfa claims best-in-class rigidity) and noise is hushed.
Inside, design is attractive, the switchgear is sensibly laid out (fiddly column stalks and roof-mounted boot release excepted) and quality excellent, if not quite up to Lexus and Audi levels. Ample seat and steering-wheel adjustment and supportive seats make for an inviting front-seat environment.
If there's a coup for potential 159 buyers, it's that none of this grown-up, rational stuff detracts from the driving side of the equation. Our test 159 JTD (diesel) would probably cede to the lighter (petrol) JTS for all-out entertainment, but it still has much appeal.
With steering that is well weighted, nicely communicative and accurate, strong brakes, loads of grip and an immensely sure-footed feel, the Alfa corners confidently and predictably, even when the surfaces and conditions are challenging.
The 159, however, hasn't quite made the same strides in terms of space. Headroom is tight for tall folk and the thick, sweeping pillars and small windows accentuate the hemmed-in feeling and limit visibility. Rear-seat leg and head room aren't remarkable, and neither is the boot, though at least there's a full-sized spare.
Equipment in the $49,990 JTS and $55,990 JTD models currently on sale (a range-topping V6 arrives in late July) is identical, apart from the diesel's Brembo brakes.
Both get leather, climate control, CD stacker, trip computer, cruise, auto lights, rain-sensing wipers. Safety equipment (seven airbags, stability control, ABS and more) is similarly generous.
Buyers, however, will have to make do with the standard six-speed manual transmission because the automatic versions won't arrive until next year.
There's no shame in plucking for the JTD. The 2.4-litre, 20-valve, five-cylinder multijet turbo-diesel is a beauty, pumping out 147 kW of power and a stout 400 Nm of torque from as low as 2000 rpm. There's some turbo lag at low revs, but use the slick-shifting gearbox to keep the engine on song and a solid slab of power is just a touch of the right foot away.
It's also quite couth.
An unmistakably diesel rattle is apparent at idle but the Alfa oil-burner spins smoothly and isn't noisy when cruising. It even manages to sound appropriately sporty when punted.
We failed to match Alfa's 6.8 L/100 km economy claim, but our return of 7.8 L/100 km in combined urban/highway driving is still frugal.
The 159 Alfa can hold its head high among the traditional entry-level prestige heavyweights. Perhaps there is a final "but" after all - buyers now have an even harder choice to make.