2027 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Is a Svelte SUV Worth Waiting For

What It IsThe Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Italian brand’s first SUV, arrived for the 2018 model year and has now gotten long in the tooth. A second-generation Stelvio should continue to sport the brand’s sultry styling but will usher in a new era by offering a hybrid and an electric powertrain. Alfa Romeo said it will reveal the new Stelvio later this year.Why It MattersAlfa Romeo has struggled to gain traction after returning to the United States back in 2017, selling only 8865 units last year. The Stelvio has typically been the brand’s bestseller, only falling behind the Tonale last year due to a 41 percent drop from the 5340 units it moved in 2023. If Alfa gets the 2027 Stelvio right, it might finally experience a resurgence in the U.S. market.PlatformThe Stelvio will ride on the STLA Large platform, which also underpins the latest Dodge Charger and the electric Jeep Wagoneer S and is designed to handle electric, hybrid, and internal-combustion powertrains. This platform also means the Stelvio will probably grow a bit from its current 184.6-inch length since the STLA Large platform is designed to accommodate vehicles between 187.6 and 201.8 inches long. PowertrainAlfa Romeo officially confirmed that the Stelvio will offer an electric and a hybrid powertrain, although the automaker didn’t say if this will be a plug-in hybrid or a more traditional gas-electric setup.We know the STLA Large platform works with the Hurricane twin-turbocharged inline-six, which joins the Charger lineup later this year. We wouldn’t be surprised if this 3.0-liter engine, which makes up to 550 horsepower, forms part of a hybrid system in a future high-performance Stelvio Quadrifoglio model. The outgoing twin-turbo V-6 Quadrifoglio makes 505 hp.
Lesser hybrid variants will probably sport a four-cylinder engine and could use the setup found in the Tonale plug-in hybrid. The Tonale PHEV pairs a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor mounted on the rear axle for 285 hp, with a 12-kWh battery providing 33 miles of electric range. Alfa Romeo could also hybridize the Stelvio’s current 2.0-liter four-cylinder.The EV version might end up being a reskinned Dodge Charger Daytona, but we bet Alfa’s engineers will tweak the powertrain, if not just to differentiate their svelte Italian SUV from the blocky American muscle car. The Charger Daytona runs on a 400-volt architecture and features a pair of electric motors that send up to 670 hp to all four wheels.CompetitionThe Stelvio will continue facing off against other compact luxury SUVs such as the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-class, and Genesis GV70, but now it will also do battle with electric luxury compact SUVs such as the Porsche Macan EV, Polestar 3, and Audi Q6 e-tron.What Might Go WrongNot a ton of people are buying Alfa Romeos right now, and if the brand can’t build enough awareness for the new Stelvio, it could flop on the basis of being forgotten next to perennial segment leaders from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. Alfa Romeo’s reliability also continues to be a concern. Our long-term 2018 Giulia sedan was plagued with issues, and many of the problems tended to be electronic, which could steer customers away from the EV version.Estimated Arrival and PriceAlfa Romeo confirmed that production of the next-generation Stelvio will begin for North America in 2026. It will likely end up arriving for the 2027 model year and will live alongside the previous Stelvio until the end of 2026. We expect the cost to rise from the current $50,990 starting price, with the hybrid possibly starting around $55,000. The EV should be even pricier, likely starting closer to $70,000.See all the cars worth waiting forGet to Know the Alfa Romeo LineupCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: caranddriver.com