Alfa Romeo Stelvio Intensa Review: Standing Out in a Sea of Crossovers

Weddings are about making memories—and in Temecula, California, I managed to do exactly that by arriving in something a little different: the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Intensa. In a parking lot full of familiar crossovers and SUVs, the Alfa stood out immediately. That’s really the Stelvio’s appeal—it’s a compact luxury SUV for people who don’t want to blend in.

And despite the exotic Italian badge, it’s surprisingly attainable. The Stelvio Intensa carries a base price of $55,395, with this example coming in around $61,590 as equipped. For something with genuine style and performance credentials, that price might surprise a few people.

Practicality for Real Life

For a weekend wedding trip, the Stelvio proved more practical than expected. I managed to pack it full of supplies—essentially a living room’s worth of wedding gear—and it handled the load without issue. Cargo space is generous for the class, and the power liftgate makes loading and unloading easy.

Fuel economy is respectable too. The Stelvio delivers about 24 MPG combined (22 city / 28 highway) , making it perfectly reasonable for longer drives.

Italian Driving Character

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 280 horsepower paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission . Alfa Romeo claims class-leading performance in this segment, and while the Stelvio is definitely fun to drive, I did find myself wishing it had just a little more punch off the line.

That said, the engine note sounds fantastic, and the driving experience is still far more engaging than most crossovers in this segment.

A Cabin That Feels Special

Inside is where the Stelvio really wins you over. The seats are extremely comfortable, the materials feel upscale, and the overall design gives off a proper European luxury vibe.

One of the coolest touches is the start/stop button integrated into the steering wheel, something that feels straight out of a Ferrari playbook. The wheel itself feels great in your hands, and the huge aluminum paddle shifters look and feel high quality—although interestingly they remain fixed rather than rotating with the wheel.

The 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system sounds excellent, and the infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . There are some fun performance gauges as well, though the screen itself could be a bit larger and slightly more intuitive to navigate.

The Alfa Factor

Here’s the thing about driving an Alfa Romeo: people notice. The brand still carries a bit of mystique, and when you say “Alfa Romeo,” people tend to respond with an immediate “Oooooo.”

Yet the Stelvio manages to deliver that exotic feeling without an exotic price tag.

Final Thoughts

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Intensa isn’t for everyone—and that’s exactly the point. If you’re looking for a compact luxury SUV that blends into the crowd, there are plenty of options.

But if you want something stylish, fun to drive, practical enough for real life, and capable of turning heads at a Temecula wedding—or anywhere else—you’ll find the Stelvio offers something most crossovers don’t:

Personality.