Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2021: new Sport grade kicks off the range at $69,450

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Alfa Romeo is giving the 2021 Stelvio midsize SUV range a major shakeup in Australia and launching a new entry-level variant it claims packs more value than ever.

The new Stelvio Sport grade kicks off the range at $69,450 before on-road costs which slightly undercuts rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 in their entry grades.

Although a notable $3,550 jump over the old base model, Alfa Romeo says the Stelvio Sport represents eight per cent better value for money thanks to a slew of new standard features that mirror those recently fitted to the Guilia sedan.

These include a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen, wireless charger, heated leather steering wheel and leather seat trim that includes heating in the front row.

Other nice touches include the addition of aluminium pedals and 19-inch alloy wheels along with privacy glass in the side and rear windows to keep eyes on the car and not on you.

Safety has also been given a bump with lane keep assist, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, AEB with pedestrian recognition and forward collision warning all fitted as standard.

Buyers can option features such as a power tailgate, 14 Speaker Harman Kardon Premium Audio system, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof for extra cost.

As we’ve said in reviews previously, what sets the Stelvio apart from its rivals is its fantastic driving dynamics that corners particularly well thanks, in part, to its near 50/50 weight distribution.

Under the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that sends 147kW of power and 330Nm of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels.

Those numbers give the Stelvio Sport a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds, which is a fair way off the pace of the blistering 3.8 second Stelvio Quadrifoglio but then it also costs less than half the price.

Alfa Romeo says it will announce more news on the Stelvio range soon, with a new mid-tier Veloce grade set to hit our market soon which will replace the outgoing Ti grade.

The Stelvio Veloce offers more equipment including adaptive cruise control, a power tailgate, active suspension and a limited slip differential along with a punchier version of the 2.0-litre engine making 206kW/400Nm for a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds.

Some buyers will be sad to hear the Stelvio has lost its 2.1-litre diesel engine option in Australia, which Alfa Romeo’s local arm says is part of a global push from parent company FCA to move away from diesel engines.

Of course, the full-fat Stelvio Quadrifoglio remains at the top of the tree with its twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 that is shared with the Giulia Quadrifoglio making 375kW/600Nm.

Alfa Romeo says it will share more information on the updated range very soon.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2021: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Stelvio Sport: $69,450
• Stelvio Veloce: TBC
• Stelvio Quadrifoglio: $149,900