Alfa Romeo Junior Gets An Unexpected Power Boost

Alfa Romeo has been a little later than most to the electrification game. Its first hybrid, the Tonale, came out in 2022, while its first full EV, technically, is the electric version of the very limited-edition 33 Stradale supercar. This, though, is the Alfa Romeo Junior: the first Alfa EV normal people can actually buy.

Arguably, the Junior's reveal has been overshadowed by the controversy around its name. It was revealed as the Alfa Romeo Milano, but Italy's industry minister quickly objected: as the car's set to be built in Poland, he said it contravenes an Italian law that prevents products with names linked to Italian geography from being made outside the country. In order to avoid further controversy, Alfa quickly renamed it.

Sharing a platform with the likes of the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e, it's a physically small car, but a big one in terms of importance: the B-segment crossover class is absolutely huge in Europe, and pretty much every mainstream manufacturer offers something in it, so Alfa needs something like the Junior to get the sales volume it’s been chasing for so long.

The all-electric Junior comes in two flavours. The Elettrica gets 154bhp, while the sportier Veloce version gets 276bhp, along with a mechanical limited-slip diff. This higher power output is something of a surprise – the Veloce was originally announced with 237bhp, but apparently an extra 39bhp has been found during the final homologation phase.

The Veloce also features 25mm lower suspension, a wider track, beefed-up anti-roll bars and a performance tyre compound. Possibly aiming to recreate the hyperactive steering of the Giulia and Stelvio, Alfa’s given it a 14.6:1 steering ratio, which it says is the quickest rack in its class.

The lower-powered EV, meanwhile, gets a quoted range of 255 miles and will manage the regulation 10 to 80 per cent charge in less than 30 minutes on a rapid charger.

Sitting alongside the full EV versions is the Junior Ibrida (which, admittedly, sounds much cooler than ‘hybrid’). This, though, is currently only confirmed for left-hand drive markets. It pairs a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine with a 48v hybrid system for a combined 134bhp. Again, this is a system closely related to the ones used across Stellantis’s range of small cars. The Ibrida will be offered with both front- and four-wheel drive, and uses a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It also could well be the last combustion-engined car Alfa introduces.

Alfa is keen to emphasise that the Junior will have its own distinct handling character: apparently, it’s been set up by the same team that did the brilliant Giulia GTA. No pressure, then.

Inside, it gets two 10.25-inch screens: a central touchscreen, and a digital TFT instrument screen. EV versions get a new navigation system that recommends charging stops based on a Europe-wide network of over 600,000 charging stations, while all Juniors have ChatGPT assistance. Certain versions come with Sabelt sports seats, and the design of the air vents contains a neat nod to Alfa’s Quadrifoglio logo.

The outside is a much more angular affair than we’ve seen from a lot of recent Alfas, but plenty of hallmarks are still there: the ‘scudetto’ grille, teledial alloys and a new take on the triple-headlight signature the brand has recently returned to. Alfa says the way the tail sharply drops away below the rear windscreen is a nod to the gorgeous Giulia TZ sports racer of the 1960s – a pretty tenuous link, but it’s not like Alfa’s back catalogue isn’t short of beautiful things it can leverage.

In the UK, Junior prices kick off at £33,895 for the basic, 154bhp Elettrica. For the sportier-than-expected Veloce, you’ll need to find £42,295. Whether the hybrid makes it to these shores remains to be seen.