Introducing the new Alfa Romeo Junior
Alfa Romeo has been building cars since 1910, which means the Junior carries the weight of over a century of Italian engineering behind what is, on the surface, a very practical compact SUV for your commute or the school run.
This is Alfa Romeo's first venture into all-electric power, following on from the Tonale as Alfa Romeo's first hybrid-electric powertrain. Two variants sit at the heart of the UK line-up: the Junior Ibrida, which pairs a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system for straightforward, efficient motoring, and the Junior Elettrica, a fully electric model that can genuinely mix it with hot hatches.
Both share the same striking body and well-equipped interior, but each is tuned for a different type of driver. Whether you're after an efficient daily companion or something with a sharper edge, the Junior is worth considering.
Design and Practicality
With just one glance, you just know the Junior is an Alfa Romeo. The exterior carries the brand's trademark three-beam LED headlights, a bold front grille packed with history dating back to 1948 and a sleek roofline that gives the car a coupé-like stance without making any real compromises. It's a shape that stands out in supermarket car parks and on motorways alike, which is increasingly rare in a segment where many rivals tend to look so interchangeable.
Inside, the driver-focused cabin boasts a 10.25-inch digital driver's display and a 10.25-inch central touchscreen sitting neatly behind a chunky steering wheel. Air vents in the shape of Alfa's famous Quadrifoglio clover add a nice nod to the brand's history. Boot space hits a very decent 400 litres, while the rear seats fold to expand that considerably for longer and heftier loads.
Technology and Safety
Every version comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, DAB digital radio and wireless smartphone charging.
The DNA drive mode system takes its name from three Italian words — Dinamica, Naturale and Avanzata Efficienza — because Alfa Romeo's engineers apparently decided that even a driving mode selector should sound like poetry. Each one adjusts throttle response, steering weight and energy recovery to suit your mood or the conditions ahead.
Safety technology includes automatic emergency braking and traffic-sign recognition as standard, while an optional Technology Pack gives you blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and traffic-jam assist for extra peace of mind.
Engines and Performance
The Junior range offers two powertrains, and the difference between them is significant.
The Ibrida is powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine working alongside a 21kW electric motor. Together, they produce a combined 136bhp and a 0 to 62mph time of 8.9 seconds. WLTP fuel economy sits between a highly respectable 57 and 59mpg, with CO2 emissions of around 109 to 110g/km.
The Elettrica takes a very different approach, using a fully electric 278bhp motor paired with a mechanical limited-slip differential and a sport-tuned suspension setup sitting 25mm lower than the standard car. The result is a rapid 0 to 62mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 124mph. Hydraulic bump stops and retuned steering round out a chassis that has consistently won over reviewers, with the Elettrica delivering the kind of driver engagement you rarely find in a compact electric SUV.
Whichever you choose, steering is precise and the overall experience feels well-balanced, just what you'd expect from an Alfa Romeo.
Junior Models
Junior
Key features:
- 18" alloy wheels
- Full-LED headlights and rear lights
- Leggenda "Scudetta" V-shield Grille
- Ambient lighting
- Fabric seats
- 10.25" radio
- 10.25" "Cannocchiale! customisable digital cluster
- Adaptive cruise control
- Alfa Connect services
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
TI
Key features:
- Body colour door handles
- Black side mirror covers
- Aluminium pedals and door sills
- front armrest
- premium "spiga" electric seats
- Navigation and traffic sign information
Sport Speciale
Key features:
- Black body kit with silver inserts
- Alcantara and leather steering wheel
- Alcantara seats with bright backrests and white inerts on front row
- Aluminium door sills
- bright logo and stitching on the dashboard
- Heated front seats with driver-side electric adjustment
- Autonomous driving level 2
- Adaptive cruise control
Discover the Alfa Romeo Junior at Evans Halshaw
Alfa Romeo once described its cars as making "the heart beat faster". While the Junior is a practical, efficient small SUV first and foremost, it's also an enjoyable car to drive, truly living up to the Italian outfit's famous phrase.
If you're interested in test driving a new Alfa Romeo Junior, please get in touch with your nearest Evans Halshaw Alfa Romeo retailer and our team will arrange an appointment at a date and time that suits.
