WELL TEST: The Alfa Romeo Junior discreetly plays on the senses. Instead of a strong espresso, it's a flat white.
When I picked up the key to the smallest Alfa Romeo Junior in the range, the Speciale trim, I reflected on the responsibility it bears. Expectations are as high as ever – we're all impressed with the Giulia and Stelvio and were keeping our fingers crossed for further exciting launches.
In its place, we received a rather unexciting SUV called the Tonale. The much more stylish Junior, though much more interesting, didn't exactly inspire enthusiasm among Alfa Romeo fanatics, to put it mildly. Moreover, it carries a double burden: not only does it represent a great brand with a rich history, but it also represents a country steeped in art and emotion.
A country that nourishes all my senses. Where my eyes savor the beauty of Val d'Orcia, my ears reek of gondoliers' squabbles in Venice, my hands gaze upon cold marble in sweltering Rome, my nose touches the history of the odors in Santa Maria Novella, and my palate hears the morning bustle over an espresso in Naples. Is the smallest Alfa the essence of Italy? A distillate of scents and flavors? An aural postcard summed up by views and "O sole mio"?
Alfa Romeo JuniorSight is the most important sense, accounting for approximately 80% of our experience of reality. A car also has to catch our eye. This is the primary decision-making center, which either ignites a flame of interest within us or causes that first spark of curiosity to vanish into oblivion. After the press launch of the Alfa Romeo Milano, I thought it was an interesting blend of styling cues from various models, and that the whole thing looked appealing. The name—Milano—was also interesting (and romantic)—but it was abandoned after the Italian government forcefully reminded Stellantis that only products genuinely made in Italy could have names suggesting origin, and the little Alfa was supposed to roll off the assembly line in Tychy (parallel to the Fiat 600 and Jeep Renegade). The Milano was hastily renamed Junior, which may sound childish, but is a nod to the magnificent Alfa Romeo GT 1300/1600 Junior from the 1960s.
Alfa Romeo JuniorI really like the car's styling. My opinion is, of course, limited to the B segment, where the design must fit, the capabilities of the Stellantis STLA Small platform, and the competition's offerings. The car is 4.17 meters long, 1.78 meters wide, and 1.5 meters high. It's a compact car, very similar in dimensions to the VW Polo – it's 10 cm longer, 5 cm taller, and has a 1 cm longer wheelbase. Ground clearance is almost identical, but the car appears higher thanks to the black side sills and wheel arch trim. These also visually enlarge the wheels, which are already quite large for this segment – the standard rims on the Speciale version are 18 inches. The distinctive design is part of the entire Alfa Romeo wheel family, whose family tree dates back to the 1960s and is reminiscent of… a telephone dial. “Telephone Dial” or “Teledial” – this is the common name for the rim pattern designed by Ermanno Cressoni, then head of Centro Stile Alfa Romeo.
The bodywork is compact and features several touches that reference various models and Alfa Romeo's rich history. The Junior's two most controversial features begin with the front bumper, sporting the unconventional Scudetto design, and end with the boomerang-shaped, upturned taillight strip.
The test car features a Progresso-finished front disc, featuring a modern reinterpretation of the brand's scaled logo. This Scudetto version is available as the only option on the Speciale. In the lower trim level, designated simply as the Eletricca, the disc is available in the Leggenda trim, featuring a high-gloss painted mesh bezel, bearing the stylized "Alfa Romeo" lettering, familiar from vintage racing cars.
The rear fascia's styling is, at least in concept, reminiscent of the famous Coda Tronca used on the beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ from the 1960s. One might think such a borrowing is inappropriate, given that its predecessor, a noble sports coupé, is from a completely different world. In the Junior's defense , let the Alfa Romeo Alfasud come to its defense; it also had a similarly undercut rear end, but was a compact car for the average Ferrari (interesting fact: this popular Italian surname comes from the word ferraro, meaning blacksmith – so it's the Polish equivalent of Kowalski).
The distinctive boomerang-shaped rear light clusters are reminiscent of the 2022 Zagato-designed Giulia SWB. In the Junior, the red LEDs are hidden beneath a black cover that runs the full width of the body, curving sharply downwards at the sides. The rearview camera lens is discreetly concealed within its outline. Between the boomerang and the bumper, in keeping with current trends, a large Alfa Romeo lettering in a classic font replaces the traditional brand emblem.
Alfa Romeo JuniorThe Alfa Romeo Junior suffers from the same quality issues as most of its cousins. The interior materials leave mixed reviews. On the one hand, the version we tested had Alcantara inserts, on the other , the quality of the plastics used in the dashboard leaves much to be desired. Depending on its location, the material has a different texture to the touch, often unpleasant. The exception is the top of the instrument panel, but this, in turn, isn't the best fit. The plastics reflect light differently , and I noticed that the top of the console can be clearly visible in the windshield. The leather-like material on the door armrests also doesn't make a convincing impression – it's quite thin and I'm not sure it will last as long as other fabrics.
A major highlight of the cabin is its styling. The dashboard is very attractive, and the combination of curves and rounded edges with sharp angles creates a good impression. The driver's instrument tunnels are a classic Alfa Romeo design feature, but it's a shame that the interior features a too-small rectangular screen with wide margins. It's crying out for a properly shaped monitor. The most frequently touched element of the cabin – the steering wheel – is small and almost circular.
In the Speciale, it's finished in leather and suede and is heated. The side air vents, with the Alfa Romeo logo illuminated in the center, are very stylish and surprisingly smooth additions to the dashboard. Operating them is a pure pleasure. The same can't be said for the two central air vents above the screen. They seem to live on a completely different plane of quality, operating harshly and loudly. I heard more noises from the cabin: on uneven roads, I heard subtle creaking from various components inside the dashboard several times.
Alfa Romeo Junior
Alfa Romeo Junior
