The Alfa Romeo Junior (formerly Milano) could be the most important Alfa Romeo ever and no, this is not some svelte sports car but a compact crossover that will be available in both hybrid and electric form.
At first glance, it’s clear this is a more stylish sibling to the other two compact crossovers in the Stellantis Group line-up: Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e. Design-wise, the Junior has indeed hit it out of the park with a successful interpretation of its Italian ethos within a compact crossover canvas. It’s not pretty in the traditional Alfa Romeo template but cuts a striking stance with clever surfacing and some neat detailing.
The new take on the Alfa Romeo grille for example looks distinctive and makes it stand out from the crowd. Elsewhere, the telephone dial wheels too are gorgeous to behold. The Junior is not a big car with a length of 4.1m but looks proportionate with short overhangs and shapely haunches with sleek LED headlamps.
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Inside, Alfa has tried hard to sprinkle the brand DNA liberally with the ‘telescope’ design of the instrument cluster and the touchscreen being angled towards the driver. Even the air conditioning vents are in the shape of a Quadrifoglio (four-leaf clover). Technology is taken care of with twin 10.25-inch screens along with the usual suite of driver assistance features. Other features include a hands-free electric tailgate, LED Matrix lights, an electrically operated driver’s seat with massage function, interior ambient lighting, and aluminium pedals plus Alcantara upholstery.
Despite its compact proportions, the boot space for the electric version is an ample 400 litres.
Driving dynamics are core for any Alfa Romeo and here, the Junior is the first in the segment to offer a Q4 all-wheel drive variant with automated rear-wheel drive axle management. There are two EV versions with either 156HP and a range of up to 410 km, as well as the sportier 240HP Veloce version. The hybrid version meanwhile uses a 1.2-litre turbo petrol 3-cylinder along with an electric motor.
Developed at the Balocco testing centre, Alfa claims that the Junior has the most direct steering set-up in its class along with the sportier versions being lowered by 25 mm. There are front and rear anti-roll bars that are being tuned for keener handling.
NAME CONTROVERSY: This SUV already has had its moment in the spotlight with the controversy surrounding its nameplate. Originally, it was named the Alfa Romeo Milano based on the feedback from the public but it was deemed as illegal by the Italian Government since an ‘Italian sounding’ nameplate cannot be used for a product made outside Italy.
Hence, Alfa Romeo changed the name to ‘Junior’, despite stating that the Milano name met the legal requirements.
Final specifications for our market and pricing will be announced closer to its launch date but we assume prices would be around the price of the Jeep Avenger. Name aside, the newest Alfa Romeo seems to have carved itself a niche in this crowded compact electric car space.
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