1999 Alfa Romeo 156 review from North America
"Love at first sight and so far a happy marriage"
General comments?
The car is beautiful stylistically and that was what sold me on it at first.
That said, it also drives extremely well, acceleration is very good, especially above the 3,000 rpms engine speed where you can have a lot of fun.
Steering also feels very tight and responsive, and the car feels extremely stable on curves.
The car's biggest weakness when driving is the gearbox, which is baulky sometimes, especially when you have to ram it into reverse.
The car is beautiful inside, with grey leather upholstery and wood on the steering wheel, which, if fake, is a very good fake.
The one drawback - quality. Having recently owned a late model Golf, I'm afraid the Italians still fall behind a bit on the fit and finish. Glove compartment and doors don't close so tightly. And you always wonder - based on the Fiat/Alfa reputation - when something will go wrong.
But so what. I love just looking at this car. I love driving it. And at about $16,000 used, it was truly a steal.
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All 1999 Alfa Romeo 156 reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 23700 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 28000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Golf |
| Date of Entry | 13th February, 2001 |