2000 Alfa Romeo 156 TS Lusso 1.8 twin spark petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A real pleasure to drive - I still smile with enjoyment on every journey

Faults:

Lacquer run on the rear panel when delivered - fixed under warranty.

Squeaky front suspension - replaced under warranty. I understand that this is common but inexpensive to fix.

Rear door handle jammed - repaired under warranty, but recently playing up again.

The car had a tendency to stall at low revs, particularly when idling. Timing mechanism was adjusted by the dealer, since when things have been much improved. I am told this is a common fault in older cars, but fixed now.

Paint chips easily. I believe this is a problem on many new cars due to a switch from oil to water based paints for environmental reasons.

General Comments:

The car has truly stunning looks and is a great pleasure to drive. I would recommend it to anyone.

The built quality is by no means poor, despite the reputation of Italian cars, but it does not match the major German marques. However, the car is much cheaper than its rivals from Audi and BMW and represents very good value for money. So don't be put off by the poor history of Italian cars - the build quality is much better than Vauxhall, Peugeot and the like.

The handling is superb on all classes of roads.

If subjected to a great deal of city driving, performance can become a bit sluggish. However a run at speed appears to cure this. If you frequently use motorways you will be unlikely to notice this.

Performance is also sluggish below 3000 revs, but excellent when the engine is revved.

Fuel consumption was poor for the first 1000 miles or so, but has been fine since then, although having the air conditioning on reduces the fuel economy noticeably.

The suspension has been criticised for being too hard, but I find it fine. However the car does sit low on the road and the plate underneath the engine bay has been scraped a few times on speed bumps (far from an everyday occurrence though). I have never had a general problem with grounding though - this seems to be a feature of the 2.4 diesel.

The interior with the Lusso option is very good quality. After 18 months with two toddlers doing their worst it is still in excellent condition. I also find it very comfortable - even over long distances.

I have had no major problems in 18 months and the dealer service has been quite good (contrary to the reputation for Alfa dealers). The few problems I have had have been fixed under the warranty with no quibbles. Running costs are low with services cheaper than for its main rivals.

Criticisms are few and minor:

The car does not have deadlocks which is pretty bad in this day and age. Even my Cavalier had these.

I wish the rear seat could fold down - occasional trips to the DIY store or IKEA present problems with all but the smaller items.

The boot is a little small for the size of the car.

The air conditioning takes longer to cool the car than most other makes I have experience of.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th August, 2001

22nd Jan 2005, 14:12

Really helpful! I am just considering an 2000 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 and this review seems truthful and detailed.

22nd Feb 2005, 05:53

This review has been really informative for me, I have spent the past 4 months looking for the right car, I have tried everything from sports coupe's to sensible family cars and basically I wanted a bit of both. I found a lovely Black 156 at a local dealership and having read all the comments have taken the plunge into buying this car, I pick it up on Friday. I don't know what everyone is so scared of these cards, they have looks to die for, have performance to suit, but they are no more unreliable or expensive to repair than any other manufacturer, this car will give me the best of both worlds with a moderate running cost.. to be honest, you can't pay for the smile the car puts on my face when I first took it for a test drive.

8th Nov 2005, 16:03

I would just like to say that, as of 3 days ago I started looking hard at a 156 1.8i 16v TS Lusso, these reviews have been very helpful on giving me an incite into what I am letting my self in for, I am 21 and currently own a ford escort saloon, so I guess that I will be grinning from ear to ear when I test drive this car! I will update the situation Friday afternoon once I have tested it fully.

Thanks guys.

P.S. This car is in insurance group 13 but seems no more expensive for me to insure than my escort which i believe to be in group 7.

2000 Alfa Romeo 156 Standard 2.4 JTD from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Italian styling, great performance

Faults:

Leak from the steering rack. The dealer replaced it, but it took six weeks to get the part.

General Comments:

Terrific power. No lag. With four people + luggage it still pulls 120mph+ UP hills!

Seat doesn't go back far enough and not enough thigh support, however I am 6' 2".

Fantastic styling, turns heads even from BMW drivers!

Can bottom out on some road bumps when fully loaded, however look underneath and you see the engine is slung very low.

Great handling, has the right blend of being just soft enough for good comfort without the 'jarring' you get on a sports set-up.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th August, 2001

11th Sep 2004, 05:23

It turns peoples heads because they can't believe how ugly it looks. Ghastly styling!