Alfa Romeo Stelvio Estate

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Alfa Romeo has never traditionally been associated with big, heavy SUVs. Mind you, neither has Aston Martin or Lamborghini – two other names that have joined the same party in recent years.

That we should discuss Alfa Romeo alongside Aston and Lambo gives you some idea of its esteem.

Granted, Alfa is not, and it has never been a supercar brand. However, the Stelvio was designed at a time when Alfa Romeo and Ferrari enjoyed a closer relationship than they do today.

The likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar are the brands that the Stelvio will attempt to out-gun – and, with the Quadrifoglio version, the stakes are higher regarding bragging rights.

In case you’re not familiar with Alfa’s lexicon, the word Quadrifoglio translates as ‘four-leaf clover’ – a century-old symbol now placed on the side of the car, usually between the wing mirrors and the front wheel. This indicates it’s a high-performance model.

So, think BMW ‘M’ cars, Mercedes-AMG, Audi S or RS, or Jaguar’s SVR – Alfa Romeo has the Quadrifoglio.

The name is iconic, too. It is named after the famous Stelvio Pass, a mountain road that links Italy and Austria, with plenty of twists and turns and breathtaking views.

Neither the Stelvio nor the Quadrifoglio version is brand-new - the SUV was ushered in during 2016, with the high-performance version following a few months later.

The Stelvio received a facelift in 2021, but Alfa has tweaked the recipe slightly to celebrate last year's 100th anniversary of the Quadrifoglio badge, which debuted on the Alfa Romeo RL in 1923.

The RL took part in the iconic Targa Florio race in Sicily, which, at the time, was considered to be the most prestigious motor race on the planet in a pre-Formula One world.

So, is the modern-day Stelvio Quadrifoglio enough to compete with Jaguar and the German brands?

Alfa is a much-loved brand by any car enthusiast – so we're hoping so.