Although he now carries it himself only a significant portion of sales of’Alfa Romeothe Junior ...didn't exactly have an easy start. Presented in April 2024, the compact SUV marked the brand's return to the B-segment with a clear mission: to boost sales and raise Alfa Romeo's profile.
We obviously remember its launch under the name Milano, which was quickly abandoned after some friction with the Italian government. It must be said that naming an SUV—built on a platform shared with several Stellantis models and produced in Poland—after an Italian city was perhaps not the wisest idea… But beyond this controversy, the Junior was primarily meant to prove that a small Alfa Romeo could still be premium and sporty. And it was precisely on that first point that we had some reservations.
An interior that still lacked a «premium» feel»
At Italpassion, we're getting to know the Junior pretty well. We've tested the electric version 280 ch Veloce, the 156 ch electric model as well as the 145 ch gasoline hybrid. We could discuss its non-Italian engines or its highly polarizing design—particularly the front end with its famous scudetto—but one of our main criticisms centered on the interior. When coming from a Giulia or a Stelvio, it’s hard to find the same definition of «premium» in the Junior, despite Alfa Romeo’s stated ambitions. Paradoxically, we still found its interior generally more convincing than that of the Tonale.
One detail bothered us in particular: the door panels. In fact, we had brought this up with Alfa Romeo on several occasions at various events. The brand explained to us that, based on its comparisons with the competition, the Junior’s interior was on par. However, these door panels—which closely resembled those of a Fiat 600 and were dominated by hard plastics—gave neither a particularly premium nor a distinctly sporty impression.
Alfa Romeo is rethinking its strategy
Good news: Alfa Romeo seems to have heeded the criticism. The automaker has just announced an update to the Junior’s interior, and the door panels are among the key changes. The entire lineup is getting new door panels with a more refined design, featuring contrasting stitching and soft-touch trim. The seats have also been updated, as have the materials used on the dashboard and center console.
The Junior Sprint now features the new Icona interior, with premium black fabric, the Biscione logo on the seatbacks, and gray contrast stitching. The Ti and Veloce versions switch to a carbon-fiber theme, combining black with red accents and the new Microcloud material on the dashboard, center console, and doors. The Sabelt Alcantara interior remains available to further enhance the sporty feel. However, one question remains that we’ll seek to verify: does this more upscale treatment also apply to the rear doors, or only the front ones?
And what about the exterior?
At least one of the flaws we’ve been pointing out since the launch seems to have been fixed. And for those who are now waiting for Alfa Romeo to tackle the exterior, the story is probably not over yet.
During the presentation of its product plan, Alfa Romeo has already announced a «Junior MCA»—in other words, a mid-life refresh. With its now more refined interior, possible exterior updates, and—who knows—the arrival of a new hybrid powertrain, the small SUV could gradually address the main criticisms leveled at it since its launch. And perhaps, ultimately, it will succeed in silencing a good portion of its critics.
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It was about time. The interior looked really cheap. Now they just need to find a good Italian engine—especially one that’ll make us forget that darn 1.2 PureTech 3-cylinder (renamed)!)—and keep prices competitive with the Chinese models. Why not go with a Leapmotor electric platform?! 🤔
Well, the electric version already exists; on the other hand, it’s true that an Italian engine—since the chassis isn’t—would still be more credible…. but given how things are going, let’s not get our hopes up; we’ll have to wait and see with the next version…. in 2029–2030, I suppose. .
The door panels are already an improvement, but the upper part of the hard-plastic dashboard looks too cheap.
There’s also the most important thing: offering engines other than the PureTech, and—for the Junior Ibrida models—making the car’s suspension less mushy (which was done very well on the Junior Veloce).
The Stellantis multimedia system really isn't great; in fact, the old system in the Giulia and Stelvio is much better (even though it was heavily criticized by the press, which I've never understood).
Good point—the inner doors had «shocked» me, too.
On the other hand, the topstitching at the bottom left doesn't look very straight…
Bad Peugeot
The photo of the Camel interior is of the Giulia, not the Stelvio (you can tell them apart by the instrument panel trim).