The Alfa Romeo Giulia, with its striking Italian charm, is an exceptional fusion of aesthetic brilliance and driving dynamics. A pivotal aspect often overlooked by enthusiasts is its turning circle. This key metric determines the vehicle's agility and maneuverability in tight spots, such as city streets and parking lots. The current iteration of the Giulia is no exception, excelling in many facets, but how does it stand up when scrutinized for its turning circle? Let’s dive into the numbers and take a jaunt through history to see how this tonnage of Italian art fares in the whirling dervish department.
Tracing its lineage back to the original Giulia 105/115 models from 1962 to 1979, the turning circle was a nimble 10.90 meters, remaining unchanged with the first facelift in 1974. Fast forward to the new millennium, and with the introduction of the Giulia 952 from 2016 to 2023, the circle grew slightly to 11.40 meters. The story doesn't end there; the most recent facelift in 2023 has taken the turning circle to a slightly less sprightly 12.50 meters. This incremental increase over generations reflects a broader trend in the industry toward larger, more feature-packed vehicles, even among sedans.
Within the Alfa Romeo family, the turning circle of the Giulia finds itself in the middle of the pack. The daring Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, often praised for its track prowess, boasts a tighter 11.60-meter circle. On a broader scale, it’s edged out by the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Stelvio, which match the Quadrifoglio’s nimbleness with 11.60 and 11.80 meters respectively. Interestingly, the Giulia's nearest sibling, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, shares a relatively similar agility with only a slight advantage in maneuverability. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio, a beefier SUV with a 12.00-meter circle, indicates that even in its own lineup, the Giulia 952 facelift has relatively large shoes to fill but manages to hold its own adequately.
When pitted against its rivals, the Giulia shows a broader range of handling characteristics. Taking a look at the NIO ET7, with a marginally better circle of 12.40 meters, one notices the discrepancy isn't massive, but noteworthy. By comparing with the Mazda BT-50, sporting a massive 13.60 meters, it’s clear the Giulia has a significant edge in maneuverability. Also, the BYD Han similarly presents a larger turn with its 12.30 meters, further highlighting Giulia's relative agility. However, against the nimble Audi A4 sporting a commendable 11.10 meter circle and the Fiat Multipla at 11.00 meters, the Giulia, particularly the 2023 facelift, shows it has room to improve for those hairpin turns.