There’s something special about Italian cars. Owning one is to embrace la dolce vita — the sweet life. When most people think of Italian cars, they picture a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, or maybe a Maserati. But they forget one of the oldest, most storied brands: Alfa Romeo. 

The latest in a long line of Alfa Romeo sports sedans, the Giulia offers everything people love about Italian cars. It’s beautiful and passionate, with joyful road manners, brisk performance, and a sonorous exhaust note. It’s an excellent choice for people who love to drive and want something different. That’s why TrueCar named the Giulia the best Italian car of 2023, ahead of the Maserati Ghibli and Ferrari Roma.    

Pros and cons of the 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia 

In addition to boasting gorgeous styling, the Alfa Roma Giulia delivers brisk acceleration and excellent handling. It’s one of those cars that seems to shrink around you, feeling lighter than it is. Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 hp. Rear-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is available. Either way, the base model goes from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds and gets an EPA-estimated 27 mpg on the highway. 

If that’s not enough, buyers can upgrade to one of four other trims, topping out at the Quadrifoglio. Its all-aluminum 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 sourced from Ferrari harnesses a heady 505 hp. With all-wheel drive, the powertrain vaults the Giulia into supercar territory with a 3.6-second 0-to-60-mph time and a top speed of 191 mph in Car and Driver testing.

Drawbacks are relatively minor but include a small back seat and limited storage. Also, the Giulia isn’t quite as luxurious as some rivals, and the infotainment system seems a bit dated. As for reliability, it can be a bit of a diva, requiring more maintenance than cars from Lexus or Acura. But all of that won’t matter when you’re behind the wheel while the Giulia sings arias and dances allegro con brio.          

The best Italian car of 2023 beat Ferrari and Maserati 

Other models on TrueCar’s list include the Maserati Ghibli, Ferrari Roma, Ferrari Portofino, and Maserati MC 20. Consumers are unlikely to cross-shop the relatively affordable Alfa Romero Giulia with the two Ferraris or the Maserati, which cost more than $200,000 each. The latter are also two-door sports cars, built for occasional use and showing off. But Alfa Romeo starts the standard Giulia at only $44,280 and the range-topping Quadrifoglio at $81,960 — and they’re meant to be driven. 

The closest Italian rival is the Maserati Ghibli, starting at $85,300. Not only does the Giulia cost thousands less, but it also gets better gas mileage. In addition, it has a higher overall quality score from iSeeCars and is just a better car to drive.  

Is the Alfa Romeo Giulia worth the price? 

Owning a Giulia, like any Italian car, is a passionate affair. You expect it to be exciting, lively, and occasionally temperamental. That said, Alfa Romeo’s reliability scores from J.D. Power have improved from poor to average in the past several years and are in line with vehicles from Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo.

But you don’t buy a Giulia for how it ranks on paper. You don’t buy it if you want a quiet, comfortable luxury car with the biggest back seat. You buy it to drive. To use a dating analogy, it’s not a car that likes to stay in and order takeout. It likes to discover good, casual, out-of-the-way restaurants and then go dancing. But unlike some Italian cars of the past, the Giulia won’t leave you hungover with regret the next morning but looking forward to what the day brings.