Cars & Bids Bargain of the Week: 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport
Exclusivity might be a bonus in some parts of the luxury car world, but unpopularity isn’t. Unfortunately, that’s the position the Alfa Romeo Giulia finds itself in right now among American buyers. It’s not for a lack of trying, though, nor a dearth of positive attributes. But if you’re worried that buying a new Giulia means spending equally big money on repairs, there is an alternative. Namely, buying a used Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport like the one currently listed on Cars & Bids.
It’s not Quadrifoglio fast, but the Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport can still hustle in style
| 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport | |
| Engine | 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 280 hp |
| Torque | 306 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Eight-speed automatic |
| Curb weight | 3600 lbs |
| 0-60 mph time | 5.2 seconds (RWD, MotorTrend) |
If they’re shopping for an Alfa Romeo sedan, performance-minded buyers will likely step immediately over to the twin-turbo-V6-powered Giulia Quadrifoglio. But as impressive—and impressively fast—as it is, it’s merely the extreme tip of the Giulia spear. And though they’re not as speedy, the other models have plenty of charm, style, and fun to offer.
Even after Alfa Romeo’s recent Giulia lineup shake-up, the Ti Sport remains just one step down from the Quadrifoglio. No, It doesn’t have that Ferrari-derived V6 or standard active shocks. But it does have the same incredible chassis, sporty-yet-compliant suspension design, and communicative steering. And keep in mind, MotorTrend named the entire Alfa Romeo Giulia lineup its 2018 Car of the Year, not just the Quadrifoglio.
Admittedly, pre-2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sports have some cheap interior materials and “wonky ergonomics,” MT reports. But they’re still roomy enough for six-foot-plus passengers. Plus, even on summer tires with RWD, the Giulia Ti Sport can comfortably and safely drive down a snow-covered forest road, MT says.
Also, as the second-highest trim, the Giulia Ti Sport has plenty of standard performance and luxury features. In 2018, it came standard with metal paddle shifters, multiple driving modes, front parking sensors, leather sport seats, an 8.8” touchscreen, and a heated steering wheel, front seats, and washer nozzles. In short, there’s substance behind all the style.
Cars & Bids has a RWD 2018 model up for grabs right now
The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport didn’t come standard with active shocks like the Quadrifoglio. However, they are part of the Ti Sport Performance Package, which also includes a mechanical limited-slip differential. And that’s one of the packages the Giulia currently listed on Cars & Bids has.
Besides the previously-mentioned features, this 2018 Giulia Ti Sport has the Driver Assistance Static and Dynamic Plus Packages. So, it has lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and cross-path detection, forward-collision warning, auto-dimming mirrors, and adaptive headlights. Those headlights are bi-xenon, by the way. This sedan also has a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensitive wipers, keyless entry, and a Harman Kardon audio system. Plus, Brembo brakes and a carbon-fiber driveshaft.
This 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport is a one-owner car with just over 29,200 miles on the clock. And apart from a few scattered chips and scratches, it’s practically like-new. It also has a zero-accident history and extensive service records. Those records indicate the seller replaced the battery as well as the turbo O-rings. A dealer performed an adaptive cruise control recall, too.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport is more reliable than you might think
When it was new, this 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport stickered at $51,590 after destination. But as of this writing, it’s listed at $15,000 with three days left in the auction. And it’s worth noting that the cheapest Giulia Ti Sport with similar miles on Autotrader costs roughly $12,000 more at the time of writing.
As always with used cars, a pre-purchase inspection is a good idea. Plus, like other Alfa Romeos, the Giulia doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability. However, that reputation might be overblown.
Many Stelvio quality issues reference the high-performance Quadrifoglio trim, but the less-extreme trims are mentioned significantly less often. And it seems to be a similar story with the Giulia. The only issues MotorTrend’s long-term Ti Sport encountered were some minor infotainment glitches and, coincidentally, a leaking turbocharger O-ring. MT didn’t even experience the misfiring issue that prompted one 2018 Giulia recall. Speaking of recalls, while they might tank Consumer Reports ratings, they don’t necessarily make a car unreliable.
In short, getting a Giulia Ti Sport like this might not be a headache-inducing way to get some bargain Italian styling.
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