2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon Review
Price
RM220,650
Installment
RM2,104/mth
2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon at a glance
The sleek looks and wonderful handling put the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon in a strong position. But its small boot renders getting an estate useless. Not to mention that modern rivals offer more for the money.
2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon quick specs
| Body Style | Estate |
| Class | Compact Luxury |
| Assembled | - |
| Engine Range | - |
| Fuel Options | - |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon ratings (overall rating : 3/5.0)
| Styling | |
| Handling | |
| Comfort | |
| Quality + Reliability | |
| Performance |
| Roominess | |
| Running Costs | |
| Value for Money | |
| Equipment | |
| Environment |
Styling
The bottomline: Alfa Romeo designs cars that look good. And for what was their bread-and-butter model, the Alfa Romeo 156, the Italian firm certainly penned a wonderful looking sedan, by standards back then at least. Even adding an elongated boot to produce the Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon has not taken away the sleekness of the original 156 design. The cabin is sporty, featuring a centre console that is angled towards the driver.
Handling
The 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 sedan is a brilliant car to drive, and the slightly heavier 156 Sportwagon is no different. With minimal body roll and ample grip through corners, coupled with the beautifully-weighted steering, the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon entertains and involves drivers on the roads, unlike many modern luxury cars that tend to insulate drivers from the process of driving in the name of refinement.
Comfort
The 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon has a firm ride that deals poorly with bumps or potholes. But give the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon a smooth stretch of highway, and it will cruise stably. There is more wind, road and engine noise than in rivals, although the engine emits a welcome sporty growl. Drivers get plenty of seating and steering column adjustments. Major controls are well-positioned, and so are the clearly laid-out switchgear on the dashboard.
Quality + Reliability
Cabin quality standards in the Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon fell short of rivals' back then. And to compare the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon's cabin to modern rivals' would show a bigger gulf in standards. That said, all controls work with precision, while the material and build quality is solid if not up to modern standards. Alfa Romeo's reputation for mechanical reliability is mediocre, and glitches with the Selespeed gearbox and the suspension are not unheard of.
Performance
The in-line four 2.0-litre engine has 155 bhp and 181 Nm on tap. On the roads, the revvy, punchy 2.0-litre engine proves to be more than capable for everyday use. The standard five-speed Selespeed gearbox is however rather jerky during city driving.
Roominess
The 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon provides good room for the front driver and passenger, and decent room for rear passengers. But modern rivals are much roomier, in terms of rear legroom and luggage capacity. For an estate, the boot is small, and somehow even smaller than the Alfa Romeo 156 sedan's. The rear seats can fold for more loading space, but rear suspension intrusion and a narrow opening render the boot less than useful.
Running Costs
Running costs are high mainly because of the steep depreciation. The Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon is likely to depreciate even more than the 156 sedan considering Malaysians' preference for sedans. Servicing and repair costs will be hefty, too, though the 2.0-litre engine returns respectable fuel economy.
Value for Money
The 156 Sportwagon was clearly designed in line with Alfa Romeo's sporting heritage and penchant for beautiful cars. The sleek looks rank the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon as one of the prettiest estate out there. The wonderful handling will also appeal to driving enthusiasts who require an estate. But therein lies the problem, the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon is not very useful as an estate. Not to mention that comfort, refinement, quality, reliability and running costs are all below par by class standards.
Equipment
Air conditioning, electric windows, CD player, remote central locking, alloy wheels and leather steering wheel, among others, are standard on the 2010 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon. Safety kit includes six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brakeforce Distributor (EBD), among others.
Environment
The 2.0-litre engine emits more carbon dioxide and consumes more petrol than comparable engines from BMW and Audi. Alfa Romeo, as a manufacturer, lags BMW and Audi in efforts to produce more efficient and less polluting engines.
Live Life Drive Verdict
Sleek looks
Wonderful handling
Strong engine
Ride and refinement
Limited rear room and boot space
Expensive for what it offers
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