Luxury sedans offer some of the best value on the used car market. With steep initial depreciation curves, near-new examples can be found for a fraction of the price of a new one. A used Alfa Romeo Giulia is one such example with prices starting for less than $25,000. Comparatively, a new Giulia costs around $40,000.
The base Giulia's 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be more than adequate for the majority of buyers but car enthusiasts will be more interested in the hotter Quadrifoglio model. Fortunately for them, used Giulia Quadrifoglio models have also become shocking affordable compared to brand-new examples.
Why You Should Buy One
A 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio starts at just under $75,000, putting it in the same bracket as cars like the Audi RS5 Sportback, BMW M3, and Mercedes-AMG C63. The Quadrifolgio, which is Italian for a four-leaf clover, offers the same level of performance found in Audi's RS, BMW's M, and Mercedes' AMG models but with added Italian flair. The M3 has been the handling benchmark of this segment for many years but once the Quadrifoglio came along, we quickly learned that the Italians know a thing or two about creating a well-balanced car.
The Price
As we mentioned, a new Giulia Quadrifoglio starts at around $75,000 and only goes up from there. Used prices though are much lower. We found used examples starting in the mid-$40,000 range with around 20,000 miles. This means you can now buy a three-to-four-year-old Quadrifoglio for just 60 percent of its original MSRP. Most of these early examples will just be running out of their factory warranty and Alfa Romeo is yet to offer a widespread certified pre-owned program. If you can find a dealership that will sell you a CPO car, we'd recommend paying a premium for it.
The Performance
Powering the Giulia Quadrifoglio is a 2.9-liter Ferrari-derived V6 engine with two turbochargers. This wonderful-sounding engine produces 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque going out to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The sprint to 60 mph takes just 3.9 seconds and the Quadrifoglio can lap the Nurburgring in just seven minutes 39 seconds, a record for sedans at the time.
The Interior
The Giulia's interior is not what we'd call class-leading but it feels appropriate for a luxury car. Alfa Romeo strangely decided to use different infotainment than any other FCA brand, opting to copy BMW's iDrive rather than just use the excellent Uconnect system. While not the most intuitive or reliable system, it handles the basics just fine.
The company does at least use premium leather and Alcantara materials and the optional carbon fiber-backed Sparco racing seats are pretty aggressive. The Giulia's rear-seat accommodations are by no means the largest in this segment but can comfortably fit two average-sized adults.
Verdict
Used Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio prices may fall even further but now is an excellent time to buy a used example that still comes with the balance of a warranty. When it arrived back in 2016, the Quadrifoglio was quickly hailed as the prettiest and most well-balanced performance sedan on the market and even in 2020, its reputation hasn't faded. With prices now sitting at around 60 percent of their original value, it is a great time to buy a used Quadrifoglio.