2025 Alfa Romeo Junior Review: Baby SUV sparks Italian resurgence against Japan, China, Germany and France
There have been some tough times for Alfa Romeo in this era of electrification and intensifying competition. But the Italian car maker is hopeful its all-new Junior has the substance to breathe life into the storied brand.
The Junior lives up to its name in stature. It’s a small SUV (although Alfa admits there are hints of hatch, too) to fight against the likes of the Lexus LBX, BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Volvo EX30. But it also ends up competing with all manner of rivals from Japan, Europe and China.
Very briefly named the Milano, Alfa Romeo was forced to backtrack on that because the Italian government stipulates cars with an Italian name need to be largely built in Italy.
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The Junior comes out of Poland and sits on the Common Modular Platform that also underpins many other models from parent company Stellantis. They include the Jeep Avenger and latest Peugeot 2008, as well as a Citroen, Fiat and various Opels.
While a pure EV version of the Junior is also available (and we’ll drive it soon), our intro to the Junior family was the mild hybrid – or Ibrida (doesn’t it sound so much better in Italian!?) – that is expected to account for the bulk of sales.
The new Junior is playing in the sweet spot of the market – small SUVs – and arrives with a tempting price tag.
2025 Alfa Romeo Junior price and equipment
The Alfa Romeo Junior is a small SUV with a small price tag, at least by luxury car standards.
It kicks off at $45,900 plus on-road costs for the Ibrida (hybrid).
For that you get 19-inch alloy wheels, smart key entry, faux leather and a power adjustable driver’s seat with massaging functions.
There’s also ChatGPT embedded as part of the voice operation services. Provided you’ve subscribed to the Alfa Romeo Connect system (it’s included for 12 months) then you can not only adjust the navigation or ask for advice on nearby coffee shops or the cheapest fuel but also check what ingredients you need to make a rich ragu or what the top grossing AC/DC songs are. The options are endless…
Safety is taken care of by six airbags, a swag of driver assist systems including autonomous emergency braking and a surround view camera. As yet, there’s no ANCAP safety rating.
The entry level Junior is powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo paired to a 21kW electric motor.
Between them they make a modest 107kW and 230Nm.
The EV model is known as Ellectrica. It’s got the same spread of equipment but adds $12,000 to the price.
The classic coloured Alfa Romeo badge gets a monochrome treatment for the Junior, giving it a more upmarket edge.
And Australian cars come exclusively with a black roof; a sunroof and metallic hues are each $1990 options.
2025 Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida: What we think
There are (rightfully) big expectations with an Alfa Romeo.
People expect them to look good. That box has been ticked with the Junior. Far from a generic SUV, the five-door is a lesson in head turning, starting with the stylish shield grille with Alfa Romeo elegantly scrawled across it.
There’s also an expectation that an Alfa Romeo will have a bit more zing to the way it laps up corners and builds pace.
It’s here where things get trickier, because beneath that Italian exterior is plenty of shared componentry that also finds a home in machinery with lower expectations in the way of character.
But engineers are adamant they’ve Alfa-filed it – and there’s some substance to the claim.
The hybrid drivetrain is no neck-snapper, with a modest 107kW and 230Nm.
But it’s playful and has a decent dollop of personality.
From low in the rev range there’s respectable pull, the turbo engine teaming with the 21kW electric motor to hussle things along.
Rev it out and there’s a characterful thrum from the three-pot.
Whereas many 48V hybrids don’t have an electric motor driving the wheels – the battery side can be to power ancillaries and allow the engine to shut down more often – with the Junior it absolutely does.
So it’s quite active by 48V mild hybrid standards.
While we never matched the 4.1L/100km fuel use claim, it was easy enough to get it into the low 5s, or a little more with a spirited thrash the Italians would welcome.
The six-speed twin-clutch auto dishes up seamless shifts, only occasionally caught in the wrong cog when reapplying the throttle.
Three drive modes as part of the DNA selector – Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency – adjust the role the engine plays and steering feel.
Nestling into the cabin it’s clear who the focus is in the Junior: the driver.
Big circular cowlings around the instrument cluster point at the person behind the wheel (it’s a shame the rectangular digital cluster housed within doesn’t quite match the exterior boldness) and the centre console is tilted towards the driver.
But it’s the chassis that most eloquently reinforces the Alfa Romeo genes.
The Junior is impressively athletic and agile, the sort of car that relishes corners and steps up when pace is called on.
It’s competent, too, so when you push on it rewards the driver.
In front-drive fashion it leans on its nose, but it’s responsive to driver inputs and leverages grip from all four corners
And it’s easy to live with.
The controls are light, it doesn’t use much fuel and it’s fairly comfortable.
That said, the suspension is a mixed bag. It’s quite compliant and occasionally bordering on plush across loping country roads, but over a chopped-up surface it’s a lot more brittle.
There’s the occasional gripe, such as no grab handles inside, which can be an issue from the passenger seat when some sportiness is unleashed. There’s also notable wind noise rustling around at speed.
But some of the design elements nicley play to the brand’s rich heritage. The snake motifs in the air vents and rear outer roof pillars, as well as ambient lighting.
A mixture of dark greys and shiny black characterise the cabin as well as some faux leather. The classy red stripe that blends into grey on its edges down the centre of the seats is a nice touch.
The Junior isn’t a car you’d want to be regularly convincing adults to get in the rear of.
While rear seat head room is OK, knee room is a battle depending on how much the person up front is prepared to sacrifice.
Little people won’t have as much to complain about, although they may not appreciate the high back window. And three across the rear would be a stretch.
There are no rear air vents either, just a single USB-C port to match the twin charging options up front.
Similarly, the boot is compact, although three heights for the load floor add to its functionality.
2025 Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida: Verdict
The Alfa Romeo Junior arrives in a hard fought market segment that not only includes includes established players – including some solid luxury options – but also aspirational newcomers and a swag of hybrids and EVs.
In true Alfa Romeo style the Junior brings fashion to the table – or the road.
But whereas engines have long been the heartbeat of an Alfa Romeo, with the Junior it’s less likely to get your chest pounding. It’s arguably more exciting at the bowser when you realise how little fuel it’s used.
Instead, the Alfa magic – and glimpse of that Italian passion – lies in the way it slices through corners.
Now Alfa needs to convince small SUV buyers to give it a go.
Score: 3.5/5
2025 Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida specifications
Price: $45,900 plus on-road costs
Basics: Mild hybrid, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, FWD
Battery capacity: 0.9kW lithium-ion
Powertrain: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo with 48V electric motor
Output: 107kW/230Nm (electric motor: 21kW)
Combined output: 107kW/230kW
Transmission: Six-speed dual clutch
Fuel consumption: 4.1L/100km (ADR)
CO2: 92g/km
0-100km/h: 8.9 seconds
