Alfa Romeo

Brera

Sportiness, elegence and performance all neatly packaged in one impressive vehicle. This coupe oozes Italian finesse along with extreme comfort levels in a light, airy and spacious cockpit. The driver positioning is second to none with all controls close to hand.

Test Drive

Alfa Romeo Brera JTDm 2.0 3-door Coupe

With its beautifully crafted streamlining, unmistakable Italian chic and powerful performance, the Alfa Romeo Brera is guaranteed to stand out in any crowded car park.

From the second you lay eyes on the car, it offers a uniqueness that is so Alfa Romeo with its twin chrome double tailpipes, tinted glass, smart alloys, the triangular grille with floating badge and, of course, the off-centre front number plate.

But this car is so much more than eye candy – it offers plenty of the company’s sporting spirit along with more traditional creature comforts to produce a brilliant all-rounder.

The seats are body hugging and although there is some room for rear seat passengers, the space is a tad limited. Elsewhere the boot is generously sized and the rear seats can be folded flat to increase luggage capacity.

The glove box is illuminated and the front armrest has a temperature controlled compartment which is very handy.

There is plenty of top-notch technology up front with cruise control, a multi-function sports steering wheel, electrically adjustable heated front seats, dual zone automatic climate control, an excellent audio system and plenty more besides.

But bells and whistles apart, the Brera is all about performance and, boy, it loves to show off to an audience.

The 2.0-litre diesel engine delivers incredible power whilst remaining impressively low on fuel consumption.

In and around town, it ambles through the crowded traffic with ease, and squeezing into tight spaces is made all the easier thanks to the parking sensors. Although visibility is generally good it is a little limited through the small sloping rear window, but that’s the case in most coupe models to be fair.

Then out on the open road, the Brera bursts into action as it accelerates smoothly through the manual six-speed transmission. Road-holding is excellent even at higher speeds and although the cabin noise is a little loud, you can always crank up the volume on the stereo.

Alfa Romeo has fitted a very comprehensive list of safety features to the Brera including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, a tyre pressure monitoring system, “follow-me-home” headlights, numerous airbags, vehicle dynamic control with hill holder and a whole lot more.

There is also a coded immobiliser and alarm system to keep any uninvited attention at bay.

All in all, the Brera is not cheap with an on-the-road cost just shy of £25k, but for that outlay you do get a great deal of car with excellent specifications and the Alfa styling and characteristics that always stand out from the crowd.