This year, Alfa Romeo returns to the US market with a splash by introducing both a new crossover SUV and its classic luxury sedan – the Giulia. The Giulia offers luxury sedan buyers a unique choice among standard fare from BMW, Jaguar, and Audi, adding a slew of features to ensure an elegant and rewarding drive.

Since the Giulia is new to the US market, changes to the model are relatively minimal for 2019. New standard equipment includes 19-inch aluminum wheels for the Ti Sport version, anodized brake calipers with red Alfa Romeo script for the Quadrifoglio, and a 40/20/40 folding rear seat with a third rear headrest for the Quadrifoglio. New wheel options and new paint colors are available for 2019 as well, and buyers can also add heated rear seats. New Nero Edizione and Sport Carbon packages add either black or carbon fiber accents inside and out.

Most Giulias get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque, and this powertrain pairs to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard, but Alfa Romeo also offers the car in all-wheel-drive (AWD). The Quadrifoglio model features an upgraded 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6. This engine makes a whopping 505 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, and it is only offered in RWD. No matter which engine buyers choose, the Giulia takes premium gasoline only. A standard RWD car will manage 24 miles per gallon city, 33 highway, and 27 combined while all-wheel drive drops fuel economy to 23, 31, and 26. The Quadrifoglio, meanwhile, gets 17, 24, and 20.

Overall, the Giulia easily balances fun and sportiness with comfortability as a daily driver. Its steering is quick and sharp, and Brembo brakes are standard equipment while the stiffer suspension is optional. The high-performance Quadrifoglio model also upgrades the Giulia’s suspension with an active setup that makes it usable on both road and track. Carbon ceramic brakes are also available on the Quadrifoglio.

The inside of the Giulia features well-bolstered seats, a thick-rimmed steering wheel, and deep-set hooded gauges. Alfa also added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for 2019, and heated rear seats are a new option for 2019. Most Giulias get a Harman Kardon stereo, an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, and dual-zone automatic climate control as standard equipment, and 10-way power adjustable front seats are standard as well.

Upgrade options include a moonroof, heated rear seats and steering wheel, and an upgraded 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo while Giulia Lusso (Italian for “Luxury”) models get upgraded leather upholstery and one of two wood trims. The Giulia Ti model also gets additional leather trim for the dashboard and doors. The Quadrifoglio offers even more premium upgrades with carbon fiber Sparco seats and standard Nappa leather upholstery.

The Giulia comes standard with a reversing camera and rear park assist, but the rest of the safety features come bundled into several packages. The Driver Assistance Static package includes front park assist, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-path detection, and auto-dimming mirrors. The Driver Assistance Dynamic Plus package, meanwhile, adds adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, and automatic high beam headlights. The IIHS has given the Alfa Romeo Giulia its Top Safety Pick status when equipped with automatic high beams.