Alfa Romeo Giulia 2020 revealed: Sedan gets major tech upgrade

Alfa Romeo has added more technology to its Giulia mid-size sedan as part of a minor facelift that is expected to enter Australian showrooms next year.

An Alfa Romeo Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide that local plans for the refreshed Giulia are yet to be confirmed, although an announcement regarding them is due as soon as January.

While trainspotters will be hard pressed to spot the external differences between the new and old Giulias – aside from three new paintwork options and three grade-specific trim packages (body colour, Dark Miron and carbon-fibre), there aren’t any – the changes inside are much more obvious.

Specifically, the Giulia’s 8.8-inch central display has been upgraded to a touchscreen that gives its revamped multimedia system a second input method alongside the carryover rotary-dial controller.

The system is powered by a faster processor, features sharper graphics and has driver-configurable interactive widgets.

A 7.0-inch multi-function display remains wedged between the traditional tachometer and speedometer but has been redesigned to offer more information while being easier to read.

The Giulia’s 8.8-inch central display has been upgraded to a touchscreen.

The centre console has also been overhauled with better materials, larger cupholders, a new smartphone storage area with wireless charging, and an Italian flag at the base of the gear selector, while the steering wheel features a new but familiar design.

The Giulia’s suite of advanced driver-assist systems has also been expanded to include all-speed autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, active blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention alert, highway and traffic-jam assist, and traffic sign recognition, all of which give the sedan Level 2 autonomous capability.

For reference, the Australian Giulia line-up currently consists of four full-time variants, ranging from the unnamed base grade ($60,900 plus on-road costs) to the fire-breathing Quadrifoglio flagship ($145,900).

In other markets, the entry-level and Super variants’ 147kW/330Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is offered once again alongside the Veloce’s 206kW/400Nm 2.0-litre and Quadrifoglio’s 375kW/600Nm 2.9-litre units.

Giulia sales have taken a significant hit this year, with 255 examples sold to the end of October – a 52.4 per cent decrease over the 536 examples sold during the same period in 2018.

Comparatively, 5775 combined units of the bestselling Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and wagon have found homes this year.