Alfa Romeo Junior: First Contact with the Highly Anticipated Italian Small SUV

Mito, Giulietta, and then…nothing! After the production of its city car was stopped in 2018 followed by its compact sedan two years later, Alfa Romeo went through a long and painful dry spell with only two models (Stelvio and Giulia) which were far from being mainstream and did not generate large sales volumes. But that lean period is over now. More than the Tonale SUV launched two years ago, its younger brother, the Junior, symbolizes a wider customer base.

Indeed, the Junior falls into the crowded but popular category of urban SUVs like the Renault Captur and Toyota Yaris Cross, which is the most lucrative automotive market in Europe. Even though it ranks last in this category, the Italian comes with solid arguments, as we experienced during our first encounter on the test tracks of Stellantis in Balocco, Italy.

It wasn’t supposed to be called that way, and if you don’t know why, you can find out here. Just like it’s not uncommon in families for the youngest to take the name of a grandfather or grandmother, Alfa Romeo finally chose to name its small SUV Junior, a label that was carried by a coupe (the GT Junior) which had a successful career in the late 60s-70s. While no one knows if the same fate awaits this descendant, there’s no doubt that this SUV meets the first line of any good Alfa tradition.

As usual, the Italian manufacturer has paid attention to the style of its creation. Beautiful curves, rear door handles integrated into the pillars, spectacular light signature, and a coupe SUV profile with a sharply inclined tailgate, this Junior shapes up to win hearts. It even enjoys a sophistication within the Alfa range, with two grille options depending on the trim level. The base versions feature a full name “Alfa Romeo” written in an old-fashioned typography, while on our top-of-the-line test model, it’s a revised biscione which is the snake present in the brand’s logo. In short, even though it’s all a matter of taste, this Junior will not leave anyone indifferent.