The Alfa Romeo Giulia (Generation I, Type 952) marks the great return of the cloverleaf brand to rear-wheel drive and characterful sedans. Based on the excellent Giorgio platform, it was designed with an ideal weight distribution (50/50) and a standard carbon fiber driveshaft. The 2016-2020 period covers the launch up to the interior redesign (MY2020) which corrected many finish defects and updated the infotainment. While its road behavior is unanimously praised as the category benchmark, the first years of production were marred by electronic bugs and teething problems. The 2.2 JTDm diesel engine (Alfa Romeo's first 100% aluminum diesel engine) accounted for the bulk of sales in Europe and proves to be mechanically very robust, although it requires appropriate use to avoid clogging.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is an engineer's car, designed primarily for driving pleasure. The 2.2 JTDm unit is mechanically very robust (aluminum block, solid timing chain, excellent ZF gearbox), but it suffers from the typical ailments of modern diesels if used in the city (EGR/DPF clogging). 2016-2017 models experienced teething problems with numerous electronic bugs often linked to imperfect battery management. Verdict: NEGOTIATE. Prioritize a model from late 2018, or ideally a MY2020, with a clear service history. Avoid diesels that have been primarily used in the city.