Alfa Romeo’s 159 has all of the familiar styling traits that have come to be expected from an Alfa. This car has a long stylish front-end, a short tail, and of course the Alfa Romeo shield shaped grille. The 159 is an elegant attention grabber that has Alfa enthusiasts and everyone in the industry taking notice. This car has been improved from the smaller 156 version with better performance quality, high standards of workmanship and more cabin space. Alfa Romeo has never had a shortage of style; they have always produced a beautiful, stylish end product. They have however, had some performance problems that have given their competitors an upper-hand in the past. The 159 has given Alfa their competitive edge back in this niche of the market. The 159 seems to be the total package that Alfa has been striving to create. The 159’s quality levels have been compared to that of Audi and have surpassed other leading competitors. The Alfa 159 provides a classy, reliable vehicle, with fantastic safety features at an affordable price. This Alfa certainly puts the company back on the radar screen not just as a contender but as a leading competitor.
Practicality
When compared to the 159’s compact executive rivals the 159 provides a lot more value for the money. The diesel engine option provides increased value in the form of fuel savings. Insurance costs will be similar to other cars in this sector; however, resale value for the 159 will be considerably less. The front of the cabin is quite spacious; passengers have plenty of room and should find it quite comfortable. The rear passengers however have substantially less room and the level of comfort will depend largely on the size of the passenger. The rear storage area is fairly large, but the opening is a tad bit on the small side. The Alfa Romeo 159 comes with controls large controls that are easy to manipulate and use. The displays are easy to read and functional. Front seat passengers should have no trouble loading and unloading from the vehicle. The doors open wide and the seat sits high enough that passengers can slide into the vehicle without having to climb down into the seat. This isn’t the case with rear passengers. The door opening is smaller and the back seat is less spacious making loading and unloading from the rear more cumbersome. The 159 is a larger car and from the position of the driver it can be difficult to tell where the car’s large tail ends. In some models parking sensors are included and in other models they can be added on to the package. The car has light steering making navigating at low speeds trouble-free.
Life Style
Alfa Romeo’s 159 has a sophisticated driver appeal. This car is well built and a quality ride without sacrificing any of the style that Alfa Romeo has become famous for. The 159 is designed for a more mature driver. The larger car handles better on the road and provides a smooth, quiet ride. The diesel engine option makes the car an economical choice. The seats provide an extremely comfortable driving position and the competitive price makes it an all around great deal. The 159 would make a decent family car. Children could more easily gain access to rear seating than adults, and there would be plenty of legroom and headroom for a child. The boot is not quite large enough to comfortably carry large items (strollers, wheel chairs, etc). This would not be the ideal first car. The car is a little too large for new drivers, and certain variations make the car too powerful for first time drivers. The controls are easy enough to use for new drivers, but the car size is not ideal. Alfa Romeo has had its fair share of image problems. The company has had to face poor performance and reliability issues head on. Things started to take a turn for the better with the introduction of the 156 model, and now the improved Alfa 159 model. Both vehicles were a testament to Alfa’s determination to provide a gorgeous, dependable vehicle at an affordable price.
Security and Safety
The 159 comes equipped with an alarm and an immobilizer system. This Alfa stands-out and it is strongly advised that the buyer purchase a visual theft deterrent system also. The 159 encompasses Alfa’s high standard of safety. It comes with seven airbags, not the usual six. Alfa has included a knee airbag for increased driver safety. The car has quality traction and stability controls that work well with the hard-hitting 2.4 diesel variant.
The Finishing Touches
Taking center stage on the console the 159’s stereo comes with large knobs and a large display. Basic functions have been duplicated on the steering wheel. Sound quality is good and there is an option for a sat-nav system that puts the driver in contact with the necessary assistance. The 159 blends light and dark color variations throughout the cabin. Red is the color of choice to enhance all of the 159’s stylish features. Other colors are available, but the buyer is encouraged to stay away from darker colors that do not enhance the visual style of the Alfa 159.
Summary
The year 2011 saw the end of any new car offers on Alfa Romeo 159s as they were discontinued. Alfa has always produced visually beautiful cars that for one reason or another never delivered the expected level of performance. The Alfa’s 159 seems to be one of their first well rounded cars. It delivers in terms of size, performance, reliability, safety, and style. The 159 definitely raised the bar for Alfa Romeo.
