Features of owning an Italian car in Russia - from budget Fiat to luxury Alfa Romeos

Italian cars in Russia are traditionally disliked. They are known for being problematic, "fragile", with expensive spare parts and complex suspension.


The reviews of the owners of Italian cars are contradictory - someone says that they are no different from other "Europeans", but some confirm the legends about their unreliability.

But almost everyone speaks positively about the driving performance of the “Italians”. Allegedly, they drive like sports cars thanks to the settings of the engines and suspensions.

Today we will analyze three popular Italian models in different price categories. The simplest and cheapest Fiat Albea, the stylish Alfa Romeo 159 and the luxurious crossover from Alfa Romeo - the Stelvio.

Fiat albea

The Italian state employee made his debut in 2002, but they began to sell it in Russia after restyling in 2005. In 2006, the car began to be assembled at a plant in Naberezhnye Chelny.



The car was produced until 2012. On the used market, this model is sold from 130 rubles, with an average cost of 000 rubles.

Fiat Albea was assembled on the old Uno platform, which debuted in 1983. Despite such archaic roots, in safety tests, the model overtook the UAZ Patriot and was only one star behind the Hyundai Solaris.



Renault Logan was the main competitor of Fiat Albea, but the "Italian" lost in this race. Fiat's main problem is the higher cost.

The car had a partially galvanized body, so rusty versions are rarely found on the used market. But there are complaints about the quality of the paintwork - it is thin. The bottom was treated with mastic at the factory, so rust is also rare and local there.



Comparing the body quality of the Fiat Albea with the Renault Logan, you may be surprised to find that the “Frenchman” is seriously losing in this matter.
When choosing such a car for yourself, you need to look at the bodywork so that the door hinges do not sag, and the car does not have signs of serious accidents.

In the cabin of the Fiat Albea, everything is standard for a state employee. Despite the cheapness of finishing materials, the fit of the panels is neat.
The model was developed in 2002 for Brazil, so the stove here is of a “tropical” type - it heats poorly. Plus, the cooling system has a "disease" - the heater radiator connections flow right under the driver's feet.

The electrics at Fiat Albea are fully consistent with popular rumor - something periodically fails, fortunately, there are few options here.

Frequent breakdowns:

• ? stove motor
  
• ? door electrics
  
• ? Burning power window buttons
  
• ? High voltage wires
  

There are no complaints about the brakes, the suspensions are simple and reliable.

The gearbox is only in one form - it is a 5-speed manual. The unit is the simplest, originally from the 80s.



Engine 1,4 petrol 77 liters. With. This is the only motor in the range, if it is serviced on time, then it travels 400-500 thousand kilometers.
Fiat Albea is an excellent state employee that breaks almost all stereotypes about Italian cars. It is reliable and easy to repair and maintain. But the model looks fresh and budget, and the electronics here are not very high quality. But the car is cheap, which eliminates its shortcomings.

Alfa Romeo 159

A completely different type of car is the Alfa Romeo 159. This model is sold on the used market from 500 rubles, so you can’t call it a budget one. But it is difficult to sell such an Alfa even for the lowest cost - it is illiquid on the market. Few people want to mess with a stylish "Italian", and there are reasons for this.

Externally, the car is beautiful and attracts everyone's attention. But there are questions about the quality of body iron. It seems that there is galvanization here, but nothing unusual compared to cars from other manufacturers. For the money that they are trying to get for the Alfa Romeo 159, you can find a model with excellent galvanization, and an order of magnitude higher class.

In the cabin, the car also attracts attention. It is immediately clear that the car is positioned as a sports car.



As for engines, there is a wide choice, ranging from the base 1,8-liter to the top-end V6 with a displacement of 3,2 and a power of 260 hp. With.

Gear boxes:

• ? 6-speed manual
  
• ? 6-automatic transmission
  
• ? Selespeed robot
  

Rides Alfa Romeo 159 is interesting even with the base engine. Chassis settings allow you to enter turns at speed, and the signature shrill roar of the engines cannot be confused with anything else.



But with reliability, not everything is so rosy. The car loves original spare parts, there are no analogues on the market, which is understandable - the car is not often found. The paintwork is weak, the suspension does not like Russian roads, especially far from large cities.

Electronics here is problematic, frost and dirt adversely affect its performance.



Buying an Alfa Romeo 159 is a typical lottery with minimal chances of drawing a lucky ticket. A car, even in a well-groomed condition, will require expensive consumables. But if you like it, you can try it, what if you're lucky?

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Alfa Romeo Stelvio debuted in 2016, becoming the brand's first crossover. The advertising campaign promised to combine the daring and sporty character of the Giulia with the versatility of a family car. Did it work?

Let's start with the cost - Alfa Romeo Stelvio is an expensive premium crossover. The price for it starts from 2 rubles. Most often on sale there are cars with a 600-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with a capacity of 000 hp. With.



Inside, the cabin is premium and stylish at the same time. There is no longer that deliberate carelessness in execution, as in older Alfa Romeo models. It is spacious in front, but tall passengers with long legs will be uncomfortable in the back - there is not enough knee room.

But the luggage compartment pleases with the size and attention paid to it by engineers. There is even an outlet and a lot of pockets for various little things.

On the move, the car is good - it drives like a real Alpha. Despite the modest volume, the engineers managed to tune the engine for traction in a wide rev range. Pickup starts at 2, serious thrust appears at 000, and continues at 3. You need to thank the turbine for this.



The automatic transmission is set up perfectly, it shifts in time, sensitively reacting to the gas pedal.



Suspension unexpectedly for Alfa Romeo is comfortable and energy-intensive. This is surprising, but finally, on cars of this brand, you can easily conquer rural spaces and even drive into forests. Naturally, we must not forget that this is a crossover, not an SUV, and do not get into the dirt.

It turns out that the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a good family car, if you do not take into account the tightness in the back row? No, it’s just that the car is “fresh” and rare, so there is no information about typical breakdowns yet. But given that this is Alpha, there will be plenty of problems here. At least the cost of spare parts and consumables.

You can buy Italian cars, but before that you need to think a few times. Fiats, as a rule, will not ruin the owner, but Alfa Romeos are traditionally capricious. But if you want to try, then why not?