Review of the new Alfa Romeo 159 1.8 MPI

Is it possible to write anything about the Alfa Romeo 159 without lapsing into paroxysms regarding its styling? I'm beginning to think not. Yes, it is an incredibly good looking car, and some of you may be wearing lamp post bruises caused by rubbernecking it as it rolls down the street, but there are some technical treats about this car that may well have gone unnoticed. One of them is the 1.8-litre MPI petrol engine that will power a good proportion off all UK 159s.

There are more glamorous engines in the 159 line-up. Petrolheads will want to try the 260bhp 3.2-litre V6, based on a Holden unit from Australia and rebuilt to a special Alfa recipe, while those who prefer the brutish surge of a big diesel will relish the 200bhp 2.4-litre JTD powerplant. These engines are boutique items though, reserved for those who have a sizeable wedge of disposable income to spend on such automotive hedonism. If your means are a little closer to the average UK household salary, the £19,000 159 1.8 MPI is a far more practical proposition, especially if you opt for the £21,500 Sportwagon estate variant.

It's entirely understandable for you to make some snap judgements about this car. The first is that it's a sizeable piece of machinery, bigger in virtually every dimension than the 156 it replaced. Secondly, you're probably wondering how effective a 1.8-litre petrol engine is going to be at moving that mass and coming up with the answer 'not very.' Alfa Romeo is going to have to do some serious reassuring with this model because it's actually a whole lot more promising than initial impressions appear. And this even though the engine generates just 140bhp, 20bhp down on the 1.9-litre JTS unit it replaces.

"The Alfa 159 1.8 MPI is a car that does plate glass reflections like few others"

Although it doesn't possess that addictive metallic zing of the old Twin Spark unit fited to the 156, the MPI engine is refined and smooth even at higher revs. There's decent torque at lower revs and a better power response than you might expect at higher engine speeds. 175Nm of torque is available at 4,500rpm which is, as expected, about midway between a BMW 318i and a 320i. It'll get to 60mph in 10.2 seconds and a high top gear sees it capable of hitting a 128mph maximum.

Watching one appear in my rear-view at the Nurburgring, I can assure you this vehicle has more overtaking presence than almost any BMW, the gimlet-eyed headlamps and razor-sharp front grille looking rather intimidating. The rear end is genuinely tricky to differentiate from the 156 at first glance, but the side view shows sharper creasing and swage lines and a longer front end. As cohesive a piece of penmanship as the 156 was, the 159 is a better balanced car.

It's not worth pretending that the Alfa 159 can hold a candle to a BMW 3 Series as an enthusiast's performance car. Its front wheel drive chassis precludes that. Still, as front wheel drive cars go, this is one of the very best. Perhaps the 3 Series is the wrong car against which to benchmark the 159. It seems a more natural competitor to top-end Honda Accords and Saab 9-3s. This 'sub premium' compact executive sector still yields significant returns and is populated by cars like the Volvo S60 and the Jaguar X-TYPE, cars which the Alfa compares very favourably to.

The architecture of the 159's cabin is perhaps a little disappointing, offering an evolution of the 156's fascia which looked great in '98 but which now looks a little dated compared to the more imaginative designs out there. Build quality seems better than before and rear legroom and headroom have both improved, although you'd opt for a Saab or Volvo if this was a priority. The boot, however, is way bigger than you'd have any right to expect and the folding rear seats endow the 159 saloon with an admirable load carrying ability.

Of course, if you want carrying space, you'll want the 159 Sportwagon model. Or perhaps you won't - if your blend of practicality involves lugging wardrobes or cubic hectares of garden waste. Still, with 445 cubic litres when the rear seats are in place, it's only 15-litres shy of a 3 Series Touring and a whopping 80 litres up on the old 156 Sportwagon. At least now it can justify its existence as something other than a pretty face.

Whereas many other manufacturers have learned all sorts of tricks from building MPV-style vehicles and have incorporated these into their estate cars, Alfa Romeo remain resiliently old school. The rear seats may be pleasantly light and easy to flip forward but the seat squabs stay fixed, which means that the seat backs won't fold flat. This limits the overall carrying capacity. Some estate cars also feature neat touches like fold out compartment dividers and chromed steel floor rails so that heavy goods can slide in without destroying the carpet, even pull out loading platforms.

You don't get that with the 159 Sportwagon but that's not to say the Alfa is just a show pony. As well as an auxiliary power supply in the luggage bay, there's a light, a pull cover and, best of all, the basic shape of the load area is broad, flat and low with no intrusion from the rear suspension. The actual useable space may well be greater than those with greater quoted capacity in cubic litres. The rear seats split 60/40 and there's a fold down section in the middle that's great for carrying longer items. There's even a small cargo net on one side that's a handy place to store gloves, a torch or other bits and pieces.

Much will depend on how much success Alfa Romeo have in polishing their rather hit and miss dealer network. At least the MPI's lower pricing will help and in cars like this one, the Italians are developing a formidable portfolio. No wonder the Germans are peering across the Alps to see what's coming out of Turin next.