2026 Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida review: Australian first drive

Alfa Romeo’s new Junior SUV has arrived, slotting in as a light SUV. But really, its positioning as a new entry point to the brand is the more interesting news.

Kicking off at $45,900 before on-road costs, the Junior competes against the likes of the Lexus LBX ($47,550) and Audi Q2 ($49,400) in its mild-hybrid form, both before on-road costs also.

But there is also an all-electric version, priced at $57,900, that would be a natural rival to the Mini Aceman (from $55,990) and Cupra Born (MY24 from $59,990).

At the launch, however, only the mild-hybrid version, known as the Ibrida, was available, which offers up an attractive alternative to the usual German fare.

In the way of standard features, the Junior is relatively stacked with equipment for an ‘entry-level’ grade.

Fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, contrasting black roof, LED matrix headlights, a powered tailgate, and gloss-black exterior accents, Alfa Romeo’s new model looks suitably upmarket from the outside.

Inside, buyers are treated to a black cloth and leatherette seat trim, aluminium pedals and door sills, eight-colour ambient lighting, heated front seats, a wireless smartphone charger, push-button start, a powered driver’s seat with a massage function, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster – all nice touches.

The single-zone climate control and manually adjustable front passenger seat do feel more low-rent than I’d like for an Alfa Romeo, but the Junior’s feature list is nicely balanced with must-haves and nice-to-haves.

The vehicle features a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, while also standard are front and rear parking sensors, Level 2 autonomous driving technology, and a reversing camera.

Only two options are available on the Junior, premium paint and a sunroof, both priced at $1990 each, which speaks to how much equipment is already packed into the Junior.

Styling is a key point for the Alfa Romeo Junior, debuting a bold new look to appeal to younger – and female – buyers more than the traditional Alfisti.

The front sports a bold new grille – Australian cars fitted with the ‘Alfa Romeo’ script as standard – and an aggressive bumper and headlight arrangement.

Similarly, the rear tail-light arrangement and roof-mounted spoiler convey a sporty vibe, and the profile connects the front and back with a striking, sweeping shoulder line.

Overall, I like the look of the Junior, blending both modern and classic elements together in a way that will age the new model gracefully, and the Junior certainly holds its own standing alongside the Giulia, Stelvio, and Tonale.

Put another way, it’s unmistakably Alfa, even if its underpinnings are shared with a Peugeot 2008 and Jeep Avenger.

That architecture does reveal itself if you dig a bit deeper, with the indicator and windscreen wiper stalks lifted straight from a Peugeot, but the rest of the Junior's interior remains bespoke.

And because of that, the Junior feels like an Alfa Romeo through and through.

The nestled 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, soft-touch leather steering wheel, dual-shrouded instrument binnacle, and leather and cloth-trimmed seats all feel suitably Italian – and, more importantly, premium.

One gripe I can level at the Junior’s front seat ergonomics, however, is the raised central tunnel, which is designed to cocoon the driver and make them feel better ensconced.

In reality, the gear and drive-mode selector just end up awkwardly placed and my elbow ends up hitting the centre armrest every time I need to fiddle with the controls.

Not the most comfortable or well-thought-out placement – but at least Alfa Romeo has opted for a paddle-style gear selector rather than a full gear stick to keep the cabin feeling airy.

While front passengers will be comfortable, the same cannot be said for rear occupants. As a light SUV with a footprint smaller than a Toyota Corolla, second-row comfort does take a hit with the Junior.

Being 186cm tall, I can just about fit behind my preferred driving position, and there is enough head room, but shoulder and leg space leave much to be desired.

The second row will do in a pinch for your buddies on occasion, but given the Junior’s positioning and size, it might be best used for fur babies or shopping.

Also note that optioning the sunroof does eat into head room a little thanks to a prominent roof liner protrusion. If you think you will regularly use the second row, do not tick that box.

While the rear seats might not afford that much space, the boot of the Junior certainly does.

Able to swallow a 415-litre load in the rear, the Junior can easily accommodate even the most spendy shopping spree.

The boot floor is also adjustable to various levels and configurations, so you can choose your own setup when it comes to storage space.

So far so good with the Junior, but Alfas have also promised a sportier-than-usual drive too.

Under the bonnet of the Ibrida variant, you will find a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance.

Fed to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida has a combined 107kW/230Nm at its disposal – numbers that are far from impressive.

For context, the more affordable Mazda CX-3 with its 2.0-litre petrol engine offers up more power (110kW), as does the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (146kW).

In fact, the same powertrain is found in the related Peugeot 2008, which can be had from $42,490 plus on-road costs.

Don’t get me wrong, there is enough pep in the Junior’s step off the line, but wringing out the engine to its redline is far from an enjoyable experience.

With a 0–100km/h acceleration time of 8.9 seconds, the Junior is hardly an impromptu drag-race contender, but luckily, maximum torque is available early on at 1750rpm.

This means at speeds below 60km/h in urban settings is where the Junior shines brightest.

The steering is also up to task, serving enough feedback and feel where tipping the Junior into a fast corner feels rewarding and exciting.

In terms of ride comfort and body control, the high-riding Junior is limited by its SUV status – which means some noticeable roll in quick directional changes – but around town, the new Alfa does an admirable job of keeping occupants cosseted.

It can get caught out, though, as those 18-inch wheels shod in 215/55 tyres do crash about over potholes and bumps.

While the Junior might not be as scintillating to steer as some of Alfa’s best, it does offer great fuel economy.

Officially, it will return a combined average of 4.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which affords it a theoretical driving range of 1073km – enough to travel from Melbourne to Sydney without stopping.

It’s a fantastically low number for a well-equipped premium model without a full hybrid system.

That is because of two things.

The first is that the Junior Ibrida is relatively light, tipping the scales at 1280kg tare weight.

And the second is the great mild-hybrid set-up that can utilise electric-only driving in more situations than what other brands offer, including in frequent stop/start traffic that would quickly guzzle fuel on engine reignition.

That combination means you will see real-world fuel efficiency gains – I saw a circa 5L/100km figure after some spirited driving – without the complexity, weight, and cost of a full hybrid system.

Overall, the Alfa Romeo Junior is appealing not because it has the best driving experience, offers unbeatable value, or is clever with its packaging.

But a blend of its frugal powertrain and standout styling makes it the chic choice for those after an in-vogue urban SUV that will be more at home amongst Burberry and YSL, rather than at the Bunbury RSL.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

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