Alfa Romeo has shown off its new compact Junior crossover range that will include petrol-electric hybrid and all-electric models, and will battle for sales with other Stellantis stablemates like the Jeep Avenger.
As the model pictures show, the car was originally named the ‘Milano’ – that moniker has now been scrapped due to issues raised by Italian politicians. The ‘Milano’ would have no direct relation to Italy’s Milan, instead being built in Poland, and Politicians argue that this is illegal by Italian law.
Instead, Alfa Romeo has opted to avoid potential controversy and call the new crossover the Junior – a model name that harpers back to the marque’s sporting history in the 1960s. Taking the entry-level place of the small Mito and Giulietta models that have been retired in recent years, the Junior will sit below the Tonale and Stelvio SUV’s in Alfa’s range.
The range in Europe will include both petrol-electric hybrid ‘Ibrida’ and electric ‘Elettrica’ variants, but Alfa is yet to announce if the ‘Ibrida’ will be coming to the UK. At the moment, we understand that the brand has only expressed British launch plans for the ‘Elettrica’ range.
Like the Jeep Avenger, the Junior Elettrica will be powered by a 54kWh battery that can charge at speeds up to 100kW. Two different variants will be offered – the standard 156hp ‘Elettrica’ and the top-spec 240hp ‘Elettrica Veloce’. The former can complete a 0-62mph sprint in nine seconds flat, while the later reduces this sprint time to seven seconds. Alfa adds that the car’s electric range is 255 miles on a single charge.
At around 4.2 metres long, the Junior is a bit bigger than the Jeep Avenger, and near the same size as the Fiat 600e. The boot has space for up to 400 litres of luggage, impressive for a car of this size, though it’s not clear if this stands for the ‘Ibrida’ or ‘Elettrica’ and whether these different powertrains have different boot sizes.
LED headlights and daytime running lights come as standard, as does a pair of ten-inch displays inside – one for the digital instrument panel and the other a infotainment touchscreen.
This infotainment system is customisable and can download over-the-air updates, which means that the car can download further software upgrades and features after sale remotely while sitting in the driveway. Like other brands, Alfa has also introduced an AI-powered voice assistant that can be used to control various settings and respond to queries.
That sums up the broad strokes of this new model announcement. The Junior’s UK pricing is yet to be revealed, but the manufacturer says that the crossover will become available to order in the Summer.
