Alfa Romeo has confirmed its first-ever SUV, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio will go on-sale in Australia in early 2018, no pricing has been announced.

THE ALFA ROMEO HAS BEEN confirmed for a Q1 2018 launch in Australia, while no pricing has been announced, the SUV will be available in three model variants, with two engine types and with a couple of cost-option packages. Practical Motoring has already driven the new Stelvio at its international launch, and you can read that review HERE.

“The all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio, named after one of the world’s great driving roads – Italy’s Stelvio Pass – will set a new benchmark for the segment in Australia,” said Steve Zanlunghi, CEO – Alfa Romeo Australia.

“Alfa Romeo’s blend of expert engineering and emotion creates a premium mid-size SUV for true driving enthusiasts, and one that will stand out in one of the largest and fastest-growing segments in Australia.

“Having already wowed the automotive world with the unveiling of the stunning Quadrifoglio at the Los Angeles Auto Show, we’re thrilled to now confirm new additions the Stelvio range.”

When it goes on-sale here, the Stelvio will be offered with either a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 149kW and 330Nm of torque (it’ll hit 0-100km/h in 7.2secs) or a 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine producing 156kW and 450Nm of torque, it’ll hit 100km/h in 7.6 seconds. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive which is a predominantly rear-biased set-up but which can send up to 60% of its torque to the front axle.

There will be no cost-option packages, and these are the Super “Lusso” Package and the veloce Package. The former offers Pieno Fiore luxury leather upholstered front seats, luxury steering wheel (heated), and walnut wax accents throughout the front cabin, while the latter gets sports leather seats, sport steering wheel, an aluminium interior trim including aluminium sports pedals and red brake calipers.

As far as safety features are concnered, the Stelvio will be offered with autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, rear-view camera, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection.

Pricing and final specification will be announced closer to the launch date next year.