As the weighty key fob of a black Junior Veloce was handed to me in the parking lot of the Museo Alfa Romeo just outside Milan, Italy, fond memories of running a long-term MiTo came flooding back. What a feisty little tyke that was – a real tryer, warts and all. Although overly encumbered by humble underpinnings, an underwhelming interior, sad-puppy looks and a three-door-only bodystyle, the baby Alfa Romeo somehow made a fan of me. Sadly, very few car buyers agreed, resulting in MiTo sales falling well below expectations. What fate awaits the new Junior we cannot say, but in Veloce guise it appears to be off to a decent start.
Visually at least, Alfa’s littlest newcomer isn’t as divisive. Parked in front of the dramatically lit museum the car’s compact SUV proportions might have looked out of place in years gone by, but for better or worse they fit right in with today’s SUV-heavy line-up of Stelvio and Tonale. Is it a style icon? Stylish yes, iconic not. Judged against South Korea’s avant-garde electric revolution it is not all that daring, either. It is handsome, though, with chunky proportions and sporty detailing in the form of red accents and striking 20-inch, four-spoke ‘Venti’ wheels.
Other standout features include wavy rear hips, a truncated tail, distinctive lighting units and an asymmetric black grille with openings that mimic the child-swallowing biscione Visconteo Alfa badge. Labelled ‘Progresso’ by Alfa, the controversial new Scudetto all but disappears against our car’s black paint.
First impressions of the cabin are firmly positive, despite the obvious Stellantis parts-bin switchgear sharing: HVAC controls, drive-mode button, central air vents, button cluster and all. Bespoke, four-leafed-clover side vents, beautiful digital instruments shrouded in a traditional dual cowl housing and an Alfa Romeo-specific steering wheel make it all feel more special.
Stars of the show, though, are the exclusive Corsa seats in black and red suede. These, along with a leather and Alcantara-covered steering wheel, form part of the optional Sport Pack. Firm, and deceptively comfortable, the Sabelt-branded seats offer substantial hip and shoulder-hugging support, while their metal-look inserts, red stitching and bold red logo add fantastic visual appeal.
All the lower touchpoints, including the central and door armrests and the lower section of the dashboard, are upholstered in matching suede, which bestows a wonderfully tactile sense of luxury that is quite at odds with the hard and hollow feel of the dash-top plastics. That is the only slight letdown to front-seat life.
Adults forced into the cheap seats won’t enjoy the performance as much, because legroom is at a premium in row two. The consolation is a usefully large 400-litre boot. There is no frunk. Opening the bonnet reveals a large plastic cover reminiscent of most modern internal-combustion engines. This turns out to be a storage box for the charging cable – neat!
Built on the same eCMP platform that underpins the electric versions of the Vauxhall Mokka, Fiat 600, Peugeot 2008 and Jeep Avenger, you might think that the Veloce couldn’t possibly deliver genuine sportiness. You’d be dead wrong. However, there is a small caveat – stiffer springs, a 25mm-lower ride height than lesser versions and 20-inch rims translate into a very firm ride. On highways and most urban Tarmac you are none the wiser, but horribly broken-up industrial roads en route to our hotel 15km north of Milan produced the sort of jarring hits through the chassis that in the old days would’ve changed the radio station. You simply wouldn’t encounter surfaces that bad on a carefully planned new-car launch route.
The upside to all that tautness is proper sports car levels of body control. Add direct, feelsome steering and a mechanically locking differential to the instant urge of a powerful electric motor, and you have an enjoyable driving experience that is convincingly sporting. Alfa says the torque-sensing diff, a first on a front-drive EV, is “tasked with the dynamic, consistent distribution of torque between the front drive wheels”.
A few hours of heavy Milanese traffic provided no clues as to its effectiveness as an understeer mitigator, but a stolen opportunity on the little circuit in front of the museum left me hankering for more time behind the wheel. The Veloce absolutely came alive on track thanks to the balance, (Michelin) grip and the agile steering that disguises the car’s mass so beautifully. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but in the EV world, the nearly 1.6-tonne Junior 280 Veloce is actually not all that heavy.
Pleasingly, Alfa has resisted the current trend to digitally recreate the sound of a fuel-burner in performance-oriented EVs. Instead, you get a far more subtle, low volume ‘electric driving sound’ that neither irritates nor excites. As with all Alfa Romeos, the Junior is equipped with a D.N.A. drive-mode selector. Advanced Efficiency turns the throttle pedal into a lifeless sponge – avoid. Responsive and fun, Natural is the Goldilocks mode for everyday driving. And Dynamic mode increases steering and throttle sensitivity, as well as releases all the available electricity, turning the Junior into the equivalent of a late-’70s supercar.
It will do 0-62mph in less than six seconds, with enough instant torque to get the front tyres to momentarily squirm like a bit of old-fashioned torque steer. A combo of trick diff and electronics sorts it very quickly, but it is another reminder that this Alfa is alive and exciting.
I admit I was expecting one-pedal driving, but the car’s 380mm front discs with four-piston monobloc calipers are set up to resist such unsporting activities. In Alfa’s words: “The fully mechanical braking contributes to the overall sporty feel.” Despite moments where I would have liked a bit more feel through the brake pedal, overall I would agree. If you do want efficiency-optimising regenerative braking on throttle lift-off, there is a B-mode (brake) button for that.
The electric motor itself punches out 276bhp and 345Nm of torque, with power coming from a 54kWh battery pack that takes 30 minutes to charge from 20 to 80 percent with a 100kW DC fast charger. The official range is 410km (255 miles) on the WLTP cycle. In our day and a half with the car, we covered around a third of that distance with the ‘needle’ suggesting we could still manage another 220km (137 miles) before a battery boost would become a priority.
My hot take from this admittedly short test is that the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce is worthy of the badge. An EV for all enthusiasts, not just for Alfisti. As with the equally compact MiTo it shares a platform with more humble cousins, but it corrects that car’s shortcomings by offering a better-quality interior, five doors and sports car performance. Broadly talented, it encourages you to drive with more brio than you first expect.
Not only that, but its stellar dynamic qualities make its weight and lack of engine noise feel far less significant. If you’re looking for premium-compact driving thrills, and can live with the firm ride, cosy cabin and 250-mile range, the Junior Elletrica 280 Veloce is one to shortlist.
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