Mild-hybrid expected to outsell all-electric version of Alfa Romeo's new Junior light SUV, but whether it can help the Italian brand's bottom line is still to be seen.
Customers of the new Alfa Romeo Junior light SUV are expected to gravitate more towards the more affordable mild-hybrid Ibrida than the pricier all-electric Elettrica.
This is according to Stellantis Australia Product Manager Bridget Thomson, who told Drive that early customer interest in the Junior has favoured the mild-hybrid.
“At the moment, the interest is definitely more so on the Ibrida variant, but our key takeaway in bringing both vehicles to market is that not everyone is going to be at the same stage on their electrification journey,” Thomson said.
“Having the best of both worlds, having the Elettrica and the Ibrida, it’s there for all customers, but at this stage we’ve had more interest in the Ibrida due to that value proposition.
“It’s a great introduction into the Alfa Romeo brand.”
The Junior is Alfa Romeo Australia’s most affordable model, starting from $45,900 before on-road costs for the Ibrida and rising to $57,900 for the Elettrica.
The next most affordable model is the Tonale small SUV, which kicks off from $50,900, followed by the Giulia sedan from $69,950, and then the Stelvio SUV at $77,950.
It is currently unclear whether the Junior will become the brand’s best-selling model given its lower entry point, but the Italian brand has been struggling to break new ground this year.
For the first six months of this year, the Giulia has emerged as the best-selling Alfa Romeo model, amassing 119 deliveries.
The Tonale is the second-most popular model, with 96 sales, while the Stelvio has a 67-unit total.
Overall, Alfa Romeo Australia has sold 282 cars this year, down 24 per cent over the same period last year.
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.
