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By Jonathan Crouch

Alfa Romeo starts its EV mission with this car, the Junior. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 41

Alfa Romeo's first EV, the Junior, brings a sporty vibe to the bulging segment for compact electrified crossovers. Shared Stellantis Group underpinnings have been given the Milanese maker's evocative spin here - and you might really like the aspirational end result.

Backgroundword count: 192

'Electric according to Alfa Romeo'; what might that mean? We have our initial answer with this car, the marque's very first EV, the Junior. It was born in controversy, the name changed from 'Milano' a week after launch, following complaints from government officials that a moniker designating Italy's second city was inappropriate for a car assembled in Poland. This model couldn't be more significant, the first design created as part of the brand's ambitious 'Zero-to-Zero' mission, which targets the marque to go from no EVs to 100% Zero-Emission sales by 2027. That still looks a far-off target; even the Junior can also be had with a fossil-fuelled Hybrid powerplant, though it launched in the UK in the summer of 2024 as an EV. The brand likes to see this car as a 'spiritual successor' to its old Giulietta and Mito compact hatchbacks 'to attract a new generation of Alfisti'. And its mission is apparently to help the brand 'go from exclusive to inclusive'; rough translation - the typical current Alfa buyer is over 50 and a petrol head. That can't continue. Is the Junior the car to break that trend? Let's see.

Driving Experienceword count: 471

Both this Junior model's most direct Stellantis Group cousins, the Jeep Avenger and the Fiat 600, were launched as EVs, with 1.2-litre Hybrid petrol power following shortly after. That trend has again been replicated again here - there's a combustion 'Ibrida' version as well as the 'Elettrica' EV - which was predictable given that the market still isn't quite ready to be completely electric. Whether it's ready for this Alfa EV will be interesting to see. To be honest, there's not much that's particularly 'Alfa'-like about the kind of ordinary Junior 'Elettrica' we're trying here, which gets the usual Stellantis Group set-up that sees a 156hp motor energised by 54kWh battery, delivering range in this case rated at up to 255 miles. 62mph from rest takes a relatively leisurely 9.0s and top speed is limited to just 93mph. Still, there's the brand's usual DNA driving mode system (the letters standing for 'Dynamic', 'Natural' and 'Advanced efficiency' settings). You'll want to avoid the eco 'Advanced efficiency' mode because it restricts power to a feeble 79bhp; even with 'Natural' engaged, you only get 109bhp. Only 'Dynamic' releases the motor's full output. With that top setting selected, it really does feel quite engaging to drive - and there are several reasons why. The e-CMP2 platform all Juniors are based on is engineered around a wider track than you'd see it use with another equivalent Stellantis brand model - for more involving handling. Nor does this car feel quite as ponderous as some other small EVs at speed through the turns - which is partly because its 1,560kg kerb weight is about 200kgs lighter than the class norm. On top of that, there's well controlled body roll, feelsome brakes and a level of steering feel that's the best we've ever experienced with a small EV. All of this wieldiness bodes well for the top 'Elettrica Veloce' version that any remaining true 'Alfisti' prepared to take this step with the Milanese maker into a new fully-electrified future will prefer to target. This is the version of this car that the company seems to have put much of its efforts into, using engineers who'd previously worked on the Giulia GTA super saloon. This flagship variant uses the same battery as the base model, but gets a front-mounted 280hp motor borrowed from the Abarth 600e hot hatch, which powers the 'Veloce' version to 62mph in just 5.9s. Earlier we mentioned the Hybrid version of this Junior - the Junior 'Ibrida'. This combustion model weighs 255kg less than this EV variant, which should make it even more 'chuckable' through the bends. And it uses the same 1.2-litre three cylinder mild hybrid 48 Volt petrol powertrain we've seen on multiple Stellantis Group models, which develops 136bhp and features a 28bhp electric motor built into a 6-speed dual clutch auto gearbox.

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