Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon 2.0 JTS TI

Advantages: High specification, stylish design, good value used car, sporty performer
Disadvantages: lack of storage space

...I bought my 156 2.0 JTS Veloce as a one year old pre registered car with 10,000 miles and at the time did consider the Diesel JTD 150 version but in all honesty the heart and soul of an Alfa is not a diesel unit and never will be. The 2.0 JTS is a work of art, pumping out 178 Bhp and willing to rev round the clock if desired, which is frequently when I go out. The engine has that beautiful Alfa rip and burble when getting the foot into the pedal it is difficult holding back a smile driving down the country lanes, where the car is very much at home. I can't fault the handling, the turning circle is not too great but who cares it is quick and responsive when asked, point in the direction you want to go and obliges without a fuss. The driving position is superb, it is clearly designed for the driver, it looks good, everything is at hand... Read review

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Advantages: Aesthetically pleasing, stylish, spacious boot, security, quick and knee tremblingly superior!!!,
Disadvantages: can be expensive to run....thats it really!!!

...of its size is the opening is a little small. This of course can hamper putting in awkward items such as a pushchair in - but you soon learn a technique to over come this, so it is not really a big deal. The drive of the 156 is short of exceptional…even the 1.8 model has a quick acceleration and high speed, but the 2.0 has even more grunt. The sound of the engine could be compared to a quiet TVR Tuscan or large Tiger purring, it really is a sweet sound, one which you never get tired of listening to! There has been much said in the press about Alfa's having a tendency to understeer but I have not found this to be the case of the 156, if anything I found it to be spot on, the cornering at low and high speed is responsive and accurate, something one demands these days rather than requests. The tight suspension makes the cornering easier but... Read review

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Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Death Trap

...I have driven an Alfa Romeo 156 since September 2002 to December 2007. It has cost me over £21,600 to keep on the road and almost my life. In 2004 Alfa sent a recall letter out to all 156 drivers tell them about a fault with the bonnet catch. Since then there has been dozens of high speed crashes due to a manufacturing fault with the bonnet catch. The catch is proven to seize up over time, which means that driving at high speed the bonnet will flip open, smashing the windscreen and roof, blocking the drivers view. Many accidents have been reported already and if you are an Alfa Romeo 156 driver you should be aware of this before you have a high speed crash. This is what happened to me: at about 70mph in the outside lane, over taking a car on a busy morning, the bonnet flipped up smashed the windscreen and then bent... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful