Buying an Alfa Romeo Giulia instead of a BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class requires a “huge leap of faith” when it comes to reliability.

At least this is what Consumer Reports’ Mike Quincy had to say after going out for a ride in the Italian premium compact sedan, which in this case, is the Ti model, powered by a 2-liter four-banger that pushes 280hp to all four corners through an 8-speed auto.

Driving it normally seems ordinary, and the gearbox is not that good on a cold morning, but it’s not all quirks when it comes to the Giulia, as it offers a compliant ride, nimble handling, good steering feedback and an overall fun to drive attitude.

Moreover, shift it into Dynamic mode and the base Giulia becomes sporty by automatically adjusting its throttle response, suspension and steer firmness, and exhaust sound.

Starting at just under $40,000, this Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti was fitted with a few optional extras, such as the blind spot detection, collision warning, sunroof, and others, which brought the total to $48,890.

If that’s not enough, then you can always check out Alfa’s BMW M3 rival, the Quadrifoglio Verde (QV), though pricing here jumps to $73,595.

VIDEO