Not long after a single photo of a headlight likely belonging to the 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio was spilled online and we have our first sighting of the facelifted SUV out on the streets. The image that was shared on numerous social media channels, including on Alfistitalia and Reddit, shows a lightly camouflaged Stelvio wearing the same triple-unit headlamps, which follow the styling of the Tonale, possibly integrating the same full-LED adaptive matrix headlights from Marelli.

The prototype seen here also appears to be riding on newly styled wheels. It’s hard to tell from this picture, but there may be some minor changes to the front bumper as well. (Updated 3/3/2022).

Original article follows below.

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Photo Reddit, Alfistitalia

Alfa Romeo just revealed the brand-new Tonale but the brand has not forgotten the Giulia and Stelvio models that will likely receive a much-needed facelift to carry on for a few more years. Previously, we had seen a single photo of an LED headlight that was uploaded on Instagram by @instalfisti.

The image doesn’t show much of the car but from the outline of the headlight, we can tell that it belongs to a Stelvio. While the shape is identical to the current model, the graphics are updated with three LED units clearly inspired by the ones on the smaller Tonale.

Image credits Instaflisti / Instagram

The timing of the post makes it more likely to come from the Alfa Romeo factory, since it would be very difficult for a tuner to design and produce a Tonale-inspired aftermarket part so close to its official debut. While our spy photographers haven’t spotted any camouflage prototypes of the Stelvio / Giulia driving around recently, Alfa Romeo could easily use the current model’s body and lighting units for testing purposes on public roads.

The Italians are famous for their clever use of resources during facelifts, so we suspect that the changes on the updated Giulia/Stelvio will be minor. Besides the redesigned LED graphics on the lighting units, the models could get a slightly tweaked bumper inspired by the Tonale, where the lower intakes merge with the scudetto grille thanks to the addition of black trim.

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The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the brand’s first production SUV, debuted in 2016, a year after the mechanically related Giulia sedan. In 2019, the Italian company introduced the revised Giulia and Stelvio with improved materials and more tech although the exterior remained the same. Since then, the Stelvio has received a Veloce variant and a few special editions trying to grab buyers’ attention in a segment that is dominated by the Germans (BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC).

Alfa Romeo has pledged to become a fully electric brand by 2027, which means that the ICE-powered Giulia and Stelvio that are based on the Giorgio platform have five more years before being discontinued. This is plenty of time for a facelifted model’s lifecycle, with a styling update deemed necessary after six and seven years in the market.

Another key point is the debut of the Maserati Grecale this year, which is mechanically related to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. While the SUV will get Maserati-sourced powertrains, including a fully electric variant, we can’t help but wonder if any of the mechanical updates to the Giorgio platform could reach Alfa Romeo before it starts the exclusive use of PSA Group-sourced architectures in its future models.