Alfa Romeo Giulietta vs BMW 330e

What's the difference?

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce hatch with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Nobody just buys an Alfa Romeo, in the same way that nobody goes out and just buys a top hat. Yes it's functional and yes you'll looking amazing in it whether you're male or female, and people will pay you compliments - possibly question your judgement, too, but it's not the obvious choice and buying one is a conscious decision. See, you don't even know if I'm talking about the top hat or the Alfa any more.

At backyard barbecues and dinner parties throughout Australia you'll overhear people saying: "My heart says yes but my head says no." They're not discussing robbing the convenience store on the corner after dessert, but they're more likely to be talking about buying an Alfa Romeo. See Alfas are famous for their stunning beauty, their racing pedigree and their performance, but in the past they've been infamous for their reliability issues. You knew that, right?

The top-of-the-range Giulietta Veloce with the dual-clutch auto is the best reference to the brand's performance pedigree. This version has only just arrived on the market, and follows a major styling and technology update to the Giulietta in 2015.

Like most test cars, we lived with it for a week. Is it too small to be a family car? What's wrong with the glovebox? Is it as racy as it looks? What's with all the water? And is it just me or are my hands too small to drive this car? We'll even be able to point you in the right direction for a guide to Giulietta's reliability.

A hybrid BMW 3 Series makes sense now that everything is going electric. And the BMW 330e M Sport is the plug-in hybrid version of the 330i petrol variant. What's not to like, then?

Well, that's what we're here for because this review of the BMW 330e M Sport will reveal everything we've discovered about the car and will help you decide if it really does make sense to make it your next car.

We've covered everything from practicality to on-road performance, features and prices. And yes, we've run a fuel test to see just how efficient this plug-in hybrid is to live with in the real world.