Alfa Romeo's Junior can also be had in this Ibrida hybrid form. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

Alfa Romeo's Junior might actually make more sense as a hybrid rather than an EV. Which means you need to try this Ibrida version before settling upon a Junior you can plug in. But what kind of Alfa is it?

Background

If you want a small Alfa Romeo and you're a long-time fan of the brand, it is probable that you don't want an EV. In which case, in considering the company's entry-level Junior hatch, you'll pass right over the full-battery Elettrica version your dealer might like to sell you, in favour of the hybrid model we look at here, the Junior Ibrida. At first glance, it's this version that seems to be the proper successor to generations of small Alfa hatches this century, characterised by models like the Giulietta, the 147 and the 146. But all those cars could be had with engines that, at least to some extent, were tuned the Alfa way. The Junior Ibrida, in contrast, gets the same fairly unremarkable 134bhp 1.2-litre three cylinder hybrid engine that currently seems to be fitted to almost everything the Stellantis Group makes. This, you see, was never a combustion-powered small Alfa created in the traditional Alfa way. The Junior Ibrida is there because the brand needs to sell more examples of its Polish-made Junior than the EV market will stand. So there must also be a combustion version in the corner of the showroom for those who don't want an Elettrica. Still, a small frugal hybrid hatch with a sporty vibe might be exactly what number of customers are looking for. Might they like this one?

Engines and Tech Spec

Though the 1.2-litre 136bhp hybrid engine fitted here is familiar Stellantis Group fare, the car it's installed into should feel considerably more sporting than the other similarly sized models from the conglomerate that use this unit; cars like the Vauxhall Astra, the Peugeot 308, Citroen C4 and the DS 4. Thank the quick steering ratio and the well-judged ride compromise for that. This engine drives the seven-seat Peugeot 5008 along very happily, so doesn't struggle with this premium Italian family hatch, thanks to a useful 230Nm of torque. It's coupled with a clever six-speed dual-clutch e-DSC6 automatic gearbox that incorporates a 28hp electric motor. A 0.9kWh NMC lithium-ion battery powers the self-charging electric system. The petrol engine uses three-cylinders with 1,199cc and works on the Miller cycle, which provides higher thermodynamic efficiency and, therefore, a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The engine is also fitted with a special timing chain and a clever variable geometry turbocharger to maximise sustainability and responsiveness at low revs. The hybrid system's permanent magnet synchronous electric motor is integrated into the compact e-DCS6 six-speed dual-clutch transmission and can run on electric power alone at low speeds and under moderate loads. During deceleration, the electric motor acts as a generator to recover kinetic energy and fuel the 0.9kWh battery located under the floor. The system also easily provides power to start the petrol engine. The e-DCS6 gearbox contributes to the comfort and efficiency of this Hybrid model too. Limiting breaks in torque, it gives the feeling of a super smooth ride. The electric motor, inverter and computer are integrated in it to save space and mass. At 8.9 seconds, the zero to 62mph time for this Ibrida is significantly faster than the other comparably-sized Stellantis Group hatches that use it. Maximum speed is 128mph.

Design and Build

Apart from the badgework and the addition of an exhaust pipe, there aren't many visual cues to differentiate an Ibrida Junior from an Eletttrica one. As an Alfa should, the Junior has a bit of pavement presence, though everything you can't see is pretty familiar Stellantis Group fare. Primarily the e-CMP2 platform, which allows for dimensions pretty typical for the kind of compact SUV this is, 4.17m long, 1.5m high and 1.78m wide. As you'd expect, lots of the usual brand styling cues feature - including C-shaped SZ-inspired ultra-slim '3+3' headlights, and of course the usual triangular Alfa 'scudetto' shield grille. A cut-off 'coda tronica' tail references the classic Giulia TZ and there are minimal overhangs, strong wheel arches and 17-inch wheels. The shared engineering is equally well disguised inside in the driver-focused cockpit with its telescopic cowled instrument panel and 'cloverleaf'-style air vents. The screen tech will be more familiar to Stellantis Group model regulars, a pair of 10.25-inch displays, respectively for the instruments and the infotainment. The latter set-up uses the usual tile-based widget arrangement, with cloud navigation and over-the-air updates. Back seat space isn't especially generous, not helped by the stylised centre tunnel and the thick plastic-backed front sports seats. But headroom is better than you might expect given the swept-back roofline. Boot space is fine too, rated at 415-litres, which is 15-litres more than the EV version and one of the larger cargo areas in the class.

Market and Model

For now, there's just a single well-equipped version of the Ibrida available - pitched at around £28,000 - around £6,000 less that the Elettrica EV version. It gets plenty of kit as standard for that. There's 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, LED headlamps and tail lamps, gloss black mirror covers, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors and keyless go. Inside, it features Icona seats with black/blue cloth, eight-colour ambient lighting marking out the air vents, a 10.25-inch configurable Cannocchiale instrument cluster and 10.25-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard safety systems include Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking and a full suite of airbags linked to an e-Call system. Also standard are Alfa Romeo Connected Services, with Amazon Alexa and a ChatGPT-powered voice assistant for improved connectivity and user interaction. Like the Elettrica version, the Junior Ibrida can be enhanced with a choice of additional packs. The Technology Pack adds LED Matrix headlamps, a wireless charging pad, front, rear and side parking sensors as well as Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centring and Traffic Jam Assist. The Premium Pack offers a cargo flex kit, dark tinted rear windows, a leather steering wheel, a black painted body-kit and heated and massaging seats.

Cost of Ownership

In a Junior Ibrida Hybrid, you set off silently using just electric energy, driving without any CO2 emissions and the petrol engine contributing if more power is required. Behind the wheel, as the switch from one motor to the other is imperceptible, the speed indicator turns blue when driving on electric power alone. On the digital instrument display, the energy flow can be shown, along with battery charge level and its operating status, via a power meter. The percentage of distance travelled just on electric energy is shown by the onboard computer and also at the end of the journey. Combined cycle fuel economy is rated at 54.3mpg with 117g/km of CO2. The Hybrid system is designed to operate on its own. The battery charges automatically while driving, thanks to the petrol engine and deceleration phases are controlled automatically to recover energy so the use of the mechanical braking system is also greatly reduced, resulting in a reduction in fine particle emissions. Quiet operation in town benefits the environment and local residents. For pedestrian safety, a slight AVAS noise is emitted when the car passes by at up to 18mph. As with other Alfas, depreciation values will be aided by this model's 'NFT' (or 'Non-Fungible Token') technology, which backs up the car's service history (stuff like maintenance records) in a cloud, out of the vehicle. This means that no one should touch your car without it showing on the NFT record. Alfas claims that this makes it much harder to forge the vehicle's records, which in turn ought to preserve residuals. Unfortunately though, the standard warranty offering remains the usual unremarkable three year / 60,000 mile package.

Summary

The Junior Elettrica was a pleasant surprise when we tried it and we think you might react to this Ibrida version the same way. Dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti fans might not be especially enamoured with it, but that's not who it's aimed at. Just as supercar makers have to produce SUVs so they can continue to sell proper supercars, so Alfa needs cars like the Junior Ibrida if it's to carry on selling us emotive models like the Guilia Quadrifoglio or the 33 Stradale. That's not to say the Junior Ibrida might not be an interesting steer in the right circumstances. We enjoyed the EV version and this hybrid variant's substantial weight saving over that car should make it the driver's pick in the range. Just don't expect a classic small Alfa. More a very effective classic Alfa compromise.

Body Glass

Front and rear power windows with auto up/down

Rear wiper

Rain sensing wipers

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Automatic emergency braking pedestrian and vulnerable road users - interurban

Electric parking brake with autohold

Traction control

Electronic Stability Programme

Hill descent control

Communication

Apple car play/Android Auto

Driver Aids

Rear parking sensors

Alfa connect services

Drive mode selector

Adaptive cruise control

Power assisted steering

Driver Convenience

Tailgate

Quick guide in english

Driver Information

10.25" TFT reconfigurable instrument cluster

e-Call (emergency call)

Trip computer

Driving Mirrors

Electrically adjustable door mirrors

Manual day/night rearview mirror

Gloss black mirror cover

Entertainment

4 Speakers sound system

10.25" Radio without navigation with wireless smartphone mirroring

Front USB connection

DAB radio

Exterior Body Features

Body colour door handles

Rear roof spoiler

Rear side wing doors

Exterior Lights

LED Day time running light

LED headlamps

Automatic headlights

LED 3rd brake light

LED rear lights

Auto high beam

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Automatic climate control

Interior Features

Front central armrest

Leggenda scudetto

Interior Lights

Ambient lighting in air vents, instrument cluster and central tunnel

Front and rear dome lamp

Safety

Child locks on rear doors

Driver and front passenger airbags

Rear seatbelt reminder

3x3 point rear seat belts

Front airbag deactivation on passenger side

Front seatbelt reminder

Manual rear child locks

Front side airbags

Seats

Front seat back pockets

Front head restraints

Rear head restraints

Isofix child seat

Single front passenger seat

60/40 split folding rear seat

3 seat bench in 2nd row

Security

Vehicle anti-theft volummetric alarm

Immobiliser

Keyless engine start

Remote central locking

Locking wheel nuts

Wheels - Alloy

17" Ibrida diamond cut alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Fix and go predisposition

Fix and go

Emissions - ICE

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 109

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 110

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 110

Engine and Drive Train

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Gears: 6 SPEED

Transmission: SEMI-AUTO

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Catalytic Convertor: No

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Camshaft: DOHC

Cylinders: 3

CC: 1199

Number of Valves: 12

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL: 58.8

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 57.6

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL: 4.8

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 4.9

General

Special Order: 0

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 26E

Badge Power: 136

Badge Engine CC: 1.2

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 1

Coin Description: Turbo

Coin Series: Ibrida

Performance

Engine Power - BHP: 136

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Torque - NM: 230

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 170

Engine Power - KW: 100

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

0 to 62 mph (secs): 8.9

Engine Torque - MKG: 23.5

Top Speed: 128

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY

Wheel Style: DIAMOND CUT

Tyre Size Front: 215/60 R17

Tyre Size Rear: 215/60 R17

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Vehicle Dimensions

Width (including mirrors): 1981

Wheelbase: 2557

Width: 1781

Length: 4173

Height: 1539

Height (including roof rails): N

Weight and Capacities

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1100

Max. Loading Weight: 485

Gross Vehicle Weight: 1715

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 415

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 10.5

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1280

No. of Seats: 5

Minimum Kerbweight: 1230

Body Glass

Heated windshield

Exterior Body Features

Special paint

Special solid paint

Bi-colour roof

Electrically operated sunroof

Bi-colour solid paint with black roof

Bi-colour metallic paint with black roof

Bi-colour special paint with black roof

Metallic paint

Packs

Sport pack - Junior

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Navigli blue

Metallic - Arese grey

Metallic - Scala ivory

Paint - Solid

Solid - Sempione white

Paint - Special

Bi-colour metallic - Navigli blue with black roof

Special paint - Brera red

Special solid - Tortona black

Bi-colour special paint - Brera red with black roof

Bi-colour solid - Sempione white with black roof

Bi-colour metallic - Scala ivory with black roof

Bi-colour metallic - Arese grey with black roof

Seats

6 way heated driver adjustment seat + 4 way heated passenger adjustment seat

Trim - Cloth

Icona cloth - Blue digital ripstop biscione with mork black bolsters

Sport pack - Corsa alcantara - Cannelloni with feeltek bolsters