All generations and engines together · 6,803 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 62k
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 4,217 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Owners on Honest John report intermittent electrical failures ranging from dash warning lights and window/central locking glitches to full body control module replacements, with one case logging 22 weeks off the road across 21 months for recurring faults. It is not tied to one part, which is what makes it hard to pin down and expensive to chase. No manufacturer acknowledgement or TSB has surfaced for this, it is reported as a pattern rather than a single defect.
A recurring owner complaint is a clunk or knock from the front end over speed bumps, on light braking, or turning at parking speeds. Forum diagnosis usually lands on worn upper control arm bushings, sway bar end links or strut top bearings rather than the steering rack, and some owners report replacing several parts before it goes away. This lines up with the measured MOT data, which flags suspension as this model's weak point; the folklore and the numbers point the same way, even if the exact culprit part varies case to case.
Some 2.0-litre turbo petrol cars develop a rattly chatter from the timing chain area, particularly noticeable on start-up or at idle. Owners on Giulia Forums discuss chain tensioner wear and adjustment as the likely cause, with opinion split on whether it is cosmetic noise or a sign of a chain that needs attention. Not officially acknowledged by Alfa Romeo, and no recall exists for it.
On automatic cars, owners and gearbox specialists report harsh or delayed engagement pulling away from cold, and shuddering through the lower gears, sometimes flagged as an input speed sensor fault (P0716) that in the worst cases needs the whole mechatronic unit replacing. Reported from as early as 40-60k km by some UK gearbox repair shops. Does not apply to manual cars, which were a minority of UK sales.
The 2.2 JTDm diesel is reported to struggle with DPF regeneration on cars used mostly for short urban trips, leading to a clogged filter, reduced power and heavier fuel use, sometimes alongside EGR-related rough idle. Motorway-heavy use largely avoids it; stop-start city driving is what triggers it. Costs vary widely depending on whether a clean, EGR service or full DPF replacement is needed.
Two official UK safety recalls cover Giulias built in the recall windows: a production fault in the fuel pressure/temperature sensor that could cause a fuel leak (cars built roughly September 2020 to June 2021), and uncalibrated automatic headlight position sensors falling short of the ECE R48 standard (cars built roughly November 2020 to May 2022). Both are free dealer fixes once flagged against the VIN.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Saloons & estates), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.