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Here is a Alfa Romeo 159 thing: you could start today and probably you and I should be more than froth. You will be hard to believe that this is a project six years old, so well done is a 159 style. And 159 Sportwagon is the same desirable properties - which means Giugiaro Design site seems to be well deserved.

That's the problem with Alfa Romeo. They pull the strings of the heart. However, probably forever. We tested the latest Alfa 159 2.0 JTDM 170 CV and your choice of red beans (not shown), which attracted more attention in the office parking than any other car reaches the end of their right to life. You still have to wait a bit since the new Alfa Romeo Giulia launch was postponed to 2013.

Alfa Romeo 159 and has an abundance of style. Is the depth of expertise to save this search stealth?

Unfortunately, when you consider the fact that the face of the Latin part of the total 159 will begin to feel his age. Plip key moment, to hear a warning beep Subaru sinister style, you, your neighbors, you will find some tech advice is, um, a bit "old technology.

Immerse yourself in the beautiful, as the seats (standard on our top-of-dog IT) and a mixed bag. The group seems a few years behind the latest C-Class and A4, even if we see the 3-Series 2005 is a sense of the present age (which replaced in 2012). E 'to make the 159 cheaper plastic (it has opened the way to scratch around the shifter) ergonomics chaotic Alfa sat-nav set down in practice at the knee, electronic display appears in the 1990 foot passenger Cabin carpet that has fallen to reveal the bottom of the back, and multimedia display that seems a bit "for Halfords for our liking. satellite navigation functionality is behind in the competition and not Bluetooth pair my Blackberry.

Not all bad news. The top has a pleasantly smooth Squidge advice for her, while the driving position is reassuring, the inclination of the front seat of the driver and the land of choice. It's time to try some consideration.

Alfa 159 JTD How to drive?

Start the 2.0 JTDM, and immediately realized how he behaved with common rail diesel engine. Not surprisingly, the Fiat Group was invented in the early common rail does, and continue to produce cracks in the Oilers in all shapes and sizes.

select first, and note that the resolution passes slotty. Bode, all pretty good. JTDM develops 170 hp and 266 pounds ft, but it feels like it needs a good lap to get the most out of it. Fortunately, comes little by little more than diesel, and I've never suffered from competition to choose a higher speed. It is a refined and smooth engine, and that change is a joy to use mechanical slot machine calming.

The most powerful 170 bhp 2.0 JTDM do not think so fast, that makes us question the low-power 136hp version now available. Alfa 0-62 mph 8.8sec and quotes 52.3mpg, while we average closer to 33mpg during our week with the car. We noticed a slight turbo layer does not go well below 2000 rpm. The epic high leverage should be a part of the blame, we found ourselves on the occasion of the fourth on the roads, the ratios of more long legs.


We are so used to brilliant turbo in all, and beyond 159 does not work as hard as you can imagine - especially when it comes to emissions. This is how the competition stacks:

	Bhp	Lb ft	0-62mph	Mph	Mpg	CO2
Alfa 159 SW 2.0 JTDM	170	266	8.8sec	135	52.3	142/gkm
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI	168	258	8.7sec	140	51.4	144g/km
BMW 320d Touring	184	280	7.7sec	145	58.9	128g/km
Mercedes C220 CDI est	168	295	8.5sec	136	60.1	124g/km

And handling the 159 Sportwagon?


Unfortunately, these years are creeping on compact Alfa executive. The 159 is a car to drive a little perplexed. Even in the 19-inch wheels of our car, which works very well on motorways and smooth road, with good primary and secondary action shots not to disrupt the progress on secondary roads. The biggest surprise was a particular section of the striatum that exceeded the M42 and crashed into the cab, as if the basic structure was not rigid enough.

Turn off the roads and find a good gust way back, and 159 of the discharge continues. These Bridgestone Potenza 235/40 R19s rotated and crashed into the streets full of potholes and B, steering wheel shakes when the body rests in the turns faster and 159 Sportwagon is really difficult to tie down the stream, without a hitch. E90 3-Series - was launched at the same time, remember - would be to let the dead.

Having said that, after nearly 700 miles in 159, this means that it grows on you. The management is strong enough and quick wit, and he would ring around an Audi A4, the only other significant price FWD. You can even walk heel n 'in it and it's not often we say that a field of diesel.

A quick note for night driving, the complex design of front-end works wonders, you will pay separate fog lights big dividends.

How practical is the Alfa Romeo 159 Sport Wagon?

Another report is mixed. Alfa 156, the predecessor of 159, was more famous boot space in the square shape that property. The 159 to 445 liters - only 40 more than the four doors and the luggage compartment is a good width and length, with an effective, simple load cover to keep prying eyes at bay, more useful cubby holes and with a ski pass. The problem is boot lip 159 Sportwagon is an extraordinary 25cm deep - this is the least accessible starter break we tried at times.

The rear seat legroom tight unfathomable, too. Since this property is a compact executive, rear passengers get more space VW Golf. The adults will head to brush the roof and taller passengers will move the back of the knees of front seat passengers.


Court

I said at the beginning that perfectly encapsulates the 159 Alfa Romeo problem. This was something beautiful, a compact exec with real panache about it in a sea of ​​Germans same again. And yet, how we want them even brought a sample of the Teutonic logic to bear in areas such as ergonomics cabin electronic systems and attention to detail.


We say Alfa has been on a roll style, well, never really. Can you name the last Duff Alfa Romeo design? If they can make the new Giulia look half as good as the improvement and the other half back into the weaknesses, it could be something of a car. Each time you pull the cylinder of aluminum foil that lines the door handles, you'll be glad you chose to German hegemony.

just one more way for men CEO, Sergio Marchionne, should not make the new 159 too sensitive, too bright polished in all areas, I can imagine people like me complain about boring perfection in an Alfa Romeo.