Alfa Romeo 156 JTD 115
The
Alfa Romeo 156 JTD 115 Proves That Financial Prudence Doesnt Have To Come At The Expense Of Style. By Andy Enright
We tend to take it for granted that style and value are mutually exclusive concepts. Outrageous bargains are just as hard to come across in the Prada shop as cutting edge fashion is on the bargain rail at Woolies. Despite this, Alfa Romeo maintains that you can have your cake and eat it in the elegantly affordable shape of the 156 JTD 115 range of diesels.
This 115bhp 1.9-litre engine slots in below the more advanced 1.9-litre and 2.4-litre JTD Multijet units and represents an affordable way to buy into this common-rail diesel family.
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Available in standard, Turismo and Veloce versions of the 156 saloon from £15,660, and in Turismo trim for 156 Sportwagon customers at £17,540, the 156 JTD 115 squares up competitively to most more mainstream machinery. The engine offers the usual diesel benefits of reliability, low maintenance, high torque, reduced CO2 emissions and low fuel consumption but does so with a genuinely impressive smoothness for an engine of such modest capacity. This is largely down to the Unijet technology the powerplant employs. Here, injection pressure is independent of engine speed and can therefore be varied throughout the rev range, irrespective of the amount of diesel being delivered.
This improves combustion, which has significant benefits for both performance and economy and also reduces noise, making the engine around 8 decibels quieter than a diesel engine with conventional injection.
"The 156 JTD 115 squares up competitively to most more mainstream machinery"
Although most large manufacturers now offer a common rail diesel engine somewhere in their range, it was the
Fiat Group - of which
Alfa Romeo is a constituent - who were the first to offer direct injection diesel technology back in 1986. This was recognised in 2002 by the Economist, who awarded the company an Innovation Award for their expertise in developing the common rail diesel engine. The fruits of their labours are apparent as soon as you turn the key in the Alfa 156 JTD 115. The engine soon settles down into a muted background thrum and offers a pleasantly elastic power delivery.
With a top speed that nudges 120mph and a sprint to 60mph of 10 seconds flat, the 156 JTD 115 may be the junior sibling in the 156 diesel line up but it never loses sight of the fact that it is, above all, an Alfa Romeo. A combined fuel consumption figure of 48.7mpg and a CO2 emissions showing of 155g/km completes the picture, making the 156 JTD 115 a tempting choice for both private and corporate buyers. Though the cars asking price significantly undercuts rivals from
BMW and
Audi, even the entry-level JTD 115 comes well equipped.
Expect air-conditioning, a six-speaker CD stereo, six airbags, VDC stability control, traction control and ABS with electric brake distribution. The Turismo adds alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and front fog lights but the Veloce trumps that with bigger alloys, climate control and a sports body kit amongst other things. The Sportwagon JTD 115 in Turismo trim is probably the most tempting of the three cars fitted with this engine. The latest set of styling changes have refreshed the look nicely without altering the basic silhouette.
The deeper front grille and the frowning jewel effect lights will catch the eye of the dedicated Alfisti, but few would spot the differences if unprompted. Genuine anoraks will also spot the microscopically modified tail lights and the Sportwagon estate versions ever-so slightly cleaner rear bumper design. Not that this Alfa is entirely without practical merit. What boot space there is (360 litres) is easily accessible via an unexpectedly large hatch aperture, though unfortunately, there's a lip over which heavy items must be lifted. The rear 60:40 split rear
seat folding mechanism is user-friendly though. You simply pull a strap to lift the seat bases, enabling the backs to drop down and create a completely flat loading area of 1,180 litres. In the estate compartment, the floor panel covering the spare wheel is reversible and can be flipped over to reveal a practical, if rather shallow, waterproof tray that will keep muddy dogs - or muddy boots - from soiling the
smart carpets. This is an idea shamelessly copied from
Nissan's Primera Estate. A couple of smaller drawers are built into the sides of the boot area and plusher Sportwagons can accommodate longer items via a ski hatch built into the back seat. Sadly, the self-levelling suspension system (which would be so useful on those occasions you really want to carry heavy loads) is optional. When you bear in mind that an Alfa Romeo 156 JTD115 can be yours for less than the price of a
Skoda Octavia 1.
9TDi you appreciate quite what a package youre getting for the money. High fashion at high street prices? Thats a fair assessment.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Alfa Romeo 156 1.9 JTD115 range
PRICES: £15,660-£17,540 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 155g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10s / Max Speed 119 mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 48.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [4dr] Length/Width/Height, 4430/1745/1415mm
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