Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon
If you only want an estate, there are dozens to choose from. But the
Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon, as Vanessa Hinkley finds out, is much more than mere transportation...
The problem with sports cars, or small sports saloons, is often a lack of space. Thats fine if you can afford to run two cars but annoying if you cant. Apparently they understood this back in the Seventies which is why there were cars like Reliant's Scimitar GTE,
Lancia's Beta HPE and the
Volvo 1800ES that Roger Moore drove in The Saint. There's been nothing like that since until the arrival of this Alfa Romeo Sportwagon. Theoretically, this five-door version of the classy 156 saloon is an estate, though there's even less space in the boot than in the four-door model. But that isn't the point of this car. Buy the Alfa if you want to enjoy getting from A to B via X and Y with a small backroad detour through Z. Buy a Volvo if you just want to transport the occasional sofa or a grandfather clock. The Sportwagon is a five-door car with all the style of the four-door saloon.
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The rising waistline, slender glass area and sloping tail blend beautifully into a shape which, if anything, is more appealing than that of the four-door. The lovely designer touches remain, like the rear door handles recessed into the window frames. Someone cared when creating this car. Even something as easy on the eye as an
Alfa Romeo needs freshening up from time to time, though, and so weve seen a reasonably far-reaching facelift for the car.
The current car sports a more prominent slatted grille, clear lens headlights and slightly altered taillights while this Sportwagon model now features a cleaner bumper design. Nothing has been done to harm the aesthetics of what was already a great-looking car.
Not that this Alfa is entirely impractical. An unexpectedly large hatch opening gives easy access to the 360 litres of boot space but there's a lip over which heavy items must be lifted. But the 60/40-split rear
seat folding mechanism is very user-friendly. Simply pull a strap to lift the seat bases, allow the backs to drop down and you quickly create a completely flat loading area thatll take 1180 litres. The panel that covers the spare wheel can be flipped over to reveal a rather shallow waterproof tray to prevent muddy dogs or boots from soiling the carpets.
Two small drawers are built into the sides of the boot area and plusher Sportwagons can carry longer items via a ski hatch built into the back seat. But self-levelling suspension (useful for when you really want to carry heavy loads) is extra. Two stretchy nets divide the load area into amazingly different combinations. One pulls vertically out of a removable housing (that also incorporates a roll-out luggage cover) and can be attached to the roof.
The other 200mm-high net runs horizontally and can be fitted in 10 different positions to divide the load area either crossways or lengthways. There's also an optional dog guard and yet another net to anchor baggage to the chrome tie-down loops that are fixed to the floor. All very clever.
For me, there has always been a real thrill in turning the ignition key in an Alfa and the 156 is no exception. The muted roar of the engine fulfils the promise of that sporty exterior. Yes, it could be called aggressive, but theres none of the machismo which often steers women away from other so-called drivers cars. Male or female, you should appreciate the interior design.
Theres something very intimate I think, about the way the dials on the dashboard are angled towards the driver, to be viewed at a glance by him or her alone. The steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach and it takes only moments to settle comfortably into the seat, which somehow manages to be both luxurious yet supportive, another illustration of that perfect Alfa balance. The gear lever is mounted high and angled towards the driver for ease of reach.
Sportwagon buyers can select from all of the engines available in the saloon with the exception of the entry-level 1.6-litre unit. Prices start, therefore, at £17,500 for the 1.8-litre Turismo rising to £28,540 for the 250bhp 3.
2-litre GTA which remains unaltered from the pre-facelift line-up. In-between is the impressive JTD diesel engine range comprised of a 115bhp 1.9-litre, a 140bhp 1.9-litre and a 175bhp 2.
4-litre. All are potent and economical with the two most powerful units featuring Multijet injection technology. Theres also a 2.0-litre JTS petrol option to finish things off.
Turismo, Lusso or Veloce trim levels are offered but even the most basic cars feature climate control, CD player, six airbags, traction control and ABS with EBD.
Sometimes, estates arent as much fun to drive as the saloons on which theyre based. But, thankfully, this 156 is as great to pilot as the saloon. It's a car you'll enjoy every time you use it, whether you opt for the entry-level Twin Spark 1.6 (which still manages 124mph) or the flagship V6. Its a practical car which is beautifully impractical. Isn't that just the Italian way?
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