Compared: 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs. 2023 Audi A4

Can an Italian with flair beat a handsome German stalwart?

Alfa Romeo | Audi

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If you're bored by the dominant choices in the luxury world, consider alternatives from niche European brands. The 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia is an entry-level luxury sedan that competes with the popular 2023 Audi A4. While the Audi is a solid choice, the Giulia is a stylish and more powerful option with plenty of standard features.

Audi

2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs. 2023 Audi A4: Price

The 2023 Audi A4 is a bit more affordable, starting around $42,000 for the entry-level Premium model. The mid-trim Premium Plus starts at a little more than $47,000, while the top-trim Prestige starts around $52,500. Shoppers can upgrade to a 261-hp engine for about $700 or $2,000 more. All A4 models come with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Alfa Romeo

The base Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint starts at around $46,000 and features a more powerful 280-hp engine than the entry-level A4. The mid-trim Veloce RWD begins just north of $50,000, while the Estrema starts at about $56,000. Adding all-wheel drive is an extra $2,000 for most versions.

There's also the high-performance 505-hp Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, which starts at just under $84,000.

Alfa Romeo

2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs. 2023 Audi A4: Features

Although it's a bit more expensive, the base Alfa Romeo Giulia includes more equipment than the base Audi A4. For example, the Giulia has adaptive cruise control, heated rear seats, and GPS navigation. Top trim versions of the Giulia feature a 14-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system and active suspension.

Audi

The Audi does have some significant standard features, including all-wheel drive, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and three-zone climate control. Top trim A4 models have a bit more tech, including a large digital gauge cluster and a head-up display. Audiophiles will also enjoy the 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system on the midlevel Prestige Plus and higher trims of the A4.

Audi

2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs. 2023 Audi A4: Fuel Economy

The Audi A4 uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that comes in two tunes. The base model features 201 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque and returns 28 mpg. Shoppers can upgrade to a more robust model (261 hp, 273 lb.-ft. of torque), which delivers 27 mpg combined.

Alfa Romeo

The mainstream versions of the Alfa Romeo use a 2.0-liter turbo-four that makes 280 hp and 308 lb.-ft. of torque. However, the sedan comes with rear-wheel drive, where it gets 27 mpg, or you can upgrade to an all-wheel-drive model that nets 26 mpg. The high-performance Quadrifoglio employs a 505-hp turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine and returns 20 mpg combined.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

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Sami Haj-Assaad
Sami Haj-Assaad is an award-winning automotive journalist who has contributed to several automotive, electric vehicle, luxury lifestyle, and technology publications. His work isn't just limited to the written word, as he's also hosted YouTube videos and podcasts. Having grown up in the '90s, he has a strong sense of attachment to that era's style, though he also loves to geek out about the modern, futuristic tech and powertrains rolling out today.