Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce Review | 280hp performance

Read Caroline’s Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce review for everything you need to know about buying Alfa’s new electric hot hatchback.

The Junior is helping to build Alfa’s fortunes in Europe thanks to its compact size and affordability, but also good lucks and charm.

Alfa Romeo has released a hot version too based on the Junior Elettrica, and using the Veloce badge. With 280hp and performance tweaks, it taps into the brand’s sporty heritage and with considerable style.

It joins a growing list of compact electric performance models like the Alpine A290 and the Smart #1 Brabus.

Is the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce one of the good ones?

Design

It’s got a good name for a start. Junior Veloce sounds fast and exotic. It looks amazing finished in beautiful Brera Red. Like the standard Junior, there’s the dramatic V-shield at the front and LED headlights that manage to capture the classic Alfa snarl – even without off-setting the number plate like the Tonale and Giulia.

Perfect proportions mean it’s got the stance of a hot hatch too. It’s lowered by about 25mm and sits on glorious 20-inch diamond-cut alloys with lots of the brake disc visible and red brake calipers.

Inside

Inside it feels snug and sporty, with plenty of Alcantara to give it a distinct upmarket vibe. The cabin borrows the same digital display and touchscreen as the rest of the Junior range. The touchscreen is not the flashiest but it does come with the essentials like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s simple to use and less convoluted than what you will find in a Smart #1 Brabus for example.

Standard features include heated front seats and sports pedals. Otherwise the Junior needs to be specced up with different packs to add more desirable features, which is a shame really. The Sabelt bucket seats transform the cabin, however they must be added as part of a Sport Pack that also includes an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel.

The drive mode button still features Alfa’s traditional DNA settings (Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency). However using a generic button found in the likes of Stellantis’ stablemates like the Peugeot 2008 and Opel Mokka is unforgivable to an Alfisti or Alfa fan.

Practicality

The Junior is a compact car so rear space is snug for adults, though children should be fine. Two isofix points are provided for child seats.

There is a 400 litre boot with flexible three-position boot floor and space to store charging cables underneath.

Driving the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce

You can get the Junior as a 1.2 petrol hybrid or as a full electric with a 54kWh battery. Prices start at around €35,000. The Veloce is a big step up at €51,495. The Launch Edition tested here retails at an even spicer €56,295.

But Alfa Romeo has really beefed up the Veloce. Power jumps from 156hp in the standard Junior Elettrica to 280hp. Torque increases to 345Nm for an overall 0-100km/h time in 5.9 seconds.

All that power goes to the front wheels, with the addition of a Torsen limited-slip differential to help get the power down. There’s also retuned steering and upgraded brakes. While the standard Junior is a hoot to drive, the Veloce feels even more driver-focused. The compact dimensions make it extremely athletic and tight through bends.

What really impresses is the balance between comfort and control. It rides firmly but never feels brittle, staying taut and engaging when you start to push on. There’s some road noise, but that’s expected with this level of grip and wheel size.

Battery and range

The Veloce uses the same 54kWh battery as the standard electric version of the Junior. Unfortunately, there is a drop in battery range from 406km to 322km because of the additional performance. This is certainly felt behind the wheel and does limit the enjoyment of the car. With average consumption during my test drive of 20.5kWh per 100 kilometres, 250 kilometres is a more realistic range estimate on a single battery charge.

Charging

DC charging is up to 100kW, which allows for a 20–80% battery charge in 24 minutes. There’s also 11kW AC charging available.

Verdict

The Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce proves that electric hot hatches can have soul and be incredibly fun to drive. It’s stylish, exciting and full of character, with good looks and pedigree on its side.

However, it’s very expensive to buy, even compared with the Smart and the Alpine. What’s more, the range is hard to live with and limits the appeal.

The good news is the standard Junior Elettrica may be all the fun you need right now and is priced better. Alfa is back in the game for sure.

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year