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Alfa Romeo's Junior might actually make more sense as a hybrid rather than an EV. Which means you need to try this Ibrida version before settling upon a Junior you can plug in. But what kind of Alfa is it?
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Background
If you want a small Alfa Romeo and you're a long-time fan of the brand, it is probable that you don't want an EV. In which case, in considering the company's entry-level Junior hatch, you'll pass right over the full-battery Elettrica version your dealer might like to sell you, in favour of the hybrid model we look at here, the Junior Ibrida.
At first glance, it's this version that seems to be the proper successor to generations of small Alfa hatches this century, characterised by models like the Giulietta, the 147 and the 146. But all those cars could be had with engines that, at least to some extent, were tuned the Alfa way. The Junior Ibrida, in contrast, gets the same fairly unremarkable 134bhp 1.2-litre three cylinder hybrid engine that currently seems to be fitted to almost everything the Stellantis Group makes.
This, you see, was never a combustion-powered small Alfa created in the traditional Alfa way. The Junior Ibrida is there because the brand needs to sell more examples of its Polish-made Junior than the EV market will stand. So there must also be a combustion version in the corner of the showroom for those who don't want an Elettrica. Still, a small frugal hybrid hatch with a sporty vibe might be exactly what number of customers are looking for. Might they like this one?
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 27895 | 27895 |
| CO2 (g/km) | 117 | 117 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 128 | 128 |
| Min | Max |
| 0-62 mph (s) | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Height (mm) | 4173 | 4173 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 415 | 415 |
Driving experience
Though the 1.2-litre 136bhp hybrid engine fitted here is familiar Stellantis Group fare, the car it's installed into should feel considerably more sporting than the other similarly sized models from the conglomerate that use this unit; cars like the Vauxhall Astra, the Peugeot 308, Citroen C4 and the DS 4. Thank the quick steering ratio and the well-judged ride compromise for that.
This engine drives the seven-seat Peugeot 5008 along very happily, so doesn't struggle with this premium Italian family hatch, thanks to a useful 230Nm of torque. It's coupled with a clever six-speed dual-clutch e-DSC6 automatic gearbox that incorporates a 28hp electric motor. A 0.9kWh NMC lithium-ion battery powers the self-charging electric system.
The petrol engine uses three-cylinders with 1,199cc and works on the Miller cycle, which provides higher thermodynamic efficiency and, therefore, a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The engine is also fitted with a special timing chain and a clever variable geometry turbocharger to maximise sustainability and responsiveness at low revs.
The hybrid system's permanent magnet synchronous electric motor is integrated into the compact e-DCS6 six-speed dual-clutch transmission and can run on electric power alone at low speeds and under moderate loads. During deceleration, the electric motor acts as a generator to recover kinetic energy and fuel the 0.9kWh battery located under the floor. The system also easily provides power to start the petrol engine.
The e-DCS6 gearbox contributes to the comfort and efficiency of this Hybrid model too. Limiting breaks in torque, it gives the feeling of a super smooth ride. The electric motor, inverter and computer are integrated in it to save space and mass. At 8.9 seconds, the zero to 62mph time for this Ibrida is significantly faster than the other comparably-sized Stellantis Group hatches that use it. Maximum speed is 128mph.
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Design and build
Apart from the badgework and the addition of an exhaust pipe, there aren't many visual cues to differentiate an Ibrida Junior from an Eletttrica one. As an Alfa should, the Junior has a bit of pavement presence, though everything you can't see is pretty familiar Stellantis Group fare. Primarily the e-CMP2 platform, which allows for dimensions pretty typical for the kind of compact SUV this is, 4.17m long, 1.5m high and 1.78m wide. As you'd expect, lots of the usual brand styling cues feature - including C-shaped SZ-inspired ultra-slim '3+3' headlights, and of course the usual triangular Alfa 'scudetto' shield grille. A cut-off 'coda tronica' tail references the classic Giulia TZ and there are minimal overhangs, strong wheel arches and 17-inch wheels.
The shared engineering is equally well disguised inside in the driver-focused cockpit with its telescopic cowled instrument panel and 'cloverleaf'-style air vents. The screen tech will be more familiar to Stellantis Group model regulars, a pair of 10.25-inch displays, respectively for the instruments and the infotainment. The latter set-up uses the usual tile-based widget arrangement, with cloud navigation and over-the-air updates. Back seat space isn't especially generous, not helped by the stylised centre tunnel and the thick plastic-backed front sports seats. But headroom is better than you might expect given the swept-back roofline. Boot space is fine too, rated at 415-litres, which is 15-litres more than the EV version and one of the larger cargo areas in the class.
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Market and model
For now, there's just a single well-equipped version of the Ibrida available - pitched at around £28,000 - around £6,000 less that the Elettrica EV version. It gets plenty of kit as standard for that.
There's 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, LED headlamps and tail lamps, gloss black mirror covers, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors and keyless go. Inside, it features Icona seats with black/blue cloth, eight-colour ambient lighting marking out the air vents, a 10.25-inch configurable Cannocchiale instrument cluster and 10.25-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard safety systems include Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking and a full suite of airbags linked to an e-Call system. Also standard are Alfa Romeo Connected Services, with Amazon Alexa and a ChatGPT-powered voice assistant for improved connectivity and user interaction.
Like the Elettrica version, the Junior Ibrida can be enhanced with a choice of additional packs. The Technology Pack adds LED Matrix headlamps, a wireless charging pad, front, rear and side parking sensors as well as Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centring and Traffic Jam Assist. The Premium Pack offers a cargo flex kit, dark tinted rear windows, a leather steering wheel, a black painted body-kit and heated and massaging seats.
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Cost of ownership
In a Junior Ibrida Hybrid, you set off silently using just electric energy, driving without any CO2 emissions and the petrol engine contributing if more power is required. Behind the wheel, as the switch from one motor to the other is imperceptible, the speed indicator turns blue when driving on electric power alone. On the digital instrument display, the energy flow can be shown, along with battery charge level and its operating status, via a power meter. The percentage of distance travelled just on electric energy is shown by the onboard computer and also at the end of the journey. Combined cycle fuel economy is rated at 54.3mpg with 117g/km of CO2.
The Hybrid system is designed to operate on its own. The battery charges automatically while driving, thanks to the petrol engine and deceleration phases are controlled automatically to recover energy so the use of the mechanical braking system is also greatly reduced, resulting in a reduction in fine particle emissions. Quiet operation in town benefits the environment and local residents. For pedestrian safety, a slight AVAS noise is emitted when the car passes by at up to 18mph.
As with other Alfas, depreciation values will be aided by this model's 'NFT' (or 'Non-Fungible Token') technology, which backs up the car's service history (stuff like maintenance records) in a cloud, out of the vehicle. This means that no one should touch your car without it showing on the NFT record. Alfas claims that this makes it much harder to forge the vehicle's records, which in turn ought to preserve residuals. Unfortunately though, the standard warranty offering remains the usual unremarkable three year / 60,000 mile package.
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Summary
The Junior Elettrica was a pleasant surprise when we tried it and we think you might react to this Ibrida version the same way. Dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti fans might not be especially enamoured with it, but that's not who it's aimed at. Just as supercar makers have to produce SUVs so they can continue to sell proper supercars, so Alfa needs cars like the Junior Ibrida if it's to carry on selling us emotive models like the Guilia Quadrifoglio or the 33 Stradale.
That's not to say the Junior Ibrida might not be an interesting steer in the right circumstances. We enjoyed the EV version and this hybrid variant's substantial weight saving over that car should make it the driver's pick in the range. Just don't expect a classic small Alfa. More a very effective classic Alfa compromise.
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