Skip to main content

Alfa Romeo plans new large, mild-hybridized SUV with 400 horsepower

Now that Alfa Romeo’s officially back in the United States market to sell cars en masse, the big question still remains: “What’s next?” The company launched its latest effort, the all-new Giulia compact luxury sports sedan, back in 2016, marking its first re-entry into the North American mass market since the 164 sedan, last sold here as a 1995 model.

Although Alfa Romeo technically initiated its North American reintroduction with the exotic, and limited production 8C in 2008, followed by the low-volume 4C sports coupe and roadster, it’s high-volume cars like the Giulia sedan that truly determine the automaker’s success. But even today, making an extremely competitive luxury sports sedan — which also happened to win the latest MotorTrend’s Car of the Year award — still isn’t enough to guarantee Alfa Romeo’s stay. The solution: Expand its lineup to take advantage of the still hot and popular crossover SUV craze, which they started with the current Stelvio.

Recommended Videos

According to a recent discussion with one of Alfa Romeo’s bosses, chief technical officer, Roberto Fedeli, Auto Express learned that Alfa Romeo is working on a new full-size SUV, albeit one that will also help introduce electrification to Alfa’s lineup. Instead of being a full-fledged SUV, however, the new model is said to utilize a new performance-biased, mild hybrid setup with at least 400 horsepower on reserve.

The new SUV will take its general structure and backbone from the latest Stelvio compact SUV and is destined to be the largest Alfa Romeo ever produced in its entire history.

“The Stelvio for sure is an example of Alfa DNA, why don’t we translate that in a car which is a little bit bigger,” Fedeli told the outlet.

“We have to marry the new car with the right level of electrification. Plug-in hybrid could be a problem for the Alfa DNA point of view, but for instance a 48-volt mild hybrid solution is something that we can do without losing anything,” he continued.

Furthermore, the new SUV might gain up to 200 additional kilograms – or 441 pounds – but the aim for 400 horses should make up for the extra heft, which is simply partly attributed to the new SUV’s hike in dimensions. The power is expected to come form a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electrically-powered 48-volt e-turbo.

With Alfa prioritizing SUVs for its lineup, it serves as an opportunity for the company to gain greater market share and larger profits. We can’t blame them, given how popular crossover SUVs still are around the world. And should Alfa succeed with its future SUV, that typically means it will have more money to produce more amazing cars like the 4C and the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Fedeli did say the new SUV is still at least two years away. But upon launch, it will offer seating for up to seven passengers, which means it has competitors like the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 right in its sights.

Chris Chin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Since picking up his first MicroMachine, Chris Chin knew his passion for automobiles was embedded into his soul. Based in…
Toyota unveils 2026 bZ: A smarter, longer-range electric SUV
toyota bz improved bz4x 2026 0007 1500x1125

Toyota is back in the electric SUV game with the 2026 bZ, a major refresh of its bZ4X that finally delivers on two of the biggest demands from EV drivers: more range and faster charging.
The headline news is the improved driving range. Toyota now estimates up to 314 miles on a single charge for the front-wheel-drive model with the larger 74.7-kWh battery—about 60 miles more than the outgoing bZ4X. All-wheel-drive variants also get a boost, with up to 288 miles of range depending on trim.
Charging speeds haven’t increased in terms of raw kilowatts (still capped at 150 kW for DC fast charging), but Toyota has significantly improved how long peak speeds are sustained. With preconditioning enabled—especially helpful in colder weather—the new bZ can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Also new: Plug and Charge support for automatic payment at compatible stations and full adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS), meaning access to Tesla Superchargers will be standard by 2026.
Under the hood, or rather the floor, Toyota has swapped in higher-performance silicon carbide components to improve efficiency and power delivery. The AWD version now produces up to 338 horsepower and sprints from 0–60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds.
Toyota didn’t stop at just the powertrain. The exterior has been cleaned up, with body-colored wheel arches replacing the black cladding, and a sleeker front fascia. Inside, a larger 14-inch touchscreen now houses climate controls, giving the dash a more refined and less cluttered appearance. There’s also more usable storage thanks to a redesigned center console.
With the 2026 bZ, Toyota seems to be responding directly to critiques of the bZ4X. It’s faster, more efficient, and more driver-friendly—finally bringing Toyota’s EV efforts up to speed.

Read more
Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV front quarter view.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

Read more
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more