Alfa Romeo made its decisive step towards electric vehicles with the introduction of the Milano compact SUV in the spring of 2024, entering competition against other European premium automakers.

The Italian automaker was known for its sporty vehicles, which it developed over the years. Furthermore, when it decided to enter the crossover market with the Stelvio, it managed to create one of the sportiest SUVs available. Besides that, Alfa Romeo continued with the Tonale, which shared its platform with the Dodge Hornet. However, the Italian automaker was still reluctant to decide to build an all-electric vehicle. But still, that happened in 2024 when it unveiled the Milano crossover. The automaker considered that this new nameplate in the car manufacturer’s lineup could satisfy the previous MiTo and Giulietta owners. But Alfa didn’t go all-in with this model and risk it all. Besides the full-electric version, it also provided it with a hybrid drivetrain. In addition, it penned Milano’s bodywork to follow the carmaker’s design language.

The Milano’s front fascia showed a clear connection with the Alfa Romeo brand. It had the classic shield on the grille, flanked by angry-looking headlights, which sported three LED daytime running lights above the Matrix headlights. Depending on the trim, the lower part of the bumper featured a broad air intake, resembling the tri-lobo signature design element of the Italian brand.

Despite its taller profile of a crossover, the Milano didn’t exceed 1.5-meter (59 inches) in height. It was also short enough to park in cities, like a regular compact-sized hatchback. The ground clearance, on the other hand, varied depending on the grade. Alfa Romeo offered the Milano in three grades: the ELETTRICA (electric), the IBRIDA (hybrid), and the Veloce (the sportiest). They all shared the same profile, where the rear quarter panels resembled those from the legendary Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ sports car. Out back, on the tailgate, the automaker echoed the three-line LED signature lights at the front with red stripes for the taillights.

Inside, customers found an elegant cabin with sporty touches. At the front, Alfa Romeo installed standard bucket seats with an option for sports seats with integrated headrests. Between them, the automaker placed a center console that housed the buttons for the transmission, a wireless charger, and the start/stop button. A binocular-styled instrument cluster fronted the driver and was filled by a 10.25-inch TFT display that showed all the necessary data regarding speed, car status, and other information from the onboard computer. Atop the center stack, the automaker placed a 10.25-inch touchscreen. To further emphasize the car’s heritage, Alfa Romeo installed round air vents that sported the quadrifoglio (four-leaf clover) pattern.

Under its skin, the automaker installed a choice of electric and hybrid drivetrains that sent the power to the front or in all corners, depending on the grade. The Veloce was 25 mm (1 inch) lower to the ground than its siblings and a sports suspension. Furthermore, this version also included a Torsen center differential and large 380 mm discs up front with four-pot calipers.