2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia vs BMW 5 Series

What could be better than the top-notch engineering of a BMW? Perhaps the signature styling of an Alfa Romeo. In this comparison guide, we'll be taking a look at Italian car 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia and comparing it to the BMW 5-series. Both are European luxury cars, but we think you'll be able to see huge differences between them before the end of this article.

Price: 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Far and away, the biggest difference between these two is their base price. There are plenty of differences between these two cars, but all of them pale in comparison to the tens of thousands of dollars more you can expect to pay for a new BMW versus a new Alfa Romeo. The 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia starts at $38,200. For that price, you get the eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive. Standard features include leather seats, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, rearview camera. 6.5-inch display screen, console-mounted infotainment control knob, three USB ports, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and eight-speaker audio system.

On the other hand, the BMW 5-Series starts at a whopping $53,400. That's over $15,000 more than the starting price of the Alfa Romeo Giulia. What could account for such a hefty difference in price? Like the Alfa Romeo, the BMW also offers an eight-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include leatherette upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, moonroof, and a 10.2-inch touch screen, a navigation, 12 speakers, Apple CarPlay, and lots of driver assistance features, like adaptive cruise control, rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring. The BMW offers a more cushioned ride, but we're not entirely sure why the base price is so much higher than the Alfa Romeo Giulia's, especially considering that these two cars are equals in so many other areas.

Fuel Economy: Tie

Take fuel economy, for instance. The 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia gets 24 city miles and 33 highway miles per gallon. That happens to be average for luxury midsize cars, and also almost exactly the same as the gas mileage on the BMW 5-Series, which gets 24 city and 34 highway mpg. While it's true that the 5-Series has an optional plug-in hybrid model, with an equivalent mpg that's best in its class, be prepared to pay almost $55,000 to drive it.

Base Engine: 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia

If you're not able to shell out more than the $53,400, you'll need to compare the base engines on the BMW 5-Series and Alfa Romeo Giulia. And that reveals a startling conclusion. You get more power and the same sporty handling with the Giulia than you get in the 5-series.

In the 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia, you get a quick and athletic 280-horsepower turbo-four engine. Compare that to the slightly less sprightly 248-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Critics say both handle themselves as befits a luxury European sedan. But the better horsepower and torque goes to the Alfa Romeo. Be prepared to pay a lot more to get better numbers out of the BMW 5-Series.