The Alfa Romeo 156 is a confusing car. At first glance it looks like a two-door coupé, yet it’s actually a four-door saloon with an interior that feels Germanic. Fire up one of the diesel versions and it even sounds like a petrol unit.

Styled by Giorgetto Giugaro, the 156 was launched in the UK in January 1998 and established itself as one of the best looking saloons money could buy. In an age when most cars merely toe the line, the 156 is a breath of fresh air. Six years on it remains a handsome car, and with good used examples available from £3,500 it’s a tempting proposition.

The heart of any Alfa Romeo is its engine. Choose the entry-level 1.6, the range-topping 250bhp V6 3.2, or anything in between, and you will not be disappointed. All produce a glorious sound, are free-revving and offer a level of driver involvement rarely found in cars costing this little.

The 156 also has the honour of being the first Alfa in the UK to be powered by a diesel engine. The largest 2.4 litre five-cylinder diesel sounds gruff and powerful even when merely ticking over. With 140bhp and 224 lb ft of pulling power at just 2000rpm, it also performs very well, with 0-62mph coming up in 9.4sec. Top speed is 127mph.

And the 156 is a car that encourages you to enjoy this performance. The supremely accurate steering — just 2.2 turns from lock to lock — allows you to place the car with pinpoint accuracy. Similarly, the suspension, firm and reassuring at speed, is compliant on motorways and shames even the BMW 3-series in terms of its blend of control and comfort.

Italian cars have traditionally had a “long arm and short leg” driving position and this is still slightly noticeable in the 156, although the adjustable steering column reduces this to a minimum.

But all this exuberance can lead to abuse. Alfas eat their front tyres if driven hard, and the 156 is particularly prone to front-wheel misalignment, so check the edges of tyre treads carefully. It’s also worth closely inspecting the car’s cabin: while the general quality is high, owners still report a number of electrical problems — most commonly associated with the climate control and sound system.

It’s difficult to buy a 156 with a bad engine, but the same cannot be said of the car’s gearboxes. Available with three different transmission systems, the standard manual gearbox (some with six speeds) is normally the best bet. The clutch is light and the changes are precise, although there is little space to rest your clutch foot when it’s not in use.

The Selespeed clutchless manual gearbox is second best: a button on the right-hand side of the steering wheel shifts up a gear, while one on the left changes down, aided by electronics that “blip” the throttle on the downchange. Least desirable and best avoided is the Q-System four-speed automatic transmission, which has a manual override shift. It somehow fails in its attempts to combine the benefits of an auto with the control of a manual.

The 156 can also be bought as an estate, or Sportwagon as Alfa romantically calls it. Basically, this is all the same good stuff, but with a bigger boot, so your spaniel can also come out and enjoy the pleasures of an Italian car.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Alfa Romeo 156 2.4 JTD
Engine type: Five-cylinder, 2387cc
Power: 140bhp
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 42.2mpg (combined)
Acceleration: 0-62mph: 9.4sec
Top speed: 127mph

Servicing: 12 months/12,000 miles and must be done as dirty oil is particularly bad for variable valve-timing system (listen for rattles).

Safety: Side and passenger airbags standard since September 1999.

Air-conditioning: Standard since June 2000 on all models.

Warranty: New cars have three-year/60,000-mile warranty.

Front suspension: Part-aluminium double wishbone suspension can be very expensive to repair Ð listen for knocks.

Front tyres: Heavy engines in JTD and V6 models mean wear can be high, particularly if steering misaligned.

Wheels: 17in rims and sports suspension on Veloce models enhance great handling but also road noise.

Disc brakes: Check surface of the discs for scoring and unpolished areas.

Leather: Standard on Lusso models.

Rear spoiler: Huge rear spoiler available as an option but may imply a boy racer among previous owners.

Boot space: 378 litres, so not huge but bigger than a VW Golf or Ford Focus.

Transmission: Diesel engines only mated to manual gearbox but petrol models can have Selespeed or Q-System automatic box.

THE ONE TO BUY

Alfa Romeo 156 2.4 JTD Lusso with five-speed manual gearbox, leather upholstery; 2000 W-reg with 20,000 miles. Pay £8,350 at a dealer with 12-month warranty, or £7,250 privately.


OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY...

1999 T-reg BMW 318tds SE
1997 R-reg Mercedes-Benz C250 TD Elegance
2000 V-reg Saab 9-3 2.2 TiD SE
1999 V-reg VW Passat 2.5 V6 TDI
2001 51-reg Ford Mondeo TDCi 130 LX

VALUES: Alfa Romeo 156 2.4 JTD Lusso



Retail £10,395 £10,095 £9,095 Veloce £200 more than Lusso, Turismo £500 less. Estate £500 more than saloon. Estimates from CAP black book. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer