2020 BMW X3 vs 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: The Clash of premium SUVs!

The BMW X3 is a benchmark within the luxury compact SUV class. Indeed, it has been produced since 2003 and remains one of the pillars of this segment, thanks to its top performance and very high level of luxury, on-board technology and comfort. But the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, produced since 2016 as the 2017 model year, has strongly challenged its supremacy by offering a very Italian approach to what a premium SUV should be. And for 2020, it even has the luxury of taking the crown from BMW's SUV, thanks to a level of refinement that's still on the rise. So, which SUV is it going to be, the Italian or the Bavarian? Des Sources Alfa Romeo, your Alfa Romeo dealer of choice in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, tells you why you should choose the Alfa SUV and not its Munich-based competitor in this X3 vs Stelvio comparison!

Design: a typically Latin character for the Alfa that will seduce everywhere in Montreal!

The first contact you'll have with each of the aforementioned SUVs will be visual, via their exterior curves. And on this point, two very distinct philosophies clash. As for the 2020 BMW X3, designers hesitated between sharp styling and roundness, in particular with rounded headlights, but with sharp corners at the ends and an extremely pronounced beltline while the fenders are curved.

The Alfa, on the other hand, offers a much more homogenous exterior style that seems simply sculpted by the wind. Streamlined headlights giving it a piercing look, iconic inverted triangle grille with the legendary Alfa coat of arms, prominent wings and razor-sharp taillights: the 2020 Alfa Stelvio offers lines of typically Italian elegance that will seduce everywhere between the West Island and the DDO sector. If you want an elegant and sporty SUV with a strong character that will stand the test of time, there's only one choice: the 2020 Stelvio!

Powertrain: a high-performance engine for the Stelvio in the metropolitan area.

But it's really on the mechanical side that the Stelvio really shines against its Bavarian rival in the West Island of Montreal. Indeed, while the 2020 BMW X3, in its Xdrive30i definition, features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 248 horsepower for 258 lb-ft of torque, the Italian SUV is clearly playing in another league.

A true cuore sportivo (which means sporty heart in Italian!) is beating under the hood of this transalpine SUV. This heart takes the form of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that uses supercharging to produce 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. With numbers like that, the Stelvio is a real hit, with a 0-100 km/h sprint estimated by the serious Car Guide at 5.7 seconds (compared to 6.3 seconds for the BMW!), and a top speed of 232 km/h.

In both cases, all-wheel drive is standard. However, if you want the best performing SUV, with rigorous road handling (weight distribution almost 50/50 front to rear for the Alfa), once again, there's only one option: the ebullient 2020 Stelvio! This one is sure to stir up emotion in you every time you drive it around the DDO sector.

A very Italian interior offering a luxury rare in the metropolitan area.

Yet, it's still inside your future SUV that you'll spend most of your time. That's why design and on-board equipment are just as important as exterior styling and technical specifications.

And in this respect, the 2020 X3 and the 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio are once again at odds with each other. While the Bavarian SUV still hesitates between sharp geometric shapes and rounded corners, the Stelvio is classic, but more homogeneous in its lines. Whether it's a curved, horizontal dashboard, an instrument panel with two analogue meters on either side of a digital display, or a flat-bottom steering wheel: the Stelvio offers a curvilinear, traditional, typically Latin design with above-average ergonomics. It's simple, you'll feel like you're one with your machine from Montreal's West-Island to Dollard-des-Ormeaux!

But don't think the other potential occupants of the Stelvio have been neglected. This is indeed a top-of-the-line SUV! So, depending on the trim level chosen, you and the other passengers will benefit from the best technology and luxury in the class. From the premium Harman/Kardon sound system to the dual-panel sunroof, leather upholstery and heated second-row seats, you and your companions will have everything you need for your short trips between the DDO sector and downtown Montreal, or for your longer journeys!

So drop by Des Sources Alfa Romeo as soon as today, your Alfa Romeo dealer of choice in the Dollard-des-Ormeaux area, to discover everything that the 2020 Stelvio has to offer compared to the 2020 X3! You can also find out more about Alfa Romeo offers, as well as Alfa leasing and financing programs that will allow you to get behind the wheel of YOUR Stelvio. We look forward to meeting you soon at our dealership to help you discover the Alfa Romeo SUV!