Alfa's Junior EV and hybrid have reached Australia, pricing stars from $46K

As much as I'd love to see it on a hatch or sedan rather than yet another SUV, I do think Alfa Romeo's Junior wears some of the nicest styling we've seen in the past few years.

Unveiled in early 2024 (I wrote about it for Wheels here), the Junior was originally badged Milano, but the Italian government banned Alfa from using the name – because, while Alfa was indeed founded in Milano, the little SUV won't be built there. So, Junior it is.

Now it's on sale in Australia, in hybrid and electric forms.

The Ibrida hybrid, starting from $45,900 before on-road costs, is positioned to be the volume-seller – mostly because hybrids remain a hugely popular option with the many Aussie buyers that are still apprehensive about electric driving range. The fact that it's 12 grand cheaper won't hurt.

The fully electric Elettrica is a bolder proposition at $57,900 before on-roads.

It's a price that asks buyers to prioritise its standout design over the raw performance offered by key rivals. Volvo's EX30, for example, is priced from $59,990 with 200kW/343Nm in power and 4800km in driving range.

To Alfa's credit, most buyers don't think about power in explicit terms, but they'll appreciate the Junior's standard kit including a six-way powered driver's seat, heated butts in both front seats, powered tailgate, and two 10.25-inch screens in the dash.

Looking for those in the EX30 will mean some pricey upgrades – but no amount of money will get you a second display, as Volvo has taken the Tesla route of offering only a large centre display and no driver display at all.

Drive has a good breakdown on the EX30's pricing here.

Now, back to the Junior. Specs below!

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior pricing for Australia

• Junior Ibrida: Starts at $45,900 plus on-road costs
• Junior Elettrica: Starts at $57,900 plus on-road costs

Specs

Junior Ibrida (Hybrid)

• Powertrain: 1.2L Turbocharged 3-cylinder with a 48V, 21kW electric motor
• Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch auto
• Drive configuration: Front-wheel drive
• Outputs: 107kW / 230Nm
• 0-100km/h: 8.9 seconds
• Fuel Consumption: 4.1L/100km on NEDC test cycle*

*WLTP figures published overseas, considered a more accurate 'real world' view, are listed at 5.2L/100km

Junior Elettrica (Electric)

• Outputs: 115kW / 260Nm
• Drive configuration: Front-wheel drive
• Battery & Range: 54kWh battery with a 407km WLTP range
• 0-100km/h: 9.0 seconds
• Charging: 400V electric system sees DC 'fast charging' limited to 100kW, claiming a 100km recharge in about 10 minutes.

The Alfa Romeo Junior is built on the Stellantis Common Modular Platform (CMP), specifically the e-CMP2 version – designed to accommodate petrol, hybrid, and fully electric powertrains.

The Ibrida's 1.2-litre hybrid powertrain is also shared across a range of other Stellantis models. Key models using the same platform and hybrid system include the Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid, Fiat 600 Hybrid and Peugeot 2008 Hybrid.

In terms of the Junior's size, here's a mini match-up I build for my Wheels article back in 2024.

Features

Below are as provided by Alfa Romeo.

Exterior

• 18” Petali Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels
• Automatic Full LED Matrix Headlights
• “Leggenda scudetto” Front Grille
• Body Colour Door Handles
• Glossy Black Body Kit including Glossy Black Exterior Mirrors
• LED Taillamps
• Two-Tone Black Roof
• Privacy Glass

Interior

• “Spiga” Seats featuring Black Cloth & Leatherette with Red Finishes
• Leather Steering Wheel
• 60:40 Split Rear Seats
• Front & Rear Floor Mats
• Aluminium Pedals & Door Sills
• Height Adjustable Cargo Floor

Driver Assistance Systems

• 6 Airbags
• Level 2 Autonomous Driving
• Front, Rear & Side Parking Sensors
• Reversing Camera with Dynamic Lines
• Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control
• Blind Spot Assist
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Vulnerable Road User Detection
• Lane Support System (LDW + LKA)
• Driver Behaviour Warning
• Traffic Sign Recognition & Intelligent Speed Control
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
• Rain Sensing Wipers
• Seat Belt Reminder

Comfort Features

• 10.25-Inch Touchscreen Infotainment and Navigation System
• Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• 6 Speakers
• 10.25-Inch “Cannocchiale” TFT Instrument Cluster
• Alfa Connected Services with Connected Navigation
• Wireless Charging Pad with “Biscione” Logo
• Front USB-A & USB-C Ports
• Rear USB-C Port
• Keyless Entry and Go
• Single Zone Air Conditioning
• Electric Park Brake with Auto Hold
• 6-Way Power-Adjustable Front Seats with 2-Way Lumbar
• Driver Massaging Seat
• 6-Way Manual-Adjustable Front Passenger Seat
• Heated Front Seats
• Power Liftgate with Handsfree Function
• Frameless Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror

In all, it's a reasonably well-equipped car, although single-zone climate is a bit of a miss. Likewise, and as with many Euro-sourced cars, the lack of ventilated ('cooled') seats can be a miss for hot markets like Australia.

An unbranded, basic six-speaker audio package also feels a bit lacking for a brand that presents itself as premium.

What do you think of the Junior? Holler below!