The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio performance crossover follows the 4C and 4C Spider two-seat sports kart and the Giulia midsize sedan in the Italian brand’s return to the U.S. after a nearly 25-year absence. Based on the overwhelming popularity of crossovers, the Stelvio is crucial to the brand’s success.

Stelvio is based off the Giulia midsize sedan, sharing the same aluminum 2-liter direct injection four-cylinder turbo engine churning out 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. Same eight-speed automatic transmission, same chassis, same suspension, same interior. Different body: Stelvio is 2 inches longer, 9 inches taller, and 2 inches higher off the ground. Stelvio can be equipped to tow up to 3,000 pounds. Stelvio comes standard with all-wheel drive, with a rear-wheel-drive bias, so 100 percent of torque can automatically shift to the rear wheels at highway cruising speeds when it’s most efficient, for instance.