Category: Large Family 
Price Range: £28,545 to £28,545
Stylish looks, value for money, performance and character, a well-priced second-hand buy
Slightly cramped rear accommodation, driving position not to everyone's tastes, build quality still a little behind the Germans
A thoroughly entertaining car that's a real alternative to its German rivals. Storming GTA is wild and visceral and new direct injection 2.0-litre petrol engine shows Alfa has its finger on the technological pulse
As any ageing Hollywood starlet will testify, a nip here and a tuck there is the best way of boosting your box office credentials. So even though the 156 looks as pretty as it did at its launch in 1997, Alfa called in the stylists and engineers to sharpen its showroom appeal against fresher rivals.
A few minor cosmetic touches aside, Alfa wisely left the 156 saloon and estate's dynamic sheet metal untouched. It will take a sharp pair of eyes to spot the clear-lensed headlamps and revised grilles of the 2002-03 models.
Most of the changes occurred in the cabin and beneath the bonnet - electronic stability control, brake assist, six airbags and dual-zone climate control became standard. The revised cabin used the same higher-grade plastics as the smaller 147.
But - and it's a big but - by far the most headline-grabbing news was the introduction of a storming GTA-badged performance flagship. This 3.2-litre 250bhp fire-breather injected serious muscle into the 156 range and made a credible M3/C32 AMG opponent.
These 2002-03 models are now very reasonably priced as second-hand buys; given their high depreciation from new, they're now excellent value for money considering their performance and all-round sheer attractiveness.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Alfa Romeo 156
wrote on 10 10 2007