Compare the2023 Lexus NXVS 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the NX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The NX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Stelvio doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The NX offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Stelvio only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the NX and Stelvio have rear cross-traffic warning, but the NX offers optional Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic.

Both the NX and the Stelvio have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the NX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Stelvio has not been tested, yet.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the NX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Alfa Romeo covers the Stelvio. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Stelvio ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The NX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Stelvio’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 76 percent more Lexus dealers than there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the NX’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Lexus NX’s reliability 32 points higher than the Stelvio and the Lexus NX Hybrid is rated 54 points higher than the Stelvio.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

The NX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 306) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The NX 450h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 22 more horsepower (302 vs. 280) than the Stelvio’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Stelvio:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Stelvio:

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Stelvio can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the NX 350h/450h’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus NX higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (5). This means the NX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Stelvio every 15,000 miles.

The NX offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a CVT.

The NX stops shorter than the Stelvio:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. Run-flat tires aren’t available on some tire packages on the Stelvio.

The Lexus NX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

The NX has 4.4 inches more front legroom and 4.2 inches more rear legroom than the Stelvio.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the NX’s rear seats recline. The Stelvio’s rear seats don’t recline.

The NX has a much larger cargo volume than the Stelvio with its rear seat up (22.7 vs. 18.5 cubic feet).

The NX’s cargo area is larger than the Stelvio’s in almost every dimension:

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the NX uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Stelvio doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Alfa Romeo. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 96% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 32nd.

The NX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Stelvio has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

The NX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

On a hot day the NX’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. (Your Lexus service department must activate this window function.) The driver of the Stelvio can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The NX’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Stelvio’s xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

When the NX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Stelvio’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the NX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Stelvio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The NX 350h/450h+’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Stelvio doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the NX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the NX will cost $370 to $2360 less than the Stelvio over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX 350h as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio isn't recommended.

The Lexus NX outsold the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by over six to one during 2022.