Compare the2024 BMW 4 Series Gran CoupeVS 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Giulia doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 4 Series Gran Coupe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Giulia doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Giulia doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Giulia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Giulia 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 4 Series Gran Coupe and the Giulia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Giulia’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4 Series Gran Coupe for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Alfa Romeo only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Giulia.

There are almost 3 times as many BMW dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4 Series Gran Coupe’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 4 Series Gran Coupe’s reliability 48 points higher than the Giulia.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4 Series Gran Coupe third among compact premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Giulia isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

The M440i Gran Coupe’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 102 more horsepower (382 vs. 280) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 306) than the Giulia’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the 4 Series Gran Coupe gets better mileage than the Giulia:

Regenerative brakes improve the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Giulia doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Giulia doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Giulia:

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Giulia are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the 4 Series Gran Coupe has larger standard tires than the Giulia (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R17). The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional front tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Giulia (F:245/40R19 & R:255/40R19 vs. F:225/40R19 & R:255/35R19).

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Giulia’s standard 50 series tires. The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Giulia’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 4 Series Gran Coupe has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Giulia. The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Giulia.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Giulia (112.4 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 4 Series Gran Coupe is 1.1 inches wider in the front than the track on the Giulia.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The Giulia doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Alfa Romeo. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 65% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 32nd.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, 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 Giulia doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the 4 Series Gran Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Giulia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Laser headlights, optional on the 4 Series Gran Coupe, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Giulia’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

When the 4 Series Gran Coupe is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Giulia’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 4 Series Gran Coupe keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Giulia doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Giulia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The BMW 4 Series comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Alfa Romeo Giulia isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

Insurance will cost less for the 4 Series Gran Coupe owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the 4 Series Gran Coupe will cost $845 less than the Giulia over a five-year period.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4 Series Gran Coupe will retain 52.7% to 54.31% of its original price after five years, while the Giulia only retains 48.07% to 50.12%.

The BMW 4 Series outsold the Alfa Romeo Giulia by over seven to one during 2022.