Overview
The Alfa Romeo Spider is dramatically styled and undoubtedly exclusive - it’s certainly rarer and more exotic than an Audi TT. Unfortunately Alfa Romeo’s general reliability is still rated as very poor in the latest Which? Car survey.
The Spider is very good fun to drive, however, and comes with a selection of excellent powerful engines: even the entry-level 2.2 JTS petrol and 2.4 JTDm diesel are swift, whilst the 3.2 V6 JTS is very fast indeed. The V6 can be had with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive system, and the Qtronic semi-automatic gearbox (also offered with the diesel).
The Spider roadster has head-turning looks, and the pace to match – the 3.2 dispatches 0-60mph in less than seven seconds. The 2.2 is swift, too, and the six-speed manual gearbox is slick, but you need to rev the engine hard. Our tested 29.7mpg isn’t far off Alfa’s near-31mpg claim.
Suspension comfort is adequate at best, but the Spider handles very well and is great fun to drive. Body roll is subdued, corners can be taken at speed without trouble and the steering is responsive.
Very tall people will find it hard to get comfy, though, and you can forget about sitting in the back — the Spider, which features a traditional folding fabric roof rather than a heavy hard-top, is strictly a two-seater only.
Recommended models
in the range
Which? caR TOp chOice MOdel
2.2 JTS 2dr New price: £27,665 Used price: £12,150 FaSTeST MOdel 3.2 V6 JTS Q4 italia independent 2dr New price: £36,648 Used price: £21,500 0-62mph:
7.0 secs
MOST eFFicieNT MOdel2.0 JTdM italia independent 2dr
New price: £30,833
Used price: £19,295
combined fuel economy:
52.3 mpg
cheapeST MOdel TO bUy NeW1.75 Tbi 2dr
New price:
£27,665
cheapeST MOdel TO bUy USed
2.2 JTS 2dr
Used price:
£12,150
cheapeST MOdel TO RUN (NeW)
2.0 JTdM 2dr
New price: £27,667
Running costs:
£22,626
(3 yeaRS/36,000 MileS) Dramatic design, and a true old-school roadster.Excellent roadholding and suspension. Willing engines and very strong brakes.
Poor visibility and a rather awkward cabin layout. Short gearing and motorway noise.
High fuel consumption from the petrol versions.
ON Sale:
Feb 2007
claSS:Sports/convertibles
NeW pRice:£27,665 - £38,180
USed pRice:From £12,150
56%
ToTal score:
peRFORMaNce:bOOT & STORage:
Ride cOMFORT:
★★★★★
★★
★★★
-★★★★★
★★★★
SaFeTy: haNdliNg: ReliabiliTy:OWnEr’S ViEW
Still brings a grin of
happiness every time I
drive it, makes me feel like a
We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standing-start and in-gear acceleration, and repeat each test several times.
Ride comfort is assessed by our labora-tory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models.
On the road
An Alfa Romeo should be sporty to drive, and a roadster should be fun to own: the Spider, for all its flaws, comes up to the mark on both counts - it satisfies the driver like few other cars in its class. Its engines have more power than the average, offering strong performance, while the suspension and steering provide excellent feedback during cornering. The Spider looks and feels like a true sports car, but without going to extremes and being unusable on a day to day basis.
performance
★★★★★
The Spider is quite a large and heavy vehicle, so it needs strong engines to deliver good performance. All three engines on offer are powerful: the 2.2-litre JTS petrol unit has 185bhp, the 2.4-litre JTDm diesel has 210bhp and the 3.2-litre JTS V6 has 260bhp.
The petrol engines are capable of revving very freely which, combined with very short gearing, makes the Spider’s acceleration keen. The 2.4 diesel has more torque (pulling power) than either of the petrol engines, so it feels especially strong in the middle rev range. The six-speed manual gearbox changes precisely and easily. Appropriately for a sports car, the gear ratios are low to boost performance, but that also means that the engines rev high, which can get uncomfortable on long journeys. QTronic automatic transmission is optional with the 3.2 V6 JTS and 2.4 JTDm engines, in combination with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive system in the JTS.
Model tested acceleration (37-62mph) Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 5.1 secs
★★★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
4.7 secs
★★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 5.6 secs
★★★★
Ride comfort
★★★★★
Despite its stiffness, the suspension offers adequate ride comfort most of the time, but occasionally bumps in the road are felt quite sharply.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007)
★★★★★
how we test
performance
On the road
continued...
handling
★★★★
The suspension is set up very stiffly, which suits the sporty character of the Spider. Body roll is very well-damped, even during fast cornering. The steering is responsive, precise and sensitive, giving the driver a good feel of the road. The handling is remarkably neutral on front-wheel drive models, with almost no torque steer in evidence, and very little understeer. Cornering speeds can be very high as a result.
The 3.2 V6 Q4 version, with its four-wheel drive, adjusts the handling balance a little more to the rear wheels, but has even more grip than the front-wheel drive models. Standard traction control and electronic stability control keep the car on course in slippery or extreme conditions. Directional stability is also very good.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007)
★★★★★
brakes
★★★★★
Braking is responsive, very effective and can be finely controlled. Standard anti-lock braking with electronic brake distribution and brake assist helps in emergency situations.
Model tested braking distance (62-0mph) Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 39.5m
★★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
37.5m
★★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 35.5m
★★★★★
Refinement and noise
★★★★
Below motorway speeds, the noise level is low. But at higher speeds, wind noise increases significantly and, while the engines are smooth and suffer very little vibration, the high revs make for a lot of engine noise, too. The bodywork is very well finished and there are no creaks or rattles to be heard, even when travelling over poor roads, while the gaps around the doors and boot lid are small and consistent. Inside, there are high-quality, well-fitted plastics; only the titanium-look inserts on the central console and steering wheel lower the tone.
Model tested cruising noise Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 71dB
★★★★
On-the-limit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry..
The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 62-0mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues.
The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score.
how we test
handling
brakes
On the road
continued...
cabin and controls
★★★
A height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel makes it easy to find a comfortable driving position, although the driver’s seat adjuster is only accessible when the door is open. The wheel contains many controls, which work well, and the gear lever is conveniently positioned within easy reach.
While the switches for the exterior mirrors and windows are well-placed, you have to take your hand off the steering wheel to sound the horn, whose button is too far in towards the centre of the steering wheel. The seatbelts are difficult to reach and can get caught when retracting, while the spring to retract them is too weak. Also, there is not enough foot room around the pedals and the main instruments are difficult to read.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007)
★★★★
Visibility and parking
★★
Vision to the sides is pretty good, thanks to wide windows and narrow pillars. Rearward vision is restricted, although the rear window does afford an adequate view when reversing. Bi-xenon headlights are available at extra cost. The direct steering is always light, which makes manoeuvring easy, although the turning circle could be smaller. Front and rear parking sensors are standard.
Model tested Turning circle Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 11.4m
★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 11.4m
★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 11.4m
★★
We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easy-to-use heating and ventilation adjustments.
Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360-degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver’s eye view and any obscured areas.
how we test
cabin and controls
We take measurements all around the driver and passenger’s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don’t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out.
We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers’ expert knowledge and experience from thousands of differ-ent cars. And we measure the head-, leg- and elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.
how we test
getting in and out
Seat space and comfort
comfort and practicality
The Spider is a tightly-packed two-seater; it is very much a car designed around the driver and there isn’t even much room for luggage. Things are reasonably comfortable for two people, although it can get a bit wearing on long journeys.
getting in and out
★★★
Getting in and out of the front seats is quite easy, but you can bang your head on the door frame because the seats sit so high. Remote central locking is standard.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007)
★★★
Seat space and comfort
★★★
Space in the cabin is acceptable: the driver’s seat can be slid back far enough to
accommodate people up to around 1.85m tall. If you’re taller than this, your head will brush the roof. Both seats are very firm and offer plenty of support for your back, although there is too little support when cornering.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★
Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won’t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible).
Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty -10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air condition-ing, where fitted.
how we test
boot and storage
heating and ventilation
boot and storage
★★
The boot is quite small (only 200 litres) but the boot lid is easy to open and close, although you have to use the remote control to lock it and there is a high loading lip to lift luggage over. Cabin storage is limited to only a few compartments.
Model tested boot space (seats up/down) Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 180 litres / litres
★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
180 litres / 180 litres
★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 180 litres / litres
★★★
heating and ventilation
★★★★
The cosy cabin warms up and cools down very quickly thanks to standard climate control. The dual-zone system means that the driver and passenger can set different temperatures for themselves. However, in wintry weather, the side windows tend to mist up.
Model tested Rating
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008)
★★★★
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007)
★★★★
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007)
★★★★★
We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions – using realistic test cycles – to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we mea-sure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway.
how we test
Fuel consumption
Running costs and depreciation
Servicing is on the expensive side, and Alfa dealers have a poor reputation; there are many well-respected independent Alfa Romeo specialists around, however. Insurance is high, too, and fuel consumption and tax liabilities are costly for all models. On the plus side, the Spider holds its value fairly well.
Fuel consumption
Our test of the 2.2 JTS produced an average fuel consumption of 29.7mpg, which matches quite closely the official figure of 30.7mpg. The 3.2 V6 is the thirstiest engine, with an official figure of 24.6mpg, while the 2.4 JTDm diesel returns 41.5mpg.
petrol (combined mpg, claimed)
23.2 mpg - 34.5 mpg
diesel (combined mpg, claimed)
35.8 mpg - 52.3 mpg
Model tested Urban (claimed/tested)
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 24.8 mpg/23.2 mpg
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 30.7 mpg/30.1 mpg
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 21.7 mpg/20.5 mpg
Model tested extra urban (claimed/tested)
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 47.7 mpg/43.5 mpg
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 52.3 mpg/51.4 mpg
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 38.7 mpg/40.9 mpg
Model tested Motorway (measured)
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 29.1 mpg
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 37.2 mpg
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 29.7 mpg
Model tested combined (claimed/tested)
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 35.8 mpg/31.4 mpg
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 41.5 mpg/39.8 mpg
While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines.
We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test – after all, it’s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags...
Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from.
how we test
emissions
Safety
Security
emissions
Lowest-emissions - and therefore lowest-tax - model is the 2.4 JTDm diesel, which emits a manageable 179g/km with the manual gearbox (208g/km with the Qtronic auto). However, even the 2.2 JTS puts out a high-tax 218g/km, and the 3.2 V6 GTS emits a top-whack 262g/km with manual gearbox, 272g/km with the Q4 system, and 288g/km with the Qtronic auto and Q4.
petrol (CO2, claimed)
192g per km - 288g per km
diesel (CO2, claimed)
142g per km - 208g per km
Model tested emissions (claimed/tested)
diesel 2.4JTDm (200bhp) automatic 2dr (2008) 208g per km/231g per km
diesel 2.4 JTDM 20v (200bhp) manual 2-door (2007) 179g per km/187g per km
petrol 2.2JTS (185bhp) manual 2dr (2007) 221g per km/220g per km
Safety and security
Standard front airbags, side airbags, driver’s knee airbag and head-protecting curtain airbags provide a high degree of safety in the event of a crash, while a passenger’s knee airbag was optional when new. Vehicle Dynamic Control is also standard, including hill holder, traction control, stability control, and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.
Our criticisms are: the external door handles cannot withstand the force required to open a door that may have jammed shut in the event of an accident; the front head restraints taper in towards the top, are too narrow and are only high enough for people up to 1.75m tall. The Spider has not been subjected to EuroNCAP crash testing.
euro Ncap score
No results available.Which? safety rating
Active (crash avoidance)
-Passive (crash safety)
-Child
-Pedestrian
-Security
Theft of car: Theft from car:
★★★★★
★★★
Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give top-level satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand’s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five.
These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners’ ratings are subjective – so may differ from Which? Car test scores – but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space).
about our survey
brand ratings
Model ownership ratings
OWnEr’S ViEW
Fabulous looks, revvy
engine, lovely ride.
OWnEr’S ViEW
Appalling fuel
Which? car Survey results
The Which? Car Survey is the UK’s biggest and best reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2013, drivers told us about 57,182 cars, covering more than 450 million miles in the previous 12 months (that’s equivalent to driving 18,398 times around the world). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars.
Note Star ratings below are from 1-5 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under ‘Most common faults’ indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months.
brand
Sample size: 346 peoplealfa Romeo ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this brand
80%
Brand reliability
-Dealer Sales Service
★★★★
Dealer Servicing & repair
★★★
Model:
Alfa romeo Spider (2006-2010) Sampl
e size: - peopleOwnership ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this range
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-We split reliability into breakdowns (in-cluding failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor is-sues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five – the more stars, the more reli-able the car.
Want to know what’s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and non-en-gine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars.
about our survey
Reliability ratings
Most common faults
Which? car Survey results
continued...
Reliability ratings
Overall Reliability
-Up to 3 years old 3-8 years old
petrol cars Reliability
-
-breakdowns
-
-average annual repair cost
-
-diesel cars Reliability
-
-breakdowns
-
-average annual repair cost
-
-all cars Reliability
-
-breakdowns
-
-average annual repair cost
-
-breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months
average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12
months
Most common faults
Up to 3 years old -