The typical life cycle of a car is around seven years, yet the Stelvio is nearing its 10th anniversary. It’ll still be some time before Alfa Romeo’s original SUV transitions to its second generation. A new report claims that deliveries have been delayed to allow development of a version that wasn’t initially planned. Stellantis had originally intended to sell the next-generation Stelvio exclusively as an EV, but has had a change of heart and is now working on a hybrid with a gasoline engine.
According to Reuters, which cites two people familiar with the matter, deliveries of the next-gen Stelvio won’t begin until September or October next year. The original timeline had Alfa Romeo unveiling the midsize luxury SUV later this year and starting shipments in Q1 2026. When contacted by Motor1, a company spokesperson issued the following statement:
Photo by: Alfa Romeo
“Stellantis has announced, through a company spokesperson, that it is working on an update to its plan for Italy. The plan includes an expansion and reshaping of activities in the country, in light of current market conditions, uncertainties surrounding EU regulations, and the impact of tariffs. A constructive dialogue is underway in the appropriate forums.”
The reference to “market conditions” suggests that Alfa Romeo initially felt confident about launching the new Stelvio as an EV-only model but reconsidered after realizing that electric vehicles were not gaining traction as quickly as expected. The next generation will move from the Giorgio platform to the STLA Large architecture. While STLA Large is electric-first, it also supports combustion engines.
Stellantis has already implemented the STLA Large platform for the new Dodge Charger, which is currently available only with electric powertrains. The Charger Sixpack, featuring a twin-turbo inline-six “Hurricane” engine, is scheduled for the second half of the year, despite Dodge’s initial promise to have the gas-powered version on sale by summer.
It’s still too early to tell whether a potential delay of the Stelvio will also affect the new Giulia. Alfa Romeo has said its BMW 3 Series rival will enter its second generation in 2026. When it arrives, however, it won’t be a traditional sedan. Instead, it’s expected to adopt a different body style; likely a five-door, slightly lifted liftback in the vein of the Peugeot 408.
The high-performance Quadrifoglio models are also set to return, complete with combustion engines. Alfa Romeo CEO Santo Ficili confirmed the news to our colleagues from Motor1 Italy and hinted at the possible use of Maserati’s “Nettuno” V-6:
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Source: Alfa Romeo
“A fantastic engine, there will be an evolution in terms of availability. I think it is an engine that can be developed in any brand, as happens in a strong Group like Stellantis where synergies must be sought, so I do not exclude possibilities of this type.”
Earlier this week, Stellantis finally announced a replacement for Carlos Tavares, who departed the company in December 2024. Former Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa will now lead the automotive conglomerate, which comprises no fewer than 14 car brands. One of his first trips as CEO will be to Europe, where Stellantis is grappling with a few underperforming brands like DS Automobiles and Lancia.
Alfa Romeo, by contrast, is way up in the region. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), shipments in the EU+EFTA+UK region rose by 36.9% to 23,067 units during the first four months of the year. Still, BMW, thanks to a much more diverse portfolio, sold approximately eleven times as many cars in the same period, totaling 264,009 vehicles.
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