The Alfa Romeo Junior isn’t even offered yet, and it’s already causing trouble. What could this small and attainable EV have to offer?

The first Alfa EV isn’t this small crossover, but the limited-edition 33 Stradale supercar. The Junior is the first EV from this brand that regular people can actually buy. It came to be with a different name, but a unique Italian law caused the brand to change its name. Compared to the name it should have come with, the Junior name is a bit of a letdown. Still, this new EV could be the small SUV you want to drive.

Let’s get the naming controversy out of the way

The new Junior wasn’t supposed to be called Junior. Considering some of the names that make up the Alfa Romeo lineup, its not surprising that the name this little SUV will wear was a last minute choice. It was originally revealed as the Alfa Romeo Milano. There is an Italian law tat prevents products with names linked to Italian geography from being made outside of Italy. The new Junior is to be made in Poland, which means it goes against this law; hence the name change from Milano to Junio.

Junior could be the perfect name

Although the name isn’t Italian or in line with what we expect from Alfa Romeo, this little SUV could easily be seen as a Junior. This small and active electric SUV shared a platform with the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e. The small size might not fit in with larger vehicles in the United States, but this B-segment crossover is a huge hit in Europe. Nearly all mainstream automakers have at least one vehicle in this class. Alfa was missing out on this fun, but now they have an SUV that fits into this class perfectly.

Good power for the drive

It’s not unheard of for small vehicles to offer very little power. It doesn’t take much to get these vehicles going. The new all-electric Junior comes in two versions. The base model is called Elettrica, and it delivers 154 horsepower to the wheels. In true Alfa fashion, the Veloce trim delivers a lot more power to give this small SUV 276 horsepower. This higher-powered version also receives a mechanical limited-slip differential to make it sportier and more fun. The Veloce was originally supposed to have only 237 horsepower, but Alfa Romeo found more power for this sporty trim.

Let’s talk more about the Veloce

If you choose the Alfa Romeo Junior to be your electric SUV, you’ll be glad to have the features and items offered in the Veloce trim. This model has a lower suspension, wider track, beefed-up anti-roll bar, and a set of performance tires. This could be the perfect packaging to make this small electric SUV a lot of fun out on the road. The Junior has the quickest steering ratio in its class, making it one of the most impressive and fun little SUVs to drive.

If we look back to the Elettrica version of this SUV, you’ll have a driving range of 255 miles and fast-charging capabilities that take the charge from 10 to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes at a rapid charger.

Its not all about electric

There’s another version of the Junior for you to choose from. The Junior Ibrida is a hybrid model that is only made for left-hand drive markets. This hybrid model has a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to give this small SUV 134 horsepower for the drive. The Ibrida model will come in FWD and AWD versions and use a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This version of the Junior might be the last combustion-engine car that Alfa Romeo brings to the market.

This isn’t a luxury Jeep

Some might think that sharing a platform with the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e will mean that the Alfa Romeo Junior will simply be a higher-priced version of the other two vehicles. This new SUV will have its own handling characteristics, with a set up that’s similar to the Giulia GTA.

This new Alfa will also enjoy some impressive interior and exterior design elements. The cabin features two 10.25-inch screens. One is a central touchscreen and the other is a digital TFT instrument screen. You’ll also find a navigation system in the EV versions of this SUV.

On the outside, you’ll find a much more angular look than what we’ve seen on many Alfa vehicles. The new Alfa Romeo Junior will kick off in the UK but could eventually be made to become part of the American market as well.