Alfa Romeo Giulia vs Lexus ES

The Alfa Romeo Giulia starts from $75,900 before on-road costs, while the Lexus ES opens at $73,900. That makes the Lexus ES the more affordable entry point by $2,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $83,490 and $81,290 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Lexus ES by roughly $2,990 in fuel alone.

Both the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Lexus ES hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 98% for the Alfa Romeo Giulia and 95% for the Lexus ES.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 7 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Alfa Romeo Giulia and 8 in the Lexus ES. The Lexus ES adds a 360-degree camera that the Alfa Romeo Giulia misses.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia features a 8.8-inch touchscreen, while the Lexus ES gets a 12.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and Harman Kardon audio that you will not find on the Lexus ES. The Lexus ES counters with Apple CarPlay, head-up display, wireless charging, panoramic roof, heated front seats and power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia uses a Petrol producing 206kW and 400Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.2 seconds.

The Lexus ES responds with a Hybrid making 160kW and 221Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia has the clear power advantage at 206kW vs 160kW. In the real-world sprint, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is 3.7s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia measures 4,643mm long on a 2,820mm wheelbase, 332mm shorter than the Lexus ES at 4,975mm (2,870mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Lexus ES generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 480L in the Alfa Romeo Giulia and 473L in the Lexus ES, giving the Alfa Romeo Giulia a 7L advantage.

For towing, the Alfa Romeo Giulia leads with a 1,600kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 600kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,109/year for the Alfa Romeo Giulia and $1,511/year for the Lexus ES. That is a $598 annual difference in favour of the Lexus ES.

Estimated annual total: $2,109 (Alfa Romeo Giulia) vs $1,511 (Lexus ES). The Lexus ES saves you roughly $598 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 150,000km (Alfa Romeo Giulia) vs 4 years / 100,000km (Lexus ES). The Alfa Romeo Giulia has longer coverage. Capped-price servicing: —4yr (Lexus ES).