Lexus ES vs Alfa Romeo Giulia

The Lexus ES starts from $73,900 before on-road costs, while the Alfa Romeo Giulia opens at $75,900. 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 $81,290 and $83,490 respectively.

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

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

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 8 in the Lexus ES and 6 in the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The Lexus ES adds a 360-degree camera that the Alfa Romeo Giulia misses.

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

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

The Lexus ES uses a Hybrid producing 160kW and 221Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.9 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia responds with a Petrol making 206kW and 400Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 5.2 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 Lexus ES measures 4,975mm long on a 2,870mm wheelbase, 332mm longer than the Alfa Romeo Giulia at 4,643mm (2,820mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Lexus ES generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 473L in the Lexus ES and 480L in the Alfa Romeo Giulia, 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 $1,511/year for the Lexus ES and $2,109/year for the Alfa Romeo Giulia. That is a $598 annual difference in favour of the Lexus ES.

Estimated annual total: $1,511 (Lexus ES) vs $2,109 (Alfa Romeo Giulia). 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: 4 years / 100,000km (Lexus ES) vs 5 years / 150,000km (Alfa Romeo Giulia). The Alfa Romeo Giulia has longer coverage. Capped-price servicing: 4yr (Lexus ES)—.