Alfa Romeo 159 Owner's Manual

About The 159

Replacing the 156 in 2004, the newer 159 model sported a similar but more modern look.

It was the Italian company’s new compact executive car built on a platform developed but never used by Saab.

That platform was however also used under the Brera/Spider model that was introduced a year later in 2005.

When purchasing the 159 new you could choose from one of 8 engines, 5 powered by gasoline and 3 powered by diesel.

Most of the engines sold were of the straight 4-cylinder configuration but some were V6 and even a straight 5-cylinder engine was produced too.

Mated to those was either a manual transmission (originally 5-speed but later upgraded to 6-speed) or an automatic with 6 gears.

The highest-level 159 you could purchase was the 3.2-liter V6 model that had a top speed of 155mph and was fitted with a limited-slip differential.

As it was a compact executive car it had some stiff competition from the BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS at that time.

What set the 159 apart from the rest of these was the sporty appeal that Alfa Romeo instills in all of its models.

Compared to its close competitors this car was lower to the ground and boasted a sleek design with slanted lines traveling up its body with dials pointing towards the driver inside.

A station wagon/estate body style was also offered by the company that was marketed as the “Sportwagon” from 2006 onwards.

As standard, the 159 was a front-wheel-drive but could be upgraded to a four-wheel-drive with a center differential for increased delivery of power to the ground.

It scored incredibly well in safety tests for occupants thanks to its anti-whiplash seats – an important buying point for those with families.

It was eventually replaced by the Giulia in 2016 which was built on a completely different platform shared with the Stelvio and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.