The family lineage is certainly evident, with particularly strong 156 influences around the rear and in the side profile, although the hidden rear door handles have sadly been dropped in favour of conventional items.
But it’s at the front that the 159 really turns on the charm, with a fantastically bold grille and headlight combo that not only creates one of the most recognisable faces on the road, but also disguises the 159’s long, pedestrian-friendly nose.
Powering the 159 is a range of five engines. There are 1.9- and 2.2-litre four-cylinder petrol units offering 158bhp and 182bhp respectively, both benefiting from direct injection and variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust valves.
Traditionalists will mourn its passing, but the famous Alfa V6 has finally sung its last, to be replaced by a new GM-sourced 3.2-litre direct-injection V6 – with Alfa-designed cylinder heads – developing 256bhp and 237lb ft of torque.
The diesel line-up is headed by a mighty new 197bhp version of the 2.4-litre five-cylinder powerplant, while the ubiquitous 1.9 JTDm engine – likely to be the biggest seller – produces 148bhp and 236lb ft of torque. It’s this version we test here.
Most variants direct drive to the front wheels through six-speed gearboxes, but the V6 gets Q4 four-wheel-drive transmission with a variable torque split between the front and rear axles. An automatic gearbox will be available on the V6 petrol and both diesel models later.
There must be plenty of Alfisti who dream of a modern rear-drive Alfa saloon, but the new ‘Premium’ platform used by the 159 has been engineered in either front- or four-wheel-drive forms. Nevertheless, there are double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear set-up, with power steering that is hydraulically-assisted rather than fully electric.