Alfa Romeo Junior Earns COTY Semi-Finalist Nod in South Africa

Alfa Romeo’s all-new Junior has taken an important early step in its electric journey, earning semi-finalist status in the 2026 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition, sponsored by Old Mutual Insure. For a brand that has built its reputation on emotion, handling, and driver involvement, this recognition signals that Alfa Romeo’s first fully electric model is resonating beyond design alone.

The COTY program is administered by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) and evaluates newly launched vehicles on real-world criteria that matter to buyers—engineering depth, performance, value, and overall execution. Being named a semi-finalist places the Junior in a competitive field and offers an early benchmark for how Alfa Romeo’s electrification strategy is stacking up in a demanding market.

A Meaningful Milestone for Alfa Romeo – 

Introduced locally in October 2025 by Stellantis South Africa, the Junior represents a major shift for the brand in the region. It’s compact, modern, and unmistakably Italian, but more importantly, it’s Alfa Romeo’s first all-electric offering on South African roads. That alone makes its COTY recognition notable.

According to Janus Janse van Rensburg, Head of Marketing and Sales at Alfa Romeo South Africa, early acknowledgment from the COTY judges reflects the car’s core strengths rather than hype. The evaluation process is known to be tough, and simply making the semi-final cut suggests the Junior delivers more than just good looks.

Performance-First Electrification, Alfa-Style – 

The Junior lineup consists of two electric variants: Elettrica and Elettrica Veloce. The standard Elettrica produces 118 kW (about 158 horsepower) and 260 Nm (192 lb-ft) of torque. It reaches a top speed of 152 km/h (94 mph) and accelerates from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in just over 9 seconds—numbers that fit comfortably into the premium compact EV space.

At the top of the range, the Elettrica Veloce turns things up significantly. With 207 kW (approximately 278 horsepower) and 345 Nm (254 lb-ft) of torque, it sprints from 0–100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and tops out at 200 km/h (124 mph). For a compact electric crossover measuring roughly 4.2 meters (13.8 feet) long, those figures reinforce Alfa Romeo’s claim that driving engagement hasn’t been sacrificed in the move to electrification.

Designed For Daily Life, Not Just Specs – 

While official South African WLTP figures are still pending, current estimates suggest a driving range of about 410 kilometers (255 miles) for the Elettrica and roughly 334 kilometers (208 miles) for the Veloce. That places the Junior squarely in the sweet spot for daily commuting and weekend use, without positioning it as a long-range EV specialist.

Pricing starts at R799,900 for the Elettrica—roughly $43,000 USD at current exchange rates—while the Elettrica Veloce comes in at R999,900, or about $54,000 USD. The Junior is available through Alfa Romeo dealers nationwide.