Alfa Romeo 145 Hatchback 1994-2001

Alfa Romeo introduced the 145 (94-01) hatchback amongst extensive competition in the hatchback market. Alfa wanted to target dedicated Alfa Romeo enthusiasts to gain more market share. It is an ideal choice for those who want to live with a lively engine and excellent Italian styling.

Pros and Cons:

• Unique styling
  Throaty and reliable engines
  Sharp handling, with fun and responsive steering
  Cut-away dashboard design which will grab your attention

• Some may dislike the interior
  Use of poor-quality materials to build the car
  Questionable consistency
  Relatively poor turning circle

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Exterior and Interior

The interiors are also not that pleasant compared to other hatchback cars of the same class with the positioning of the driver"s seat set quite high along with fiddly controls on a slightly dull dashboard. Although there is ample leg room in the front, space for passengers in the rear is cramped compared to a 146 hatchback from the same series. The back of the car has a stretchy cover for luggage, and it not friendly to all users but does have enough space for a large pushchair or your weekly shop. On a positive note the 145 has a responsive 16-valve twin spark engine with a lot of energy and an upbeat gear changing system.

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Engines

The 1998 model of the car had a 1.8 TS engine that was decent and cheap, but it is better to go for 2.0-litre version for better efficiency together with increased performance. The capacity of 1.8-litres will certainly return a higher amount of miles per gallon (MPG) if the accelerator is used gently, but that is only if you can avoid the temptation of the lovely sounding, throaty engine. The exterior styling of the car is based on a mini-saloon design which is much more pleasant to look at than the 146. The 145 however does require a full service every 12 thousand miles.

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Performance and Economy

Recent versions of the car have got better with several modifications to the engines, styling and chassis. The 1.8 TS engine is enough to excite anyone, and it is a smart choice to go for. The steering on the 145 Hatchback is also much quicker than some previous versions of the car. If performance is the primary area of concern then there is always a hot hatch 2.0-litre engine.

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What it's like to Drive

This car doesn"t quite capture the magic that Alfa has created so many times before. Having said that it isn"t a bad car and some of the engine choices are fun and very nice sounding. This car is likely to come down to personal taste. It is a fun car to drive although it won"t keep you excited forever.

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Faults and Repairs

The Alfa Romeo 145 is venerable to worn suspension bushes and smoky engines. As a new owner of the car, one should always be ready to replace the suspension as it could fail at any point. Whenever the driver and the passengers start hearing a creaking or the odd groan, then this is certainly a notification for the owner to be prepared to spending money on repairing the suspensions. The 145 has never stood out of the crowd and often averages a score of 3 out of 5 in many customer surveys. One should always expect high bills for any repairs especially if your work is getting carried by a franchised dealer.

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