Alfa Romeo 159 Price Guide

The Alfa Romeo 159 was supposed to take the 156’s magic and add the build quality and refinement that its predecessor lacked. It got the quality right but in the process gained so much weight that the driving experience suffered. The 159 is a handsome, comfortable, solidly built car that never quite recaptured the 156’s sparkle.

The Range

Produced from 2005 to 2011, the 159 was available as a saloon and Sportwagon estate. It used a premium-feeling platform developed jointly with General Motors. Engine options included the 1.9 JTS and 2.2 JTS direct-injection petrols, the 3.2 JTS V6 with all-wheel drive via Alfa’s Q4 system, and the 1.9 JTDm 8v and 16v diesels plus the 2.4 JTDm five-cylinder diesel. The 1.75 TBi turbo petrol arrived late in the production run as a replacement for the 2.2 JTS. A 1.8 MPI naturally aspirated engine was offered in some markets as a budget option.

Engine Guide

The 1.9 JTDm 16v is the default choice for most buyers: refined, economical, and powerful enough. The 2.4 JTDm five-cylinder sounds distinctive and has strong torque but is heavy and thirsty by modern diesel standards. The 3.2 V6 with Q4 all-wheel drive is the enthusiast’s pick but depreciation and running costs are steep. The JTS petrol engines suffer from premature timing chain wear — a serious and expensive problem — making them the variants to approach with most caution. The 1.75 TBi is a good engine but the turbo is sensitive to oil specification and the cambelt needs changing at shorter intervals than Alfa specified. The 1.8 MPI is the cheapest to run but dull.

Gearbox Warning

Several engines are paired with the M32 six-speed manual gearbox, which is notorious for sixth-gear bearing failure. The bearing wears, causing a whine in fifth and sixth gears that progresses to total gearbox failure if ignored. The M32 is used across many Fiat group vehicles, and bearing repair kits are available, but it remains a significant weakness. The 2.4 JTDm and 3.2 V6 use more robust gearboxes and avoid this issue.

Other Issues

Swirl flaps in the diesel intake manifolds can fail and be ingested by the engine — a catastrophic failure mode. Spot-welded stainless steel flaps on post-2006 cars are the ones at risk. The body computer develops faults from around 60,000 miles, causing random central locking activation and lighting problems. Dual-mass flywheels fail on higher-mileage JTS and V6 cars. Selespeed automated manuals are best avoided outside warranty. The Rosso Alfa paint is noticeably weaker against stone chips than other colours.

The 159 replaced the 156 and was itself succeeded by the Giulia — though a gap of several years separated the two as Alfa Romeo restructured its range.