Ed's Driveway: Alfa Romeo Giulia

By Ed Curran

CHICAGO (CBS) -- We're behind the wheel of an Italian sports sedan that loves to cut corners. It's the handling. Or maybe it's the power. The Alfa Romeo Giulia is, hands down, one of my favorite cars to drive.

This entry level luxury sport sedan is simply done right. Its 280 horsepower 4-cylinder turbo has great power and -- this is important -- delivers great sound. It's married to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The combination is a good one, and the Giulia does 0 to 60 in about 5.5 seconds. The Giulia is a rear wheel drive car, but all wheel drive is an option.

The interior of the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a gorgeous leather cabin. It's designed for people who love to drive, love to push their car, and always be reminded of its Italian heritage.

The Giulia starts at $42,000. The super high performance Giulia Quadrifoglio comes in at $75,000.

If you're looking at a BMW 3-Series or a Mercedes C-Class, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a car you have to test drive.