It's something of a cliche in motoring journalism to say that Alfa Romeos are cars you choose with your heart rather than your head. But for us it feels unavoidable when considering the newly facelifted Giulia saloon - a car that would be ineligible for many company car choice lists these days, yet from behind the wheel is simply terrific.

We'll get the bad news out of the way first. Following the model's mid-life update there's only one engine option, and it's a 280hp, 2.0-litre petrol. There's no EV, no hybrid, not even a diesel. As such, the Giulia emits 167g/km of CO2 in official testing, putting it in the top 37% BIK company car tax band, and has an official fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg, therefore giving every financial reason for company car drivers to instead look to the various German alternatives (the Alfa's projected residual value and SMR costs aren't that competitive either).

However, it's hard to be too concerned about any of this from behind the wheel, because the Giulia is an absolute joy to drive. It features wonderfully precise steering, and superb handling from its rear-wheel drive chassis (a limited slip differential is fitted with the Veloce equipment grade tested here), with a ride that's sportily firm without compromising comfort. In addition, although the petrol engine is only a four-cylinder, it makes a nice sound and provides strong acceleration.

And the Giulia's appeal isn't only about driving dynamics. Its interior is stylish with generally good quality materials - though the overall standard is probably just a bit behind the Germans - and the seats are supportive and comfortable. The central infotainment set-up is what you might call an older-style arrangement - but you'll hear no complaints about that from us, with a rotary control wheel and physical knobs making it easy to use on the move. A new feature with the facelift is a full 12.3in driver display, and this works well too. Ergonomically, the only annoyance is one we also noted last month when we reviewed the Tonale SUV - oversized gear shift paddles that get in the way of reaching the indicators. Rear passenger space is reasonable, as is the boot, though the luggage compartment is perhaps on the shallow side.

The Giulia was already a good-looking car, so there was no need for a major exterior overhaul, but there have been minor changes to the air ducts, and the provision of full LED matrix headlights, which are standard throughout the range. 

Overall, the updates are welcome, but not game-changing, and for the reasons outlined, sensible company car drivers will probably be looking elsewhere - especially when a plug-in hybrid BMW 3 Series is only a few hundred pounds more on P11D. However, we hope that there are enough romantics out there for the Alfa to find a market - and would like to predict that those who do take the plunge won't regret it.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce 2.0 Turbo Petrol 280hp