Alfa Romeo 145

Alfa Romeo 145: generations: what the restyling actually changed

The catalogue lists two blocks, not two model lines. 1 generation is the long run: 10 versions, Hatchback 3-door. 1 generation, restyling is the short run: 6 versions, Mini 3-doors, 14 months. Restyling is still the same generation; it is the filter that dropped five engines and kept six.

The catalogue lists two blocks, not two model lines. 1 generation is the long run: 10 versions, Hatchback 3-door. 1 generation, restyling is the short run: 6 versions, Mini 3-doors, 14 months. Restyling is still the same generation; it is the filter that dropped five engines and kept six.

Dropped after 1999-03-31: 1.4 MT 90 hp (Opposite, 2 valves, 1351 cc), 1.6 MT 103 hp (Opposite, 2 valves, 1596 cc), 1.7 MT 129 hp (Opposite, 4 valves, 1712 cc), 1.8 MT 140 hp (Inline, 1747 cc), 1.9 MT 90 hp Diesel (1929 cc, Turbo). Kept into restyling: 1.4 MT 103 hp, 1.6 MT 120 hp, 1.8 MT 144 hp, 2.0 MT 150 hp, 2.0 MT 155 hp, 1.9 MT 105 hp Diesel.

Chassis layout does not change: Independent, spring front and rear on all 16 cars. Brakes do. On 1 generation, front brakes are Ventilated disc; rear is Drum on the Opposite petrols and the 90 hp 1.9 MT, and Disc on the Inline petrols. On restyling, every listed version is Disc / Disc. If you want the later brake spec, you are shopping Mini 3-doors, 1999-04-01 to 2000-05-31, and you have already lost the 1.7 MT and both Opposite 1.4 MT / 1.6 MT.

Engines and specs

Use the names exactly as listed. Two cars with the same badge are not the same engine.

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement × 1000): 1.8 MT 144 hp is 82.4 hp/l — the densest petrol here. 1.8 MT 140 hp is 80.1. 2.0 MT 155 hp is 78.7; 2.0 MT 150 hp is 76.1. Both restyle 1.4 MT 103 hp and 1.6 MT 120 hp sit at 75.2 and 75.1. 1.7 MT is 75.4. Opposite 1.4 MT 90 hp is 66.6; Opposite 1.6 MT 103 hp is 64.5. Diesels sit last: 1.9 MT 105 hp 55.0 hp/l, 1.9 MT 90 hp 46.7 hp/l. Extra cubic centimetres on the 2.0 MT do not buy the highest specific output; they buy torque: 187 Nm versus 169 Nm on the 1.8 MT 144 hp.

Engine placement is Front, transverse where measured on the Inline petrols; it is not measured on 1.8 MT 144 hp, 2.0 MT 155 hp, restyle 1.9 MT, 1.7 MT and the Opposite petrols. The 1.9 MT 90 hp is the outlier: Front, longitudinal. Injection is Distributed injection (multi-point) on every Gasoline version; both Diesel versions have injection not measured. Compression is 9.5 on both Opposite 2-valve petrols, 10–10.5 on the Inline petrols, 18.5 on restyle 1.9 MT, 19.2 on the 90 hp 1.9 MT. Fuel is 95 on petrol, Diesel on diesel. Boost is No on every petrol and Turbo on both diesels.

Performance and economy

0–100 km/h and top speed, slowest to fastest 0–100:

• 1.4 MT 90 hp: 12.5 s, 178 km/h
• 1.9 MT 90 hp: 12.0 s, 178 km/h
• 1.4 MT 103 hp (both periods): 11.2 s, 185 km/h
• 1.6 MT 103 hp: 11.0 s, 185 km/h
• 1.9 MT 105 hp: 10.4 s, 185 km/h
• 1.6 MT 120 hp (both periods): 10.2 s, 195 km/h
• 1.7 MT: 9.8 s, 200 km/h
• 1.8 MT 144 hp (both periods): 9.1 s, 207 km/h
• 1.8 MT 140 hp: 8.5 s, 205 km/h
• 2.0 MT 150 hp (both periods): 8.4 s, 210 km/h
• 2.0 MT 155 hp (both periods): 8.3 s, 211 km/h

The 140 hp 1.8 MT is 0.6 s quicker to 100 than the 144 hp 1.8 MT despite 4 hp less and 80 kg more kerb weight (1275 vs 1195 kg). Peak power arrives at 6300 rpm versus 6500 rpm; peak torque is 162 Nm at 4000 rpm versus 169 Nm at 3500 rpm. The catalogue times are the times; do not invert them because the 144 looks “stronger” on paper.

Fuel, mixed, where measured: restyle 1.9 MT 5.7 l/100 km is the lowest; 1.9 MT 90 hp 7.0. Petrol mixed cluster is 7.9 (1.4 MT 103 hp) to 8.7 (2.0 MT 155 hp). 1.4 MT 90 hp, 1.6 MT 103 hp, 1.6 MT 120 hp all sit at mixed 8.2. City: diesel restyle 7.6, diesel early 8.8, petrol 10.0–12.4. Highway: diesel restyle 4.7, diesel early 5.0, petrol 6.1–6.6. Mixed/city/highway are not measured for 1.8 MT 140 hp and both 2.0 MT 150 hp cars. CO2 is not measured on all 16.

A 51 l tank at mixed 5.7 (restyle 1.9 MT) versus mixed 8.7 (2.0 MT 155 hp) is 8.9 l/100 km of gap. Highway 4.7 versus 6.6 is 1.9 l/100 km. If kilometres matter more than 0–100, the restyle 1.9 MT is the measured answer. If 0–100 matters, the 2.0 MT 155 hp is 2.1 s quicker than that diesel (8.3 vs 10.4) and 3.7 s quicker than the 90 hp 1.4 MT.

Dimensions and weight

Ground clearance 120 mm and tank 51 l do not change. Wheel sizes are not measured. Body label changes: Hatchback 3-door then Mini 3-doors; no length, width or height figures are in the data, so those cannot be compared.

Kerb / gross (kg):

• Lightest: 1.4 MT 90 hp 1140 / 1670
• 1.6 MT 103 hp Opposite: 1147 / 1670
• 1.8 MT 144 hp: 1195 / 1715
• 1.4 MT 103 hp and restyle 1.9 MT: 1210 / 1655 and 1210 / 1685
• 2.0 MT 155 hp: 1240 / 1760
• 1.6 MT 120 hp: 1260 / 1705
• 1.7 MT: 1265 / 1715
• 1.8 MT 140 hp: 1275 / 1720
• 1.9 MT 90 hp: 1285 / 1720
• Heaviest: 2.0 MT 150 hp 1315 / 1765

kg per hp (kerb ÷ hp): 2.0 MT 155 hp 8.0; 1.8 MT 144 hp 8.3; 2.0 MT 150 hp 8.77; 1.8 MT 140 hp 9.11; 1.7 MT 9.81; 1.6 MT 120 hp 10.5; 1.6 MT 103 hp 11.14; restyle 1.9 MT 11.52; 1.4 MT 103 hp 11.75; 1.4 MT 90 hp 12.67; 1.9 MT 90 hp 14.28. The 155 hp 2.0 MT is 75 kg lighter than the 150 hp 2.0 MT (1240 vs 1315) at the same 1970 cc and the same 187 Nm; that is 0.77 kg/hp and 0.1 s of 0–100 (8.3 vs 8.4). Payload (gross − kerb) is largest on the light Opposite cars: 530 kg on 1.4 MT 90 hp, 523 kg on 1.6 MT 103 hp; smallest on 1.4 MT 103 hp at 445 kg.

Which version to choose

Want the fastest 0–100 in the catalogue. Buy 2.0 MT 155 hp: 8.3 s, 211 km/h, 8.0 kg/hp, 78.7 hp/l. It exists in 1 generation and in restyling with the same power, torque, kerb 1240 kg, mixed 8.7, city 12.4, highway 6.6. Restyling only changes the listed front/rear brakes from Ventilated disc / Disc to Disc / Disc. Do not confuse it with 2.0 MT 150 hp: same 1970 cc and 187 Nm, but 5 hp less, 75 kg more, fuel not measured, 8.4 s and 210 km/h.

Want the most power per litre, not the largest engine. Buy 1.8 MT 144 hp: 82.4 hp/l, 144 hp, 169 Nm at 3500 rpm, kerb 1195 kg (8.3 kg/hp), mixed 8.4. It is 0.8 s slower than the 155 hp 2.0 MT and 18 Nm down, but 45 kg lighter and 0.3 l/100 km better mixed. The sibling 1.8 MT 140 hp is the 0–100 surprise (8.5 s, 205 km/h) with fuel not measured; it is 1 generation only.

Want Opposite-layout petrol that the restyling deleted. 1.7 MT is the only Opposite with 4 valves per cylinder: 129 hp, 149 Nm, 1712 cc, 9.8 s, 200 km/h, mixed 8.4, 9.81 kg/hp. It sits between 1.6 MT 120 hp (10.2 s, 195 km/h) and 1.8 MT 144 hp (9.1 s) without jumping to 1970 cc. The cheaper-looking Opposite pair is slower: 1.4 MT 90 hp is 3.7 s off the 155 hp car and 12.67 kg/hp; 1.6 MT 103 hp matches the Inline 1.4 MT 103 hp on top speed (185) and mixed (8.2 vs 7.9) while using 226 cc more.

Choosing between two cars both badged 1.4 MT. 90 hp Opposite, 2 valves, 1351 cc versus 103 hp Inline, 4 valves, 1370 cc. You pay 70 kg (1140 vs 1210) to gain 13 hp, 9 Nm, 1.3 s (12.5 vs 11.2) and 7 km/h (178 vs 185). Mixed improves 0.3 l/100 km (8.2 vs 7.9) while city worsens 0.6 (10.1 vs 10.7). Rear brakes: Drum versus Disc. The 103 hp 1.4 MT is the one that survives into restyling.

Choosing between two cars both badged 1.6 MT. 103 hp Opposite 1596 cc versus 120 hp Inline 1598 cc: +17 hp, +11 Nm, −0.8 s (11.0 vs 10.2), +10 km/h (185 vs 195), +113 kg (1147 vs 1260). Mixed is identical 8.2. City 10.0 vs 11.1. Specific output 64.5 vs 75.1 hp/l. Only the 120 hp car continues after 1999-03-31.

Want diesel. Do not buy the 90 hp 1.9 MT if the 105 hp 1.9 MT is on the same list: +15 hp, +69 Nm (186 vs 255), −1.6 s (12.0 vs 10.4), +7 km/h, −75 kg (1285 vs 1210), mixed 7.0 vs 5.7, city 8.8 vs 7.6, highway 5.0 vs 4.7. Displacement even falls 1929 to 1910 cc. The early car is Front, longitudinal; restyle placement is not measured. The 105 hp diesel’s 10.4 s matches the 1.6 MT 120 hp’s 10.2 s within 0.2 s at 2.5 l/100 km less mixed. Torque peak 2000 rpm versus 4500 rpm on that petrol.

Want the least fuel among petrols with a full set of figures. 1.4 MT 103 hp: mixed 7.9, city 10.7, highway 6.3. The Opposite 1.6 MT 103 hp is 0.3 mixed worse and 0.7 city better. Neither diesel-level.

Restyling or not. Performance of the six overlapping engines is copied across the date cut (1.4 MT 103, 1.6 MT 120, 1.8 MT 144, both 2.0 MT, 1.9 MT 105). What you cannot buy after 1999-03-31 is the Opposite set and the 140 hp 1.8 MT and the 90 hp diesel. What you cannot buy before 1999-04-01 as Mini 3-doors with Disc / Disc on the small petrols is the restyle brake line. There is no automatic, no AWD, and no fourth door in this dataset.

Problems and reliability

The data set does not list faults, service intervals or reliability scores; those are not measured. What is measured and does affect ownership is consumption, weight and the brake split above. CO2 and eco class are not measured, so they cannot be used as a proxy for “cleaner” or “newer” between 1994-09-01 and 2000-05-31.

Short list. Fastest and best kg/hp: 2.0 MT 155 hp. Best petrol specific output and lightest Inline: 1.8 MT 144 hp. Quick 1.8 with fuel not measured: 1.8 MT 140 hp, 1 generation only. Last Opposite that still runs with the 1.8s on time: 1.7 MT. Least fuel: 1.9 MT 105 hp. Avoid mixing badges: 1.4 MT, 1.6 MT, 1.8 MT, 2.0 MT and 1.9 MT each cover two different outputs.