Day: January 1, 2021

2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0T review: The enthusiast’s choice, to a fault

Five years on the Giulia is still gorgeous.


Daniel Golson/Roadshow

The compact luxury sport sedan segment has long been one of the most competitive in the industry, at least from the perspective of journalists and enthusiasts. While the BMW 3 Series was always the go-to, no-brainer choice, it got softer in the 2000s, allowing other models to claw their way to the top. Then, in 2015, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio burst onto the scene and shook everything up, instantly becoming the coolest and best-driving sport sedan on sale.

Like

  • Fantastic looks
  • Class-leading driving dynamics
  • More standard features

Don’t Like

  • Tech isn’t up to par
  • Annoying ergonomics
  • Lacking some luxury options

The 505-horsepower Quadrifoglio isn’t the only Giulia you can buy, though. The base Giulia 2.0T uses a turbo-four engine that’s far removed from the Quadrifoglio’s Ferrari-derived V6. Does the low-end Giulia feel just as magical as the high-performance version? It does to an extent — but it’s mostly to the car’s detriment.

Over five years after its debut, the Giulia is still stunning. It’s easily one of the best looking sedans in its class even without the Quadrifoglio’s larger intakes and wider stance. I love the silver 19-inch wheels

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IRS sending $600 stimulus checks now. Here’s when yours will arrive

Timing is critical in delivering a second stimulus check to as many as 160 million Americans.


Sarah Tew/CNET

On Tuesday, the IRS began sending second stimulus checks straight to bank accounts via direct deposit and on Wednesday in the mail as paper checks and prepaid debit cards. Some who are eligible are already reporting they’ve received the money in their bank accounts.

The Treasury Department and the IRS began making the payments less than two days after President Donald Trump on Sunday authorized the second direct payments for up to $600 per person when he signed the COVID-19 relief bill.

On Twitter, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed the direct-deposit schedule. “These payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as [Tuesday] and will continue into next week,” Mnuchin tweeted Tuesday afternoon. In a second tweet, Mnuchin said the IRS would start sending checks and EIP debit cards through the mail on Wednesday. The IRS is on a tight schedule for making payments and needs to conclude sending stimulus checks in January.

(We have a stimulus check calculator you can use to get a personalized estimate for your stimulus payment. If

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