The Alfa Romeo Milano spans 1985–1990 with 2 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 1987, 1990, 1989 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 1985, 1986, 1988. It delivers up to 23 mpg combined and NHTSA-rated safety.
Is the Alfa Romeo Milano a good car?
Short answer: yes — this one scores near the top of what we track. Our score for the Alfa Romeo Milano is 4.5 out of 5, built from NHTSA crash-test results, how often it gets recalled and what owners actually complain about — not from reviews.
The complaint that comes up most is the exterior lighting — 1 of the 1 reports owners filed with NHTSA. If you're choosing a year, 1985, 1986, 1988 score best in our data, and 1987, 1990 worst.
This page describes the model. It can't tell you whether that car has an open recall, a rolled-back odometer or a branded title — for that, run its number through our free VIN check.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Alfa Romeo Milano is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 1985 to 1990 across multiple generations.
How to read a Alfa Romeo Milano VIN — every digit explained
Every Alfa Romeo Milano carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Alfa Romeo and the country it was built in (real Alfa Romeo codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this Milano.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- ItalyZAR · ZAS
Digits 4–17 — the engine code (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard, identical on every car. The whole position-by-position breakdown — year codes 2001–2026, country codes, stamping locations — lives in our VIN decoder tool.
How many recalls does the Alfa Romeo Milano have?
The Alfa Romeo Milano has 2 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1985–1990. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
1988 Alfa Romeo Milano recalls 1
Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
What's wrong. THERE MAY BE AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHTS STALK SWITCH MALFUNCTION.
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN SUDDEN HEADLIGHTS FAILURE WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Fix. REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, IF NECESSARY, AND MODIFY HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS.
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano recalls 1
Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
What's wrong. THERE MAY BE AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHTS STALK SWITCH MALFUNCTION.
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN SUDDEN HEADLIGHTS FAILURE WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Fix. REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, IF NECESSARY, AND MODIFY HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS.
Best and worst years for the Alfa Romeo Milano
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 6 tracked years, the worst years are 1987, 1990, 1989 and the best (fewest complaints) are 1985, 1986, 1988.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 Milano | — | Best | |
| 1986 Milano | — | Best | |
| 1987 Milano | Exterior Lighting | Avoid | |
| 1988 Milano | — | Best | |
| 1989 Milano | — | Avoid | |
| 1990 Milano | — | Avoid |
What are the most common Alfa Romeo Milano problems?
The most-reported Alfa Romeo Milano problems are Exterior Lighting (1 reports) — out of 1 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Exterior Lighting 1 Read
Recall 88V070000. Manufacturer says owner's recall is too old to be serviced
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Alfa Romeo Milano specifications & dimensions
The 1987 Alfa Romeo Milano. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN. For the original factory build — MSRP, trim and standard equipment — rebuild the Alfa Romeo Milano window sticker.
| Years | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 170″ | 64″ | 53″ | 99″ | — |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Alfa Romeo Milano cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the Milano holds — passengers and cargo. EPA measures its interior at 82 cu ft of passenger volume and 9 cu ft of cargo. Seating capacity and legroom vary by trim.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim — the original factory equipment & options list shows what each trim included.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Alfa Romeo Milano tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Alfa Romeo Milano get?
The Alfa Romeo Milano returns up to 23 combined MPG (EPA), which works out to roughly $3,350/yr in fuel. Pick an engine to see MPG, annual running cost and CO₂ by year:
The 1989 Alfa Romeo Milano (2.5L 6-cyl) gets 18 mpg combined and costs about $3,450/yr to fuel, emitting 494 g/mi CO₂ — about $6,250 more than the average new vehicle over 5 years.
| Year | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Smog | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 Milano | 16 | 22 | $3,450 | 494 | — | 2.5L 6-cyl | |
| 1988 Milano | 16 | 22 | $3,450 | 494 | — | 2.5L 6-cyl | |
| 1987 Milano | 16 | 23 | $3,300 | 468 | — | 2.5L 6-cyl | |
| 1986 Milano | 17 | 24 | $3,300 | 468 | — | 2.5L 6-cyl | |
| 1985 Milano | 17 | 24 | $3,300 | 468 | — | 2.5L 6-cyl |
The 1990 Alfa Romeo Milano (2L 4-cyl) gets 23 mpg combined and costs about $3,350/yr to fuel, emitting 386 g/mi CO₂ — about $5,750 more than the average new vehicle over 5 years.
| Year | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Smog | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Milano | 20 | 28 | $3,350 | 386 | — | 2L 4-cyl |
Source: EPA fuel-economy database (ForCar-hosted, 1986–2027) — best combined rating per engine & year, with EPA annual fuel cost and tailpipe CO₂. Trim & drivetrain vary slightly; decode your VIN for the exact figure.
See how the Milano stacks up against the most fuel-efficient sedans, or calculate this Milano's real yearly fuel cost.
What engines does the Alfa Romeo Milano have? Power & range
The Alfa Romeo Milano is offered with 2 powertrains — 2.5L 6-cyl, 2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 2.5L · 6-cyl | Manual 5-spd | RWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | RWD | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
How much does a Alfa Romeo Milano cost to own?
A Alfa Romeo Milano tends to depreciate faster than average. A typical example keeps roughly 37% of its value after five years — losing about 63% to depreciation. Check what a used Milano is worth today or browse current used-market prices before you buy or sell. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 75% | $22,500 | −$7,500 |
| Year 2 | 63% | $18,900 | −$11,100 |
| Year 3 | 53% | $15,900 | −$14,100 |
| Year 4 | 44% | $13,200 | −$16,800 |
| Year 5 | 37% | $11,100 | −$18,900 |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this Milano loses about 63% of its value over five years. See the full depreciation curve by age.
- Fuel — ≈ $16,750 over five years at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the Milano ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
Is the Alfa Romeo Milano safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the Milano yet — see the top-rated safest cars instead.
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How many miles does a Alfa Romeo Milano last?
A well-maintained Alfa Romeo Milano typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.
Check your Alfa Romeo Milano’s VIN — history, recalls & specs
Title records, open recalls, build details and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Check this Milano’s VIN free →All Alfa Romeo Milano model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Alfa Romeo Milano — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Milano | 0 | — | |
| 1989 Milano | 0 | — | |
| 1988 Milano | 1 recall | — | |
| 1987 Milano | 1 recall | — | |
| 1986 Milano | 0 | — | |
| 1985 Milano | 0 | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Milano?
By owner-complaint volume, 1987, 1990, 1989 drew the most reports. 1985, 1986, 1988 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the Milano have?
2 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1985–1990. Always check open recalls by your VIN. See all Alfa Romeo recalls and reliability across every model.
What MPG does the Milano get?
Up to 23 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine — from the base 4-cylinder to the hybrid.
How many miles does a Milano last?
A well-maintained Milano typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the Milano reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the Milano is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Alfa Romeo Milano warranty?
New Alfa Romeo models carry a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 4 years / 50,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Alfa Romeo dealer.
Where is the Alfa Romeo Milano made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your Milano's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Alfa Romeo may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much ground clearance does the Milano have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.