The 1999 facelift is the most mature 145, but it is still not a neutral car. It keeps the direct steering and old-school Alfa feel, while adding a more modern diesel choice at the end of the model's life.
The petrol `1.4`, `1.6`, `1.8` and `2.0 Twin Spark 16V` still deliver the real Alfa flavor, while the `1.9 JTD 105` `AR 32302` is far more convincing than the old `1.9 TD`. Maintenance logic changes with the engine: Twin Spark means oil, timing belt, variator and ignition; JTD means EGR, boost hoses, MAF and turbo condition.