The Hispanic Motor Press (HMC) has officially joined the quickly expanding club of car enthusiasts who love the Alfa Romeo Giulia – bestowing the compact luxury sedan with its ‘Car of the Year’ award for 2016.

“This car is what affluent Hispanics are about – passion, style, comfort – with an elegant design that separates it from the rest,” said HMP president Ricardo Rodriguez-Long. “There are many great luxury sedans on the market, but just like the Hispanic consumer, there is a lot more than passion in the Giulia, which is hard to describe.”

The Giulia is offered in three variants in the U.S.: Giulia, Giulia Ti and Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde. The Giulia and Giulia Ti are powered by Alfa’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, which delivers 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. The QV uses a Ferrari-derived 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which produces a stout 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.

The HMC considers all-new models available to consumers in all 50 of the United States when deciding on the recipient of its annual Car of the Year award. According to the association this year’s panel of experts “drove new cars throughout the year to evaluate the attributes best suited for the Hispanic consumer.”