For the last few years, Alfa has been producing talented cars such as the Giulia and the Stelvio. Now with a fresh push from their new owners Stellantis, a number of new models are planned. Alfa Romeo’s latest model is the Tonale, it’s available as an MHEV and PHEV in an effort to catch up quickly and park up against competitors such as BMWs X1, Volvo’s XC40, Audi’s Q3 and the Mercedes GLA.
Special mention : Styling, on-board tech, interior quality, nice exhaust note when in Dynamic & Manual modes.
Needs work : Laggy hybrid, PHEV boot space, looks like an Alfa – feels different.
| 275 HP | Petrol / Electric / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds | Road Tax €140 |
| Price: from €58,250 | Boot Space 385/ 500 – 1,550 litres |
The Alfa Romeo Tonale may have some catching up to do but what it does well is that it’s a great looking family car. How will it catch up? Well let’s take a look around.
The plug-in hybrid Tonale offers around 60+ km electric driving range, it’s difficult to gauge it exactly as the regenerative energy brings a little extra range.
The standard kit list is good with every model coming with 18” to 20” alloys, a 12.3” digital driver’s display plus 10.25” central touchscreen and it’s also got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which syncs seamlessly, there’s also a reversing camera, LED headlights, powered boot lid and keyless entry. The dash overall look has been taken from Alfa and they’ve added easy-to-use physical buttons and dials for the air-con and volume controls which immediately takes the stress out of starting the car on a hot or cold day. The operating system is swift, has simple menu structure and crisp graphics, it’s easy to navigate.
Space for passengers up front in the Tonale is a little restricted by the sculptured seats, dash and transmission tunnel. The arm rest sits very high especially for the driver when cruising, there is adjustable lumbar support, solid seats and sculpted side bolstering to hold the driver in place but it’s not so dynamic that it really needs all that support. Forward visibility is good but the bonnet sits quite high making parking manoeuvres carefully considered choices. Fortunately, you do get parking sensors all round and a rear-view camera as standard with 360-degree camera system optional.
Driving the PHEV is similar to any small SUV, it’s a little more stiff and unforgiving over potholes. It has a quoted 0-100km/h time of 6.2sec but only when fully charged, outside of that it’s best to sit back and wait for the tractor in front to turn off the road. Wind and road noise is fine while cruising motorways, there’s some whistling from the turbo and the engine can be grumbly when pushed. The brakes are very good and nicely balanced when coming to a stop gently. The regenerative braking is more noticeable when switching driving modes.
Storage wise, it doesn’t have the cavernous hollowed-out door cards. Trying to fit three passengers across the back seats would be a challenge. There’s enough head room for a mature adult but is best left to young adults. The back seats split 60/40 using the clip on the shoulder to fold down the extend boot space. The plug-in hybrid PHEV has a smaller boot of 385 litres and you get some storage space under the floor for the charging cables but you won’t fit both at the same time unless you really spend time folding them.
The Tonale PHEV has playful moments when you switch it into Dynamic and Manual mode but leaving it there will throttle the economy. There’s the slick infotainment system, practicality, comfort and boot space. Cabin space and luggage capacity is decent rather than generous in Alfa’s smallest SUV
Dynamic mode wrings maximum performance from the hybrid powertrain, with a sweet exhaust note to remind us of the Tonale’s Italian performance roots. To achieve absolute peak performance, the battery must be above 80 percent charge. According to the on-screen power flow monitor the Belt Starter Generator charges the battery at around 4 kW when cruising motorways while the petrol engine powers the front wheels. The Tonale will save range in two drive modes, and to keep the pep up, Dynamic mode will charge the battery whenever the electric motor isn’t driving the wheels. The range accumulation seemed to be more effective than with eSave, but you’ll burn a bit more fuel.
Stunning looks and slick tech make the Alfa Romeo Tonale a handsome compact premium SUV chasing an accomplished and well established crowd. The Tonale has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and the driver assistance systems don’t interfere.