The new Alfa Romeo Tonale is currently on sale in the UK, with prices starting from £38,595, or £429 a month on PCP. Three trim levels have been confirmed, and a plug-in hybrid is due later this year. All versions also come with their own NFT digital certificate – a service record that Alfa claims helps with the rest.
The standard kit fitted to each Tonale includes a 10.25-inch central touchscreen complete with DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless charging and six speakers. There’s also active cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera, keyless entry, power folding door mirrors and a power tailgate.
The range starts with limited-run Speciale cars, which start from £38,595 and will be on sale for a limited time only. The kit list is shared with top-of-the-line Veloce trim, but swaps out 19-inch wheels for the 20s and adds a unique ‘Speciale’ badging, and comes with a passive steel suspension setup instead. because of Veloce’s adaptive dampers.
Veloce models start at £42,495. Along with the sporty body kit, they have 19-inch wheels that hide the powerful Brembo brake calipers and come standard with dual-stage adaptive suspension that’s firm when you want it and nasty when you don’t. The sports theme runs throughout the interior, where you’ll find black and red Alcantara upholstery.
But the entry point for the range (after the Speciale is sold out) will be the Ti, from £39,995. This model comes with 18-inch alloy wheels and a gloss black body kit on the outside, while inside you’ll find aluminum pedals and gearshift paddles, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, four-way lumbar adjustment. direction for the driver’s seat and a 60:40 split rear bench.
You can get your Tonale in one of six colors – Alfa White, Alfa Red, Alfa Black, Misano Blue, Montreal Green and Vesuvio Gray – and a leather interior is optional. Currently, all models are equipped with mild hybrid The 158hp 1.5-litre petrol engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Keep reading for more information on the Tonale, including details on the plug-in hybrid model coming shortly.
After an initial delay due to AlfaThe car’s new CEO said the car needed further development, the finishes of which were removed from the Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUV. In a first for the Italian brand, it will be available with Dip into the mixture power when it went on sale in April, three years since the concept’s debut.
In Europe, Tonale will also be available with more affordable hybrid technology, while the brand places a big emphasis on improving the quality, infotainment and connectivity as well as performance of the plug model. -in hybrid – all areas for improvement identified by Alfa Imparato boss Jean-Philippe after he joined the brand in March 2021.
Key to the Tonale – and hopefully Alfa Romeo’s success – is the car’s new plug-in hybrid powertrain. It includes a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine shared with sister brand Stellantis . Jeep carand is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The electrified element is made up of a 15.5kWh battery with a rear-mounted e-motor for a total output of 271bhp.
The system puts the all-wheel drive Tonale Plug-in Hybrid Q4’s total kerb weight at around 1,900kg and makes it the fastest variant in the line, with a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds. The battery takes two and a half hours to charge using the 7.4kW home wall case, and from a full charge, Alfa claims an all-electric range of up to 37 miles.
The PHEV option will be paired with a pair of front-wheel drive 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol hybrids using 48-volt electronic architecture. The 130 Hybrid delivers 128bhp, while the 160 Hybrid features variable turbine geometry technology for its compressor, boosting output to 158bhp.
Both engines are mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (no manual option available) and have a 20bhp/55Nm electric motor that can propel the car at low speeds. For example, “e-Creeping” allows the Tonale to move slowly in EV mode, while the “e-Queueing” function can keep the vehicle moving in a “stop and go pattern” in traffic. Low-speed parking maneuvers can also be performed with electric power.
Under the striking skin, and although now part of the Stellantis Group, the Fiat-Chrysler-based Tonale is heavily developed, which also underpins several Jeeps, albeit with a wider track. for Alfa.
The Tonale features a comprehensive MacPherson strut suspension, with Frequency Selective Dampers (FSD) as standard, while adaptive dampers will be available as an option. FSDs change their damping characteristics depending on input from the suspension and are said to provide a comfortable ride when desired, while also controlling body roll for increased handling. for more attractive cornering.
Alfa’s traditional DNA driving mode selector also changes certain parameters, with the Advanced Efficiency mode prioritizing the EV running in the PHEV. Natural is a balanced setting, while Dynamic is the car’s prime system for sportier driving.
Engineers say the Tonale’s steering is the most direct in its class, while the regenerative brakes feature Brembo’s four-piston front calipers and wire brake technology.
Tonale’s new interior technology is also a key element, marking a step forward for Alfa Romeo’s infotainment system. The new model features a configurable 12.3-inch digital dash with graphics designed to recreate Alfa’s historic instruments. It is joined by a 10.25-inch central touchscreen featuring Amazon Alexa, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connection. Alexa integration also offers an intuitive voice assistant, as well as a “secure delivery service” that allows owners to choose their Tonale as the parcel delivery location.
There are more connected services, while the Italian brand has also developed NFT technology, making the Tonale the first car to integrate blockchain technology. This will become a digital record of key events in the vehicle’s life, including maintenance and any over-the-air software updates. Alfa claims it will help preserve leftover values.
Catching up with the segment, the Tonale features Level 2 autonomous driver assistance. Adaptive cruise control keeps the car in the right lane on the highway, plus automatic braking with cruise control. Pedestrian and cyclist detection, drowsy driver detection, blind spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring, and a 360-degree camera are all available.
Dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated seats, a Harman Kardon stereo, powered tailgate and wireless smartphone charging, as well as a 500-litre trunk.
There will be two trim levels from launch: Super and Ti, while optional Sprint and Veloce packages will be offered. Pre-orders for the Tonale will open in April, when the car will debut in the premium Edizione Speciale trim. Prices can start from around £35,000.
Alfa engineers and executives answer our questions together
Q: Can the platform accept an all-electric powertrain? If so, could we see the Tonale EV in the future?
A: “The first answer is yes, it could be about technical ability. We have kept that possible. We will decide whether to introduce a full version of the BEV in the market depending on conditions. As a global vehicle, we’ll let the market dictate whether it’s really needed for this segment. Based on that, we will decide whether to introduce a full version of the BEV.”
Q: What about a high performance Quadrifoglio halo model? Is this also a possibility for Tonale?
A: “Yes, we have the ability to do that too, in terms of power, platform, suspension and steering – we are ready at a level that can easily make this a reality. Once again, we will see the development of the market. This segment is a special segment; it’s quite affordable for a larger SUV, so we’ll see if there’s demand for it [a Quadrifoglio performance model] on a global level and depending on that, we may or may not introduce a version of Quadrifoglio”.
Q: What makes this car a true Alfa Romeo to drive?
A: “The DNA selector really changes the character. In Dynamic we maximize electrification for maximum performance. We changed stability control and steering behavior, and used dynamic torque vectoring technology to deliver the dynamics you expect from any Alfa Romeo. “
Q: Are there any key elements of the Tonale’s design that we’ll see on future Alfa Romeos?
A: “Maybe yes, maybe not… We don’t have a cliché for Alfa Romeo. We can move on, or we can change. We want to continue the diversity of styles from our past and maintain this in the future. We might even do something more extreme. We have freedom.”
What will the new Alfa Romeo Tonale have to beat? See our list of the best small SUVs right here…
