It's a rare and highly anticipated day when we get to test a product from Alfa Romeo, and with the introduction of the Tonale, we were excited to see the Italian brand's take on a compact crossover. The Tonale arrived for a weeklong stay recently, and here's what we think of it. If you are interested in a Tonale but need to sell your current car first, AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer!
Styling
The aesthetics of any vehicle is subjective, however, when it comes to many products from Alfa Romeo, there is near-universal approval for the design. We feel that the Tonale is another one of those products that just look fantastic, with lovely proportions, and an emphasis on a more dynamic look, a sentiment backed up by anecdotes supplied by friends and family.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Alfa Romeo Tonale
Interior and space
The good news extends to the interior too, with a variety of solid material choices, and a general impression that the Tonale is built well. We also found the ergonomics of the newcomer to be impressive, with our adjustment process taking place faster than we have experienced with similarly-priced products thanks to logical ergonomics.
The infotainment system is a welcome addition to the Alfa Romeo stable, with a 12.3-inch digitised instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. We found the latest in-car infotainment offering impressive in the Tonale, with easy smartphone integration and an intuitive user experience. Other niceties include a raft of semi-autonomous driving aids, a Harmon Kardon sound system and some of the best gear shift paddles in the automotive world.
When looking at practicality, the Tonale offers a spacious 500-litre boot that expands to 1 550-litres with the seats folded flat. There is 152mm of ground clearance and it has a braked towing capacity of 1 250. When looking at the interior space, passengers commented that they had sufficient head and leg room.
Performance and driving impression
Powering the Tonale is a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that is good for 118kW and 240Nm of torque, however, there is also a 48-Volt electrical system with a 0.8kW battery pack that adds 15kW and 55Nm to the equation. The engine is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that sends power to the front wheels. Its kerb weight of 1 525kg means that it weighs a similar amount to key rivals, however, we found the Tonale to be noticeably sluggish.
We have experienced these 48-Volt systems before, and the key takeaway of them all has been how seamless their integration with the internal combustion engines have been, with a quieter start and a smooth power and torque fill where required. The Tonale's system is not quite the same, you see, the same silent start procedure is present, and there is even a handy all-electric mode for low-speed driving, however, the combination of the electric and internal combustion engines is decidedly underwhelming, with sluggish acceleration and a general feeling that this engine doe not belong in this package.
When we get to dynamics, the Tonale handles, brakes and changes direction well, however, when pairing the overly sharp steering and firm ride quality with the aforementioned powertrain, you have a product that feels disjointed, as if the calibration of the powertrain had nothing to do with the other dynamics of the car. In low-speed city driving scenarios, the Tonale feels just about acceptable, but not as good as its key rivals. That was the key takeaway from the driving experience with the Tonale, the fact that its rivals manage to be better to drive thanks to superior powertrains.
Safety
The Tonale range was crash-tested in 2022 by Euro NCAP and achieved a 5-Star rating with 83% for adult occupant safety, 85% for child occupant safety, 67% for pedestrian safety and 85% for its safety assistance systems.
Fuel consumption
Alfa Romeo claims that the Tonale will consume petrol at a rate of 5.7 L/100km, however, our seven-day test resulted in a figure of 8.1 L/100km, which is reasonable for a car of this size, but not quite as low as we expected from a hybrid.
Pricing
The Tonale, in Hybrid Veloce guise, was priced at R819 900 at the time of writing, and with rivals as competent as the new BMW X1, Audi's Q3 Sportback and the Hyundai Kona N, we feel that the Tonale is a tough sell in the current market. The Tonale range comes with a 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan and a 5-year/100 000 km warranty.
Verdict
The Tonale was a product with so much promise, with its stunning exterior, well-put-together interior and seemingly solid packaging and ergonomics. However, its hybrid powertrain hampers this product, and this sluggish engine in combination with overly sharp steering and a firm ride quality means you have a product with mismatched dynamics, which is disappointing considering how great its Stelvio and Giulia siblings are to drive.
