As Alfa Romeo’s first step towards electrification, the Tonale will be available in two levels of hybrid, up to and including a full version that can go far on battery power alone. This will soon be joined by the one we drove here, a ‘regular’ hybrid that can fire up a small amount of electricity for better fuel efficiency, but is still powered by a petrol engine. If you’re buying as a commercial driver, the add-on will be worth waiting for tax incentives. Home buyers, on the other hand, may find a regular hybrid more affordable to purchase and easier to use, without having to install it. In an interesting thing, Alfa Romeo also offers its owners the option of creating a non-fungible sign as a document to record things like trips, usage and service history. Markets are often traded as digital assets and art in the crypto world, the use of this new NFT in the automotive context could, in theory, help protect Tonale’s equity and reassure future buyers that you Take good care of it, it helps to sell.
Stereotypes are not always good, but Alfa Romeo’s historical reputation for reliability is not. Recently that seems to be good with models like the Giulia saloon and the Stelvio SUV involved, and the Tonale was produced under the authority of a team running Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall. These types of partners have done well in this family and have scored well in reliable surveys. Therefore, let’s hope that Alfa Romeo benefits from the skills that are shared and do the same.
Alfa Romeo is not shy about claiming level 2 “autonomy” in the new Tonale, which means that the driver still needs one hand on the wheel but gets help to stay on the road and maintain a certain distance from the vehicle in front, even when stationary. . start the road. It’s a popular technology found in many modern cars along with radar-monitored cruise control and camera-based lane keeping technology, supported by lane recognition and ‘smart’ speed monitoring for you. hand to stay inside the white line and the maximum power. All is good in theory, but we saw the blind spot warning is very sensitive and intrusive, when the road to keep does not always do what it promised, drifting wide enough at the same time that we reluctant to trust him completely.
“You get both a sporty feeling driving position and the commanding height SUV fans love”
The Tonale brings the usual beauty of Alfa Romeo to challenge the SUV series inside and out. The instrument cluster may be digital, but the large hood that covers it is very reminiscent of old Alfas and achieves both the sporty driving position and the height that SUV lovers love. It also feels good – delivering light weight on high-road traffic and enough room in the back to function as a family car. Even the seat in the middle of the back seat is not bad, which is rare in today’s cars. The bar is a good size and has a double bottom that you can use as extra storage or in the lower area for extra space. We have to worry about the polystyrene trim on the back of this frame, but we can see prams and the like taking bits and pieces out of it. We also struggled with the power station, which refused to shut down despite repeatedly stabbing the button. In the more experienced hands of one of Alfa Romeo’s employees, it worked well, so maybe it was just a trick. On the road, the challenge for Alfa Romeo is to translate the sporty feeling that the fans of the brand love in the high-end position of the SUV. To that end, it offers two different suspension systems, with the Veloce getting adjustable springs that stiffen up as you climb the riding style, even though you might fall. and soft settings at the push of a button if you need it. It’s our favorite spot, and we used the big wheels on our test car to take the damn thing out on busy city streets. The latter isn’t as good as the standard Ti suspension, but it’s worth noting that the UK car will come with 18-inch wheels, which should help a bit. Big ones look cool, but think twice before upgrading if comfort is important.
Style will be an important part of the purchase decision for Alfa Romeo’s audience, but technology is also key, and the Tonale features an Android operating system with full Alexa connectivity. Don’t panic if you’re an Apple user – your iPhone can still connect and run apps over the air via CarPlay if that’s your comfort zone. And whether you’re using your phone or the car, the digital instrument cluster is integrated into the large central display in a package display packed with over-the-air updates and dedicated apps. We like the simple interface with the tile and the truth, unlike Formentor and others, Alfa Romeo has retained physical switches for things like heating and ventilation so you are not completely dependent on the fan. It’s a shame that they, like some other pieces of furniture, feel cheap and plastic. With only two essential levels to choose from, the Tonale is well-equipped and makes things easy for buyers, and the Ti includes goodies like Matrix LED headlights, camera n rear, power tailgate and ‘vegan skin’ upholstery. . The Veloce adds larger wheels, black trim, privacy glasses, aluminum interior trim and large paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. A limited edition Speciale model with 20-inch wheels will also be available at launch.
Credit for the Tonale’s clever combination of traditional internal combustion (ICE) technology and battery power can be left to the engineers, although it feels like it’s hot behind its legs. Even though the battery is small, it can still “sneak” and work fast on the electric motor alone, which is attractive and saves fuel. Unfortunately, that initial desire fades quickly and just 160bhp means it lacks energy on the highway, while the automatic gearbox can get a little ‘busy’ on maintenance costs. Even in hard conditions, the throttle is a little soft and, if we were buying a sports SUV, the Cupra Formentor would get our vote over the Alfa Romeo based on this display. We haven’t ruled out the hybrid model yet, but with a combined output of 275 horsepower, it should deliver more on Alfa Romeo’s sporty image, while delivering better fuel economy and emissions stats.