Alfa Romeo reveals its first-ever plug-in

Thursday, 10 February 2022

Alfa Romeo will have a plug-in hybrid on offer for the first time ever in the Tonale SUV.

Alfa Romeo has debuted its newest model, the Tonale small SUV. While that might sound a bit run-of-the-mill, this launch is also the first time Alfa will have a plug-in hybrid on sale.

The Tonale (rhymes with finale, definitely not toenail) is an all-new model for Alfa, using the bones of the Jeep Renegade as a springboard. It’s quite the looker too, with new ‘3+3’ LED lights up front, flanking a slightly redesigned shield grille. Apparently, the ‘Scudetto’ shield is now floating, and, when combined with the two main side air intakes, creates the ‘Trilobo’.

Those new lights are of the adaptive matrix type, which lets them switch off individual LEDs to prevent blinding oncoming traffic, as well as adjust the dip according to speed and driving conditions.

This is the new Alfa – the Tonale small SUV, and it is also the brand’s first plug-in hybrid.

Around the back are more LEDs for the taillights, mimicking the shape of the headlights with a neat 3D effect. A red strip across the boot is split by the Alfa logo in the middle.

**READ MORE:

That slight holographic effect on the rear lights is very attractive.

* Alfa Romeo GTV could return with electric power

* Road test review: Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce Carbon

* Alfa Romeo freshens and slims Stelvio line-up

The interior is more evolution than revolution, but that’s fine because doesn’t exactly look bad.

* Alfa's electric crossover SUV to use Peugeot power?

The Tonale also brings NFT technology to Alfa Romeo.

The profile is split by two character lines, going above and below the door handles, while the wheels are classic “telephone dial” style alloys, sized between 17 and 20 inches, carried over from the Tonale concept and similar to what you see on other Alfa models.

Inside is an evolution of the cabin seen in the existing Giulia and Stelvio, with everything angled slightly towards the driver. The start/stop button is mounted on the steering wheel and aluminium paddle shifters sprout from behind the wheel for maximum race-car. The DNA drive mode selector has been moved further up the console compared to the Giulia and Stelvio as well.

A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows crucial driving information while a 10.25-inch infotainment screen sits in the centre of the dash, running the Uconnect 5 operating system, with support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Amazon Alexa home-to-car and car-to-home communication.

We haven’t had confirmation of the local Tonale line-up yet (or if it’s even coming here) but a range of powertrains will be available overseas. European buyers will get a choice of a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with mild hybrid technology, making either 97kW or 120kW with 240Nm of torque, or a plug-in hybrid version that uses the 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Fiat 500 paired with a 15.5kWh battery and an electric motor to generate 202kW of power. Alfa claims the electric-only range in the PHEV is up to 80km.

The mild hybrid engine powers the front wheels exclusively, using a seven-speed dual clutch automatic, while the PHEV gets all-wheel drive – the engine powers the front wheels while the electric motor powers the rears.

Meanwhile, buyers in the US will also get a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder without electrical assistance, making 191kW/400Nm. Europe will also have a diesel option, but it’s a pretty safe assumption we won’t get that one here.

Whatever the powertrain, the Tonale should be quite a good drive. Alfa says the SUV has a “perfect” weight distribution, even the front-drive models. New frequency-selective dampers and – in the top-spec models – adaptive suspension should keep body roll to a minimum, and “the most direct steering ratio in the segment,” brake-by-wire (the only vehicle in its class to offer the tech) and an electronic self-locking differential on mild hybrid models indicate Alfa still wants to build a driver’s car.

There’s a good chance a fully electric version will arrive at some point as well, but Alfa isn’t ready to talk about that yet.

Other new features to the Tonale include the addition of NFT technology. Only a matter of time, really… In this case, the NFT will work as a confidential and non-modifiable record of the main stages in the life of an individual vehicle. Basically a digital service book, then.

The company says “on the pre-owned car market, NFT certification represents an additional source of credibility for owners or dealers to count on”.

Alfa Romeo New Zealand hasn’t confirmed whether or not we’re in line for the Tonale, but it will probably arrive here. Australia has said it will land over there in the first half 2023, while European sales kick off later this year.