Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV REVEALED – it’s a metamorphosis, says Alfa

After some considerable delay, the Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV is finally revealed, promising a ‘metamorphosis’ of the Alfa Brand and electrification too.

We might all wish that Alfa Romeo could still build a range of appealing sports cars, saloons and sporty hatches – especially if they didn’t rust – and make a successful business from them.

But, despite a storied history comparable to other Italian brands like Ferrari and Maserati, the world has changed and Alfa is trying, again, to evolve and survive by delivering what buyers seem to want.

So the arrival of the Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV to join its Stelvio big brother signals what Alfa is calling a ‘Metamorphosis’ as it embraces a new sector and adds electrification in to the mix.

Looking pretty much like the Tonale Concept we saw three years ago – minus the usual concept fripperies – the Tonale will come with both Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid offerings and a choice of two trim levels – Super and Ti.

The PHEV offering in the Tonale uses a 1.3-litre petrol engine and electric motor – powered by a 15.5kWh battery – to deliver 271bhp through a six-speed auto ‘box to all four wheels, with an EV range of 37 miles and 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds. 

The PHEV is joined by a pair of front-wheel drive 1.5-litre options with 128bhp or 158bhp and with 48-volt architecture, a seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box and a 20bhp electric motor which can shuffle the Tonale along in traffic on its own.

Under the skin, there are MacPherson struts all round with Frequency Selective Dampers (FSDs) as standard which can change damping characteristics to deliver a comfortable ride when needed and dynamic handling when the mood takes, Alfa’s DNA Drive Selector, brake-by-wire, four-piston front brakes and, says Alfa, the most direct steering in the sector.

Inside the Tonale, Alfa has moved things forward too with a 12.3″ digital dash and new 10.25″ infotainment with Amazon Alexa, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, NFT tech to keep digital records (if owners consent), Level 2 autonomous driving, Adaptive Cruise and Harmon Kardon Sound.

It all looks a strong offering and could make the Tonale the pick of the sector. But the Stelvio is arguably the pick in its sector, despite which it struggles to compete with German offerings. Let’s hope the Tonale fairs better.

Orders for the new Alfa Romeo Tonale open in April – expect prices to start around £35k.