Alfa Romeo Tonale Hybrid Review
Alfa Romeo has recently launched its Tonale hybrid model, which they hope will become their best-selling car. As an avid Alfa Romeo fan, I am excited to share my thoughts on this new model. In this review, we will discuss exterior and interior design, as well as its driving performance.
Exterior Design
The Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid is a stunning car that shows the company’s commitment to excellent design. The car’s triangular-shaped grille is still present, adding to the distinctiveness of the brand. The car’s side profile has curves in all the right places, making it very appealing to the eyes. The base model comes with 18-inch rims, while the Speciale model comes with 19-inch rims.
The front headlights are actually an ode to the Alfa Romeo SZ AKA El Monstro, it was a high-performance limited-production sports car built between 1989 and 1991 by a partnership between Centro Stile Zagato and Alfa Romeo. Not exactly the prettiest of cars but they somehow found a way to make it work here.
Moving on to the back of the car, the taillights remind me of the Porsche Cayenne, which is a good thing. The singular light bars are becoming a trend in car design, and Alfa Romeo has done an excellent job with them. However, the lack of pipes may be a disappointment to some, but given that it is a hybrid, it is understandable, Not really.
Interior Design
The interior of the Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid is a significant departure from the previous designs of Alfa Romeo vehicles. This is a welcome change since the previous designs were starting to look dated. The car comes standard with a fully digital speedometer, a great improvement from the analogue speedometer in previous models.
The seats are comfortable and wide enough to accommodate larger frames. The seats have heating and cooling, and it works very well. The dashboard has metal detailing, which adds to the luxurious feel of the car. The sound system is a Harmon Kardon, which comes standard with the Speciale model. The mids and highs are good, but I wanted a little more bass. The aircon is controlled using buttons, thankfully. The volume is controlled using a silver switch at the bottom. I’m more of a knob guy, but this works too.
The infotainment system’s screen is relatively small, but it is still modern enough and gets the job done. Android Auto and comfort settings, such as heated seats, can be easily accessed through the top menus. The car also has surround cameras. They can be activated anytime but they automatically deactivate above speeds of 30 km/h.
Driving Performance
The Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid drives very well. The steering feel is very sporty, and anyone who has driven the Alfa Romeo Giulia will be familiar with it. The 1.5 L hybrid engine produces 118 kW and 240 Newton-meters of torque, with an acceleration time of 8.8 seconds to reach 100 km/h.
The car’s comfort level is noteworthy. The Ti, Speciale, and Veloce models come with a 1.5 L hybrid engine. It is worth noting that the 1.4 MultiAir of the Giulietta that it replaces has 125 kW and about the same Newton meters, with a 0–100 time of 7.8 seconds. I own one of these said Giulietta’s and the difference in performance is quite noticeable.
The car also has a plug-in hybrid model, but it is not yet available in South Africa. The plug-in hybrid is all-wheel drive and produces 280 horsepower, equivalent to the first generation of the Golf 7 R.
I got to sample its self-driving capabilities and I was only able to activate them when the road had very clear markings, so only 50% of South African roads, haha. It’s quite accurate and handles curves quite well, I just did not get a chance to test its autonomous braking features.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid is a great car that looks fantastic and drives very well. It has a modern interior design and comes standard with several excellent features. Although it is not the most high-resolution screen on the market, the infotainment system is still functional and easy to use. The driving performance is good, and the steering feel is sporty. Overall, the Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid is a fantastic addition to the Alfa Romeo brand and a car worth considering for anyone in the market for a hybrid SUV.
