Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce Review

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07 September 2024

The Alfa Romeo Tonale is the Italian marque’s first step towards electrification, kicking off a new breed of strangely sensible Alfas.

Forget about Quadrifoglio, outrageous leather, and performance for a second, and try to think of something sensible from the Alfa Romeo brand…

… nothing comes to mind? I don’t blame you.

Alfa Romeo has been a rebel for decades, marching to the beat of its own drum and producing cars that exemplify the soul of a true car enthusiast.

Whenever one thinks of the brand, two visuals spring to mind – either you’re whizzing along some beautiful road with a drop-dead gorgeous car, or stuck in a workshop with your drop-dead gorgeous car.

Either way, passion is what drives customers to the brand. So imagine what happens when you take away that, and introduce something… sensible.

Behold, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, a major stepping stone on Alfa Romeo’s path to full electrification in 2027.

This is the kind of car you buy with your mind and not your heart. But, can the Tonale win the Alfa loyalists over?

It’s surprisingly agile

From the moment you take off, the Alfa Romeo Tonale makes it clear that this isn’t your typical crossover. Unlike its rivals, which seem content to melt into the background of daily life, the Tonale wants to stand out.

The first thing you’ll notice, though perhaps not immediately love, is how light and ultra-direct the steering feels. Turn the DNA dial up to Dynamic mode, and you’ll instantly feel the difference.

The steering gains weight, giving you more confidence whether you’re navigating tight turns or just trying to park. Once you get the hang of it, it actually becomes part of the charm.

It doesn’t quite match the brilliance of its bigger siblings, the Giulia and Stelvio, but for a front-wheel-drive SUV, the Tonale is about as good as it gets in this class.

Plus, with Dynamic mode engaged, the powertrain feels more eager, holding onto gears longer and barely dipping into EV mode, which adds to the sense of a sportier drive.

But unlike some other cars, you can’t individually adjust the car’s drive characteristics. Is that a bad thing? Maybe for some, but in a way, it forces you to get used to the Tonale’s quirks and extract the smoothness from its powertrain and steering over time.

While the steering is decent, the Tonale isn’t going to set speed records any time soon. The hybrid system can feel a little hesitant at lower speeds, and by the time the car kicks into life, that gap in traffic has all but disappeared.

How about the ride quality?

Ride quality is acceptable for something on the sportier side. The Veloce trim dons 19-inch alloys and adaptive suspension, making the ride a bit more forgiving.

One thing that takes some getting used to is the braking system. Alfa’s integrated braking uses an electronic controller to manage brake pressure, helping regenerate power for the hybrid system.

In layman’s terms, you can recharge the battery, but you might also suffer from uneven brake feel.

Does the hybrid system help efficiency?

Sort of. While Alfa Romeo claims the Tonale can do 15.9km/litre on paper, in practice you’ll get much lower figures unless you are dedicated enough to trundle along at eco-friendly speeds.

High revs drain fuel, and I only averaged about 7.6km/litre in mixed traffic conditions.

Some Alfa magic on the outside…

When the Alfa Romeo Tonale first debuted as a concept back in 2019, it was an instant hit. And, thankfully, the production version hasn’t strayed too far from that initial design.

It’s got all the right curves and unmistakable Alfa Romeo styling cues, like the slim triple-barrel LED headlights, iconic five-hole wheels, and the Scudetto grille.

Safe to say, you’ll turn heads in a sea of crossovers with this.

… but not on the inside

Yes, there’s a small Tricolore flag near the gear selector, the tachometer reads ‘Giri’ instead of ‘Revs,’ and the instrument panel is now called a cannocchiale. All nice touches, but the cabin still feels… lacklustre.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad interior. But, it does lack in character, dissolving that quintessential Alfa magic for something more utilitarian.

Still, Alfa Romeo is trying to make it work. The gear selector is surprisingly chunky, and the digital dials cleverly replicate Alfa’s classic twin-porthole design.

The infotainment screen, whilst on the smaller end of the scale, is straightforward to navigate. If you don’t want to bother, simply plug in your phone and let Apple CarPlay or Android Auto take over.

There’s even Alexa integration, so you can boss your home appliances around from the comfort of your commute.

The Tonale also keeps things practical with a mix of USB and USB-C ports, plus a wireless charging pad. Even the climate controls have their own physical buttons, a welcome feature that is becoming rarer as touchscreens take over.

At least space is decent

Despite the swooping 8C-inspired window line, the rear isn’t as claustrophobic as you might expect.

The boot offers a competitive 500 litres of space, expanding to 1,550 litres with the seats down. The wide square aperture makes cargo loading a breeze too.

A new kind of Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo Tonale represents a shift for the brand, embracing rationality without trying to sacrifice style and driving enjoyment. The interior is logical and spacious, the electronics work as they should, and it feels relatively well-built. Things you normally don’t say about an Alfa.

In a sea of crossover competitors that often feel soulless, the Tonale stands out as something different. But, does the car really have soul?

Well, that’s up to you to decide.

Technical Specifications