2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti new car review
This new Italian machine might be one of the best looking small SUVs on the road and it’ll be the cheapest car in the model’s line-up.
Luxury
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Alfa Romeo is hoping to carve itself a slice of the booming small SUV segment with its new Tonale, the third model in the Italian luxury brand’s line-up.
Pricing for the new five-seater starts at about $56,000, making it the most affordable Alfa Romeo and putting the distinctively styled newcomer head-to-head with the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3 and Lexus UX. It’s also within firing range of the pricier BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.
Built on an architecture shared with the Jeep Compass, the Tonale is a mild hybrid, although it does actually use its modest electric motor to drive the wheels (many mild hybrids don’t).
A plug-in hybrid version is due later in the year, promising everyday EV driving. At this stage the 2.0-litre petrol-only model is not on the cards for Australia.
The Tonale range kicks off with the Ti, which comes with 18-inch wheels, “carbon cloth and leatherette” trim, alloy pedals, smart-key entry, dual-zone ventilation, wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto displayed on a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. There’s also a connected app to remotely monitor the car and allow remote locking and unlocking. Within a few months it will also have ambient lighting. Safety gear includes auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist, speed-sign recognition and a driver fatigue monitor.
But there’s no blind-spot warning or rear cross-traffic alert. For that you have to shell out about $63,000 for the Veloce, which also picks up 19-inch wheels, tinted windows, 360-degree camera, adjustable dampers and a punchy 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Design tweaks include red Brembo brake calipers and black highlights.
Even in Ti guise the carbon trim and contrasting stitching looks fresh and in keeping with Alfa’s sporty positioning. Front seat space is fine – although the driver’s left leg fights with an odd bulge on the centre tunnel – and the major controls fall easily to hand. Rear vision is restricted, though.
The start button on the steering wheel is a nice touch, as is the subtle Italian flag in the centre console (it’s also repeated on the wing mirrors).
The back seat is less welcoming for adults with tighter headroom and leg space that could have the lanky-legged splaying their pins. At least there’s a USB-A and USB-C port as well as ventilation outlets.
The Veloce is a step up. It has prominent paddle shifters and metal speaker grilles. There’s also perforated Alcantara and leather-look trim.
At the heart of the Tonale is a mild hybrid system that leans heavily on a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It’s assisted by a 15kW electric motor that boosts combined outputs to 118kW and 240Nm.
A display within the customisable digital instrument cluster shows the workings of the hybrid system, but mild sums it up.
The electric motor responds very quickly to throttle inputs but its thrust is typically short-lived, the bulk of the propulsion instead left to the turbo four. That engine is zingy but not exactly brimming with Italian heat, making the Tonale more zippy than swift. Darting between tight bends has it working hard and it never delivers exhilarating Alfa performance.
At least it’s frugal, with claimed consumption of 5.6 litres per 100km.
Dial up Dynamic mode and the throttle sharpens and gears are held noticeably longer. Advanced Efficiency goes the other way, significantly dulling responses and taking the edge off the already subdued spark.
There’s no shortage of electronics designed to sweeten the driving experience; brake by wire is one, while a torque vectoring system apportions drive between the front wheels. When things get twisty the electronics limit the torque delivery to contain front-drive wheel slip, although push on and it occasionally kicks in.
The Ti is nicer on its 18-inch wheels and passive suspension system, although the wrong surface can have tyre noise roaring into the cabin
The Veloce on optional 20-inch wheels is firmer, especially over sharper edges; it’s more terse in Dynamic mode, too. The steering is sharp and responsive, adding to the athletic demeanour, although it lacks the feel some may expect in an Alfa Romeo. That makes it trickier to trust the inherent cornering talent. They’re picky details, but the sort of thing Alfa fans will notice.
Those chasing an Italian antidote to the existing compact SUV fare will be rewarded with an honest and stylish – if occasionally uninspiring – luxury offering.
VERDICT 3.5/5
Suave compact SUV looks more exciting than it drives but delivers on frugal mild hybrid motoring.
ALFA ROMEO TONALE TI
PRICE: From about $56,000 drive-away
WARRANTY/SERVICING: Five yrs/unlimited km, $3675 for 5 yrs/75,000km
SAFETY: Six airbags, auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, driver monitor, speed-sign recognition
ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo mild hybrid, 118kW/240Nm
THIRST: 5.6L/100km
SPARE: Space-saver
LUGGAGE: 500 litres
Originally published as 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti new car review
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