Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid review

The government’s new emissions target will encourage car makers to adopt this technology, which promises to make cars more powerful and efficient. But there is a big catch.

Remember when economical cars were the slowest and least attractive cars in any given range?

Times are changing. The performance hero of the new Alfa Romeo Veloce line-up is a plug-in hybrid model that promises to be mean and green.

This tech will become increasingly common as manufacturers aim to reduce their carbon emissions under new standards set to be introduced by the Albanese Government.

While conventional hybrids will be penalised within four years under the tough new standards, plug-ins will be able to achieve the fuel efficiency standard in laboratory tests.

But there are a couple of rather large caveats.

The Tonale plug-in is unlikely to be able to match its fuel sticker claim in the real world and it’s also expensive.

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce

Priced from about $86,000 drive-away, the Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce plug-in hybrid costs about $30,000 more than the entry-level model, or about $20,000 more than the similarly equipped Tonale Veloce.

That’s big money. It could get you into the larger Stelvio SUV.

It’s the price you need to pay for a premium plug-in hybrid SUV – Lexus and Peugeot charge similar cash for rival machines.

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce

As the top model in the range, the Tonale is loaded with equipment including a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, electric sunroof and perforated leather seats that are heated and cooled up front.

Tech includes a 10.25-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital dashboard that help modernise the machine.

The cabin looks genuinely special, with Alfa Romeo’s classically sculpted shroud over the driver’s instruments, its famous crest embossed into the headrests, and Ferrari-like metallic shift paddles glinting behind the steering wheel.

Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti

But the cabin plastics feel cheaper than you might expect for a car that costs nearly $90,000 drive-away, and it’s not particularly roomy.

Aesthetic pull continues on the outside, where high quality paint, jewel-like 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and narrow matrix LED headlights peer either side of Alfa’s traditional triangular grille.

The bonnet covers an interesting petrol-electric combination. A 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine makes 132kW and 270Nm, and a powerful electric motor contributes 90W and 250Nm to the cause.

Petrolheads hoping for 298kW and 520Nm of combined wallop might be disappointed to find the hybrid’s peak output is just 208kW, though that’s more than adequate on the road.

Alfa claims a 6.2 second dash to 100km/h – quicker than a VW Golf GTI – and a top speed of 206km/h.The brand also claims a pure electric range of 60.5 kilometres when the 15.5kWh battery is fully charged, though that feels optimistic.

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce

This hybrid has a battery around one third the size of what you might find in an electric car, so you need to plug it in frequently to get the full benefit from its technology.

As with any plug-in hybrid, you can forget about the 1.5L/100km claimed fuel economy on the government-mandated windscreen sticker.

Folks with short commutes will rarely use any fuel at all, whereas those with longer drives will burn plenty of pettrol once the battery is depleted. We averaged little under 7L/100km in about 200 kilometres of driving that started with a full battery.

Plug-in hybrids are a great solution in theory – but they only work well if drivers plug them in every day to start every journey with a full battery. Otherwise, they often use more fuel than petrol alternatives.

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce

The hybrid’s advantage extends beyond the petrol pump. It’s the only car in the Tonale range with all-wheel-drive, and the extra power helps shave more than 2.5 seconds from its 0-100km/h sprint.

But the extra 300 kilos of weight has a detrimental effect on handling – it’s not nearly as athletic as the sporty Alfa Giliua sedan.

Four-piston fixed caliber brakes look stylish behind those polished alloys, but a wooden pedal response and firm ride from low-profile tyres take the shine off its driving experience.

The plug-in’s six-speed automatic transmission makes the small motor work harder than it ought to (other Tonales have an extra gear), and we would like more feedback from the somewhat numb steering.

While we’re complaining, Alfa Romeo’s modest Australian presence extends to just eight dealerships across the country, which means you’re likely to drive further to sort out servicing and warranty work.

Then again, there are few rivals that can match its combination of beauty and technology.

VERDICT

Three stars

Attractive to behold, cheap to run and surprisingly brisk, the Alfa Romeo Tonale is let down by its high price and middling drive experience.

ALFA ROMEO TONALE PHEV

PRICE About $86,000 drive-away

ENGINE 1.3-litre 4-cyl hybrid, 208kW (combined)

WARRANTY/SERVICE 5-yr/u’ltd km, $3100 for 5 yrs

SAFETY Six airbags, auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, driver monitor, speed-sign recognition

THIRST 1.5L/100km

SPARE Repair kit

BOOT 385 litres

Originally published as Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid review