Our opinion on the Alfa Romeo Tonale
The Alfa Romeo Tonale has its flaws, but it does manage to just about hold its own against fellow compact premium SUVs from the likes of BMW, Audi and Volvo. It’s a fabulous looking family car for one thing, yet it’s still practical, handles well and features some slick in-car technology. However, the quality of the cabin falls short of what it should be considering this car’s price and competition.
The plug-in hybrid Q4 is the Tonale at its best. Not only is it the most efficient variant, but it also offers up to 42 miles of pure-electric driving. The PHEV is also better to drive than the mild-hybrid version, and it packs more performance punch. In the usual Alfa fashion, this is a car for those who like to stand out, and who are forgiving enough to overlook one or two drawbacks.
About the Alfa Romeo Tonale
While the Alfa Romeo Guilia saloon and closely related Stelvio SUV breathed some new life into the Italian carmaker, neither quite managed to propel it to new heights. So Alfa Romeo attempted to revitalise itself once again with the Tonale, which the brand proclaimed as “the beginning of a new Alfa Romeo era”.
The four-wheel drive Tonale plug-in hybrid Q4 is the most powerful variant in the range, and this consists of a 1.3-litre petrol engine, a single electric motor, and a 15.5kWh battery. Those who don’t like the idea of a plug can instead opt for a front-wheel drive, mild-hybrid variant. This uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 20bhp electric motor. This model can run on electric power when you start it up, at low speeds and when parking.
We’ve put the Tonale through its paces alongside one of its more popular foes, the Mercedes GLA, in a twin test. The result might surprise you, because the Alfa bagged the win thanks to its sharp handling, good looks and usable interior space.
Alfa Romeo Tonale prices and latest deals
The mild-hybrid Alfa Romeo Tonale is the cheaper of the two, starting from around £38,500 in entry-level Sprint trim. Moving up to the mid-range Veloce increases this by around £5,000, while the range-topping Intensa commands at least £48,000.
Those eyeing up the PHEV will face a higher starting price of around £45,000 for the Sprint spec. The Veloce sits above £50,000, while the Intensa costs around £55,000.
However, you can save plenty when speccing your dream Alfa Romeo Tonale via the Buy a Car service. We also have a number of Tonale leasing deals to choose from, as well as used Tonale models in stock and ready to hit the road.
