2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Review: An Exciting Version Of A Sensible Choice
- Tremendously fun to drive
- Outstanding fuel economy
- Great infotainment system
- Looks fantastic
- No head-up display option
- Firm suspension leaves other crossovers more comfortable
It's hard to find a truly bad car these days. Even if you take the budget route, you're unlikely to face any major issues. In the mid-range, everything seems to have merged together — especially where crossovers are concerned. Manufacturers need to do something a bit special to stand out, and this is where Alfa Romeo may have an advantage. As a brand, it has a solid history of taking something that should be relatively mundane, and somehow making it fun, exciting, and a little bit sexy. You can't really apply logic to it. But could the end boss of mundanity, a sensible small SUV, be where Alfa meets its match?
We're taking a look at a 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce which could be the Milanese manufacturer's answer to our question. The Tonale itself is Alfa's first foray into the world of hybrids, and a step towards it joining the mob of manufacturers going all-electric at some point in the future.
The spec sheet doesn't scream sporty
Under the hood, you'll find a 1.3 liter, four-cylinder gas engine that is supplemented by a 90 kW electric motor. The pairing can produce up to 285 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. In simple terms, this translates to a 0-60 time of six seconds, and a 2,000 pound towing capacity. This is all pretty good for a mid-level hybrid, but can look a bit tame when you compare it to EVs available at a similar price point. The Kia EV6 GT is an obvious comparison, and will hit 60 in just over half the time it takes the Tonale. Select versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y will also outperform Alfa's effort. However, these are purely electric vehicles and you may find a ICE vehicle or a hybrid like the Tonale more practical overall.
Where the Tonale does stand out is in the storage department. Alfa claims to have a class-leading amount of space in its crossover, and that is true — but not by a significant margin. You'll get 22.9 cubic feet of storage with the seats up, and 50.5 cubic feet if you put them down. The vehicle can take a large family's weekly shop without a problem, but if interior storage space is your main concern you may be better off looking at the Stelvio instead.
It looks the part
One glance at the Tonale's sneering headlights and grille, and you may get the feeling that the Alfa is a bit bored with you. Yes, you have to drive it, and it's annoyed by the inconvenience of it all. This level of arrogance is fine when you expect it, and it wouldn't be a proper Alfa if it didn't project this kind of feeling. So while the overall body shape is similar to other crossovers, there's a degree of personality and uniqueness to its looks. It's all sitting on a set of 19" rims which rock a striking circular pattern.
The eye-catching looks carry over to the inside. You get a nice suede trim on the seats and dash, red stitching to set the black off, and Alfa's crest embroidered into each headrest. The non-suede parts are textured, and this does give them a more interesting and luxurious look. If we're being picky, we could point towards the amount of plastic the interior includes, at what is technically a luxury price point.
A basic Tonale retails for a shade under $43,000 — but optional extras can ramp that price up quickly. The trim we tested is far from the basic model, but still carried a plasticky interior. It's good quality plastic, but some kind of metal or a similar option for things like the "DNA" mode selection wheel would have helped nudge things to the next level.
It feels faster than it is
The first sign you're in an actual Alfa comes when you get behind the wheel. If you put your foot down, the Tonale's six second 0-60 dash feels much swifter than on-paper comparisons might suggest.
"Dynamic" mode, which you can select from a knob on the center console, furthers the illusion. The accelerator is far more sensitive, as is the brake pedal. Steering also feels heavier and more involved than the ultra-light experience in both the "Natural" and "Advanced Efficiency" modes. This creates a situation where the Tonale always feels like it has a little more to give, even at highway speeds. A bit of pressure on the accelerator makes the car take off to the best of its abilities, and you don't need to keep much pressure on to keep your speed climbing.
However, if you put your foot flat down on the gas, the illusion shatters, acceleration plateaus, and the Alfa will indeed cap out. So, your Tonale will feel like an engineering marvel, as long as you buy into the illusion and avoid testing its limits. It's hard not to picture what a Tonale Quadrifoglio might bring to the party, though.
The handling is a breath of fresh air
In two of the three driving modes, the steering is absolutely effortless. You can use a single finger to turn the wheel. The Tonale has a fairly tight turning circle for a larger car, at just under 38 feet, and feels quite agile for its size in the corners. Dynamic mode, meanwhile, makes the steering noticeably heavier, leaving every action feeling more deliberate and better involving you in the driving process.
There's something to be said for the amount of grip this vehicle has too. Dropping it into Dynamic mode and finding a windy bit of backroad brings a bit of fun back to your daily drive. It also carries a far more serious purpose. You'll be able to take on all road conditions without any major problems. Even in snow and ice, the tires will remain firmly fixed to whatever surface you're dealing with, while the heated seats and wheel keep your digits and derriere nice and toasty. The heated front seats and wheel appear on all trims, from the entry level "Sprint" to the top-end "Veloce."
Fuel economy is fantastic
This may not be a shocking revelation, but a plug in hybrid with a relatively small engine does not use much gas at all. Alfa estimated that the Tonale can produce an economy of 75 MPGe. With a full tank and a full battery, it's possible to go 320 miles — with about 30 miles of that being electric range. In reality, milage may vary depending on conditions, driving style, payload being carried, and the nature of the trip.
Our experience included highway driving, some country road based performance testing, and some traffic heavy trips through the city. No particular trip seemed to hit the vehicle's fuel economy particularly hard, though our time in dynamic mode may have had a little impact.
According to the EPA, over the course of five years, Tonale PHEV drivers can potentially save $3,750 in gas costs compared to the average new vehicle. Alfa's success here is in part because many of its luxury crossover rivals don't have an electrified version of their small SUV, or at most it's a mild-hybrid.
All electric range is pretty decent
If you want to use the Tonale as an EV, you may be able to. Its battery has more than enough for many American commuters. The relatively small capacity compared to a full-fat EV means charging at home or slapping it on a public Level 2 charger is pretty practical. Alfa Romeo says you can fully recharge the battery in as little as two and a half hours this way.
With that being said, using a plug-in hybrid as a full fledged EV 100% of the time isn't recommended. Most manufacturers suggest cycling through at least one tank of fuel every few months. Failing to do so can cause engine problems, and potentially leave you with a tank full of expired gas.
The car will use up its battery power before switching to the engine if you're in natural or power saving mode, but it doesn't have to be that way. Pressing the e-Save button will keep the Tonale's remaining battery charge in reserve if, for example, you want a safety net to reach the nearest gas station.
It isn't the most comfortable car in the world
The Tonale edges towards performance, rather than comfort. The seats in the Alfa are best described as pseudo buckets. They're nowhere near as uncomfortable as the real things, but they do like you to be in a particular position and the upholstery itself is pretty firm. Any passengers in the rear will be treated to a respectable amount of legroom. Don't get carried away, it isn't a Lucid Air, but unless the person in the front seats are seven feet tall, then there is enough room to spend a trip sat like a human instead of folded like a pretzel.
Ride comfort is also in the "okay" category. You're going to feel the road, and that's a good thing to the demographic the Tonale is aimed at, but there's little chance of zoning out and pretending you're in a Rolls Royce. You will feel potholes, bumps, and other road hazards you run into, but you won't get the sort of spinal damage cars with particularly brutal suspension tend to dish out.
The infotainment system is great when you get used to it
The Alfa's infotainment system is modern and manageable, built around a 12.3-inch full digital cluster and a 10.25-inch central display. The car can connect wirelessly to both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay — which is a major plus as some competitors still require a wire. Both screens are pretty to look at, the cluster can be customized to fit your preferences and the center screen is very simple to navigate while also being unobtrusive.
The central screen also has far less of an "iPad glued to the dashboard" feel about it, which lands the Tonale a few style points. There are steering wheel controls, but the scroll wheel you use to control things like music can be over-sensitive until you get used to it. Voice controls are present, but you'll be relying on Siri or Google Assistant for the most part.
The comfort features are pretty middle of the road
Wireless charging is also present on the Tonale. The charging surface is large, grippy, and difficult to miss as it's right in the center of the car. Unfortunately, we found the wireless charger to be a bit tame. It charged both an iPhone and a Samsung pretty slowly, and the Samsung even lost charge when it was contributing to the infotainment system while sat on the wireless pad. The phone was powering Android Auto wirelessly at the time, which is pretty demanding, but if you switched to a wired connection for that then you wouldn't need a wireless charger.
The wireless charger did slow down the rate the battery was draining at, but be aware that the wireless charger is probably best kept as a backup. As far as main charging methods go, there is a USB-A and USB-C port present alongside a 12V connector.
The driver aids do a good job, but something is missing
The Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce we tested comes with a full array of parking sensors, a front and rear camera, and a "top-down" camera giving you a 360 degree view of the vehicle's surroundings. However, to get the cameras you'll need to opt for the Ti or Veloce trim, and then slap on the "Active Assist Advanced Package" for an extra $2,000. All trims do include a full array of reassuringly sensitive parking sensors, as well as lane assist.
However, the lane assist function may be a touch too sensitive if you opt for the "medium" setting or beyond. Ours was set off by lamp posts, trash cans, and other curbside objects when driving through a city.
One notable omission from the features list is a Heads Up Display (HUD.) We missed this simple device far more than we thought we would. Having to glance at the central display for navigation purposes, and look down to the driver's display for vehicle information, is more of a pain than simply keeping your eyes on the road.
Nothing went horrendously wrong
If you closely follow Alfa Romeo's reputations, you'll know about the notorious downsides of owning one too. It isn't top of the tree when it comes to reliability. Luckily, this seems to be the one part of traditional Alfa ownership that might not have made the transition to the Tonale. There was a worrying clunking sound coming from the rear, but it later turned out that was just the car's unfathomably loud door and trunk locks engaging.
This may be reflective of an overall change in the company as a whole. Alfa Romeo did unexpectedly well in the 2023 JD Power's initial quality study, and actually snagged the top spot in the premium brands rankings for the first time.
In terms of warranty, Alfa Romeo offers a limited three year or 36,000 miles on most of the vehicle's components, and a standard warranty of four years or 50,000 miles on the powertrain. The battery warranty adheres to the federal minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles.
You're getting the full Alfa experience with the Tonale
The combination of engagement, looks, and a sprinkle of luxury ensures that you are getting the full Alfa Romeo experience (sans breakdowns) from the 2024 Tonale. If you're looking for a crossover with a wild side and a little soul, then this is something you should strongly consider. If the idea of buying a utility vehicle bores you senseless, but you can't go without the practicality they offer, then this is a solid compromise.
The Tonale's unique looks and sporting undertones take the edge off the slightly high sticker price, and its shortcomings are in areas where a different vehicle class is probably a better option anyway. If you want comfort, buy a luxury sedan. If you want total utility, buy a truck or an full-size SUV. While it lacks some of the cutting-edge gadgets you'll find on a high-end EV. the Tonale looks good, can handle most situations, and demonstrates why a plug-in hybrid still makes a whole lot of sense for people still weighing the practicality of going electric.