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With the Tonale, Alfa Romeo finally has its compact SUV. A beautiful car that has clearly improved in quality, but whose sporty heart doesn't really beat in sync with the brand.
Alfa Romeo is something like that FC Schalke 04 the carmaker. An eternal love story. It's been a few days since the big successes, but the hope for better days is always burning in the hearts of the fans. They could come now. For Schalke and for Alfa. The new addition to the Tifosi is called Tonale, named after a pass in the Dolomites. Although he is not a hot-blooded striker, he should finally ensure good transfer fees again at Alfa. Finally, the Tonale plays in the lucrative league of compact SUVs.
A new model every year
The tactical orientation is unmistakable: The game plan is under the project name "La metamorfosi" - the transformation. Alfa wants to be fully powered by 2027, the Mito successor will be the first purely electric model in 2024, and Alfa boss Jean-Philippe Imparato promises a new model every year until then.
The 4,53 meter long Tonale heralds the electrified future a bit. For this he pulls a shimmering green jersey over the already quite outdated technology platform of the Jeep Compass/Renegade (since 2005). Since a complete electric drive can no longer be implemented on this basis, Alfa is content with three petrol hybrid variants. Two mild hybrids and one plug-in. The mild hybrids come with a 1,5-liter turbo four-cylinder, 48-volt electrical system including a small battery and front-wheel drive in the power levels 130 and 160 hp.
The 13,5 kilo battery sits between the front seats and is primarily intended to give the Tonale a little quicker legs and at least park completely electrically when maneuvering. The combustion engine is then completely decoupled. The plug-in hybrid will be launched in autumn and has a system output of 202 kW/275 hp. The electric range should be around 64 kilometers, the 90 kW/122 hp electric motor on the rear axle makes the Tonale an all-wheel drive vehicle. For diesel fans, Alfa will provide a 130 hp version from June. The price list starts with the 130 hp Tonale Hybrid Super for 35.500 euros, the 160 hp version Tonale Hybrid TI costs 42.500 euros, the plug-in hybrid should start at just under 50.000 euros.
Alfa wants to give the customer confidence
Another component that should lead Alfa back into the first league is the so-called NFT technology (Non-Fungible Token). This is based on a digital checkbook that is being offered for the first time in a production model and, with the owner's permission, stores all vehicle and workshop data throughout the car's life. It is based on the non-manipulable blockchain concept, a continuously expandable list of records. Above all, Alfa is hoping for higher transfer fees from the new technology, i.e. a stable resale value.
The digital instrument cluster turns optical into analogue 
In addition to the infotainment applications, some vehicle functions are also controlled via the large touchscreen
In general, trust is the new currency with which the traditional brand wants to pay back. Imparato says: "The Tonale is a shout out to all the Alfa Romeo fans we've lost." So that this is heard, the SUV is the first and only Alfa to receive a five-year guarantee. In addition, the Italians promise a whole new level of quality. Alfa calls the Tonale “a milestone”. Indeed. Probably no Alfa before was assembled so carefully. Nothing wobbles, nothing crackles. What you touch in the interior, whether surfaces, panels, buttons or controls, whether seats or trunk cover, everything seems to have been taken from a new (Stellantis) chest, to which the Italians had no key until now. Motto: The evil spirits of the past shouldn't even make themselves comfortable here
three eyes
Nevertheless, and fortunately, the club's history always goes along with it. Even the names of the four trim levels sound so wonderfully yesterday's: Super, Sprint, TI and Veloce. At the front and at the rear we recognize the three-eye design of an Alfa Zagato RZ or Brera. The rising side line quotes the Alfa GT, the large telephone disc wheels also emerge from our memories, as does the slightly dished steering wheel or the indicated tubes above the new digital speedometer, in which we even see the fine hunter graphics from the Duetto Spider believe to make out.
Alfa mixes all this with a modern multimedia system that is finally state-of-the-art in terms of speed and display, although operation is not really intuitive without practice. For this, Alexa moves in and listens to the word. This helps.
Imparato's announcement that there is more Alfa in the tonal range than ever before is less helpful. That may reassure the fan camp, but it is more wishful thinking than reality. Even if the 160 hp version we drove gives a well-trained impression in the footwork, tight and sure-footed, the steering still lacks a lot of sporting spirit. Especially around the middle position, it is too easy and indifferent, which unfortunately does not change fundamentally in the sports program. That's totally okay for the city, but when cornering quickly, the steering lacks the target water that Stelvio or Giulia use to turn corners so dynamically.
Power is a long time coming
Even as a new storm talent, the conspicuously quiet tonal volume hardly goes through. Which is primarily due to the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It's also not quite fresh and responds to the kickdown with a pause for breath before the desire for rapid acceleration is passed on to the engine. The fact that the battery then also pushes with E-Boost is not really noticeable.
So in the end a spongy picture remains. As a new team member in the Stellantis group, the Tonale has clearly improved in quality. However, the typical Alfa virtues remain a little by the wayside. The Cuore Sportivo does not beat to the beat of the brand. This makes the tonal one of many. Beautiful to look at, but unfortunately not unique.
Technical data
4,53-door electric SUV with all-wheel drive; Length: 1,84 metres, width: 1,60 metres, height: 2,64 metres, wheelbase: 500 metres. Trunk volume: 1.550 - XNUMX liters.
Front-wheel drive, 1,5-liter four-cylinder turbo, 118 kW/160 hp, maximum torque 240 Nm at 1.500 rpm. Seven-speed double-clutch transmission, lithium-ion battery with 15 kW/20 hp, 48-volt electrical system. 0-100 km/h: 8,8 s, Vmax: 210 km/h, combined consumption 6,3 liters (according to WLTP), CO2 emissions 144 g/km
Price: from 42.500 euros
In brief
Why: because Alfa finally seems to deliver on its promise of quality
Why not: Because the tonal wants to please many and thus becomes somewhat arbitrary.
What else: VW Tiguan, Cupra Formentor, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson
When does he come: from mid-June
