It’s tough being an Alfa Romeo enthusiast in Canada (or a Maple Leafs or Blue Jays fan for that matter). We were always devoid of their popular hatchbacks like the Giulietta and Mito, the current crop are marred by reliability concerns with low resale values, and it doesn’t help when Alfa debuts beautiful new supercars like the 33 Stradale that draws us back to its 100 years of brand heritage, only for it to cost millions of dollars and be out of reach to the everyday driver.
Many are quick to forget that Alfa Romeo has a presence in Formula 1 too, but peer behind the high-octane curtain and you’ll discover that the cross and snake emblem is stamped on and paid for without any real engineering support or expertise from Milan. That job is taken care of by Sauber. Again, easy to be a fan, but it’s disheartening seeing the C43 squander at the back of the field fighting for 18th or 19th place.
But the Stellantis overlords finally had a lightbulb moment. With only the Giulia Sedan and Stelvio SUV on offer in Canada, choices are lacking, and there’s a clear opportunity for a compact SUV with an attainable price tag. The new Tonale aims to fill that void.
The sheetmetal is typical Alfa: sexy, exotic, and dripping with road presence despite its top-heavy stature and plastic exterior trims. There’s tension and poise no matter which direction you approach the Tonale from. We love the nostalgic nod with its flat hood, triangular ‘Scudetto’ grill, and telephone-dial wheels, visually echoing the Giulia GTA and 8C of the past. That triple front and rear light design gives the Tonale a distinctive night signature as well. Alfa owners aren’t shy drivers either, so bold colours appear fashionable on the Tonale like Misano Blue or Montreal Green.
But then we saw the new Dodge Hornet, and it looks almost identical to the Tonale minus the headlights and wheels. Dig further, and we discovered they even share the same platform, underpinnings, and powertrains. The interiors are nearly indistinguishable as well, right down to the steering wheel, gear lever, and digital displays. They are essentially the same vehicle but with different badges. Twins of different heritage but the same DNA building blocks. This is badge engineering at its finest. Or shall I say the lowest. It’s the same formula followed by the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins, and the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra but to a lesser extent. It’s a real shame that Alfa ownership isn’t as special and exclusive as it once was, and it feels like just another cog in the Stellantis ecosystem. Think of it like buying a designer handbag, only to realize that a cheaper brand makes the exact same design with the same materials, but with a different badge and a cheaper price tag. That chips away at its perceived rarity and value.
Inside are the same basic building blocks with a 10.25-inch centre touchscreen and 12.3-inch driver’s cluster screen, but the Tonale does offer some exclusive touches such as the angled drive-mode dial above the gear shifter and an Italian flag below it. And there’s always something special about a start button integrated into the steering wheel. It makes every push of the ignition feel like you’re starting a motor race. But wait, no metallic paddle shifters like in the Giulia or Stelvio? Only on the Tonale PHEV it seems. Or what about those Stellantis nipple buttons behind the wheel to control the infotainment? Notably absent.
Scratchy black plastics and a rough sticky leather dominate the cabin, and while these materials wouldn’t feel out of place in a Dodge or Jeep, it’s underwhelming in this Alfa Romeo that promises the notion of a more premium product. Even Volvo uses better materials, most of which are recycled and sustainable in nature as well. Not to mention, the rear view camera lags like it’s being powered by a potato, but oddly enough the 360-camera view displayed beside it doesn’t suffer from any lag, leading to an inconsistent mess of what’s actually happening behind you and a total lack of confidence when parking. Back to good old-fashioned hand-behind-the-passenger-headrest parking.
We have to give it to Alfa for sticking with actual buttons and dials on the wheel and center stack though. As many automakers relegate those highly-used functions to a fussy touchscreen for a cleaner interface, Alfa realized the ergonomics and ease of having real toggle switches, and have kept them to good measure. It makes dialling in the volume or cabin temperature a breeze. We still would have liked a dedicated heated seat and wheel button, though – it’s a bit annoying to have to punch them in every time we start the vehicle.
As with other Alfas, the driving position in the Tonale is spot-on and aside from the chunky A-pillar, there’s great visibility out the front and sides. We’re not sure why the Italians love sitting on stiff seats but it’s difficult to get cozy and snuggly with the Tonale’s. But unlike the Giulia and Stelvio, the headrests aren’t stuffed with moon rocks and are actually soft and cushioning.
Like the Dodge Hornet, the Tonale is offered with two powertrains: a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 9-speed automatic and AWD for 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and a plug-in hybrid setup with a 1.3-litre turbo-four, 90kW electric motor, and a 15.5-kWh battery for 285 hp, 347 lb-ft and a claimed 48 km of electric-only range.
We tested the standard Tonale this time and will have a review of the PHEV in a few months time. First impressions are good. The engine is spritely and eager, sprinting off the line with just a whiff of the gas pedal, the automotive equivalent of a chihuahua. The Tonale will hit 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds but it feels even quicker behind the wheel. The turbo is quick to spool but we never found the powertrain to be very smooth or polished.
It’s very American in the way it moves and grooves. The steering is hyperactive and though quick and makes the front end feel lively, it lacks texture. Exceptionally strong brakes, though. The Tonale Veloce is also equipped with a dual-mode suspension that can be adjusted via a button on the drive dial but no matter the setting, the ride is rough and wooden. Not exactly brittle but the Tonale is easily unsettled by bumps and pockmarked roads, taking a full second to regain any composure. As a result, it never truly gelled with the road in the same way a BMW X1 or MINI Cooper S Countryman would.
We also wanted to point out one minor annoyance. The Tonale is equipped with a start-stop system and it is quite polished, but it doesn’t work in tandem with the auto brake hold. So if you’re stopped at a red, the engine stop engaged, and then let off the brake pedal, the engine starts back up while the brake continues to hold. There’s no way around it, so you end up just keeping your foot on the brake to save fuel. A relatively trivial but irritating oversight that could be fixed by a software update, and it should because the Tonale doesn’t achieve spectacular fuel consumption – we averaged 10.7 L/100km over city and highway driving. At least it doesn’t require premium octane fuel.
The new Alfa Romeo Tonale is a left-field alternative that’s dripping with road presence and we find ourselves emotionally drawn to it as a product but find it difficult to recommend objectively when its rivals are superior in both ride composure, interior comfort, and overall drivability. Discovering that it shares so much with the Dodge Hornet certainly stings, and we have trouble overlooking its lack of exclusivity and poor use of badge engineering to adulterate a storied motorsport brand with deep wells of untapped potential. There’s still much to enjoy with the Tonale, but it’s a diluted experience at best.
Specifications:
Model: 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce AWD
Paint Type: Misano Blue Pearl
Base Price: $46,495
Price as Tested: $53,240
Wheelbase(mm): 2,636
Length/Width/Height (mm): 4,528 / 2,082 / 1,601
Weight: 1,600 kg
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Horsepower: 268 hp
Torque: 295 lb-ft
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, AWD
Observed Fuel Consumption (L/100km): 10.7
Tires: 235/40R20
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