The Alfa Romeo Tonale Has a Genuinely Tough Brief to Satisfy
Both reviews frame this car's challenge honestly: keeping die-hard Alfa enthusiasts happy while also winning over an entirely new breed of family SUV buyer — and the results land somewhere in between rather than fully succeeding at either.
Trying to Please Two Very Different Audiences
Few family SUVs carry this much brand-identity pressure into a single model. Reviewers keep noting the tension between what Alfa's most passionate fans expect and what an ordinary family SUV buyer actually needs.
Specs at a Glance
| Body style | Compact SUV |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1.5L mild-hybrid petrol (158bhp), Tonale Q4 plug-in hybrid (275bhp, AWD) |
| Transmission | 7-speed automatic (mild-hybrid), 6-speed (PHEV) |
| Electric range (Q4 PHEV) | Around 38 miles official, 28.2 miles real-world tested |
| CO2 (Q4 PHEV) | As low as 29g/km |
Full Review Summary
Top Gear
Top Gear praised styling that's carried over faithfully from the well-received 2019 concept car, with design cues like the triple-barrel LED lights tracing back to Alfa's brutalist SZ sports car. They rated the handling balance as genuinely fun despite hyperactive steering and occasionally clumsy powertrain mapping needing some adjustment, and noted the entirely hybrid UK lineup makes the Tonale a smart choice for fleet buyers thanks to much lower taxation than the Giulia or Stelvio. Their overall take was that it looks and broadly drives like an Alfa Romeo should, distracting from a swathe of duller rivals.
What Car?
What Car? found the PHEV's 6.6-second 0-62mph time effortlessly quick if not particularly thrilling to listen to, with a real-world tested electric range of 28.2 miles beating the Range Rover Evoque PHEV's 25.3 miles in the same conditions. They rated the steering as quick and alert with decent weight build-up, similar to the Giulia, and praised firm, progressive brakes, though ultimately concluded the driving dynamics don't quite deliver on the sporting promise despite Alfa's efforts to inject genuine dynamism.
Strengths
- Genuinely distinctive, well-resolved styling
- Alert steering and decent handling balance
- Strong real-world electric range on the PHEV versus key rivals
- Low company car tax banding on the plug-in hybrid
Weak points
- Doesn't fully deliver on Alfa's sporting heritage despite the effort
- Hyperactive steering and powertrain mapping need adjustment
- No fully electric or high-performance Quadrifoglio version available
- Offset steering wheel and pedals take getting used to
Who It Actually Suits
Buyers who want distinctive Italian styling and are willing to accept handling that's fun rather than truly sporting. The Q4 plug-in hybrid makes particular sense for company car drivers chasing low tax bands and genuine real-world electric range.