Reviews of the Alfa Romeo Tonale

The Alfa Romeo Tonale is exactly what you'd expect from a small Italian SUV; it's stylish, features a range of premium materials, and is exciting to drive. 

Rivals to the Tonale include the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, Volvo XC40, and Kia Sportage. 

Our Alfa Romeo Tonale review covers:

• Stylish exterior design 
• Premium interior that's well-equipped 
• 500 or 385-litre boot
• Mild and plug-in hybrid engines available 
• Two trim levels 

Pros:

• Eye-catching exterior design 
• High-quality interior with good equipment  
• Engaging performance 

Cons:

• Ride quality is not great on bumpy roads 
• Boot space poor with plug-in hybrid 
• Interior space falls short of rivals 

Alfa Romeo is renowned for their beautiful exterior designs, and the Tonale continues this tradition. A blend of Italian flair and sophistication, standout features of the Tonale include the iconic shield-shaped Alfa front grille, diamond-cut alloy wheels, and a light bar across the rear. 

Climb inside the Tonale, and there's just about enough room to accommodate a family. Two adults can easily fit in the front, however, three passengers in the rear can be a bit of a squeeze. If you're looking for a spacious interior, the Tonale falls short of the Volvo XC40 and BMW X1. 

Boot space comes in at 500 litres for the Tonale, which is more than the Volvo XC40 and on par with the Range Rover Evoque. Open the tailgate, and the boot is a useful square shape with a height-adjustable floor. It's worth noting that if you choose the plug-in hybrid version, space decreases to 385 litres to accommodate for the battery. 

As you'd expect from an Alfa Romeo, the interior of the Tonale is towards the premium end of the spectrum. There's a range of high-quality materials used, such as soft-touch plastics, and the seats come in either leatherette or Alcantara leather. 

On the dash, you get a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and voice recognition technology. The screen is responsive and displays sharp graphics, but unfortunately, it doesn't have a rotary controller. 

You also get a 12.3-inch digital instrument display behind the steering wheel, which displays all the required information in sharp and crystal-clear graphics. 

Two trim levels are available for the Tonale: Sprint and Veloce. 

Sprint comes with 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, carbon cloth and leatherette seats with red stitching, a sporty leather steering wheel, a 10.2-inch touchscreen, electric four-way lumbar support, keyless entry, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign information. 

Veloce adds 19-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, privacy glass, red Brembo brake callipers, a dark miron body kit with matt inserts, perforated Alcantara and leatherette seats, aluminium pedals and door sills, and dual-stage valve suspension. 

A mild-hybrid petrol and a plug-in hybrid make up the engine range for the Tonale. The mild-hybrid has front-wheel drive and the plug-in four-wheel drive, while both come with an automatic gearbox. 

The entry-level option is the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid that comes with 160hp and shoots from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds. Featuring a small electric motor to aid the engine at low speeds, it comes with a fuel economy of 44.8mpg, and you'll also be able to drive on pure electric power in very short bursts.  

The more expensive and more powerful option is the four-wheel drive 1.3-litre plug-in hybrid that has 280hp and shoots from 0-62mph in just over six seconds. Pairing the petrol engine with a 15.5kWh battery and 90kW electric motor, fuel economy comes in at around 217mpg, and you'll also be able to drive on pure electric power for up to 48 miles. 

The plug-in hybrid can get to a full charge in two and a half hours when using the 7.4kW fast charger. 

Get on the road in the Tonale, and you'll quickly realise it's a small SUV designed to feel sporty. Unlike some of its rivals that focus on comfort, the Tonale provides a fun and exciting driving experience. 

At low speeds, you'll notice the sporty characteristics of the Tonale; it feels a bit like a racehorse at the starting gate waiting to be unleashed. Press down the accelerator, and power feels imminent, so we'd recommend spending as much time using electric power around town as possible. 

You'll also notice potholes and bumps in the road when cruising around town. But who cares when you look good, right? 

Increase it to motorway speeds, and the Tonale starts to feel like itself. You'll get up to cruising speed with no issues whatsoever, and once there, it feels like a more than capable long-distance cruiser. Although there is a bit of noise when accelerating, especially with the mild hybrid, it settles down at cruising speed. 

Find yourself on a country road, and the Tonale is pretty good. The steering is quick and alert, and there's not much body lean when cornering, especially with the plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive set-up. Our only qualm is that the steering could be a bit weightier. 

Prices for the new Alfa Romeo Tonale start from £36,184.00 OTR* or to lease from £343.68 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Tonale? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.

Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.