Functional art: Whether coming or going, the Alfa Romeo Tonale is as pretty as a picture. It handles well on the twists and turns of the Western Cape’s passes. The interior is filled with instruments such as the infotainment system.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale represents the future of Alfa Romeo. It’s the brand’s first hybrid powertrain-driven model. And it means a model for Alfa that, while keeping the inherent passion factor the brand is known for, has an air of practicality and sensibility — or rather, functional art.
Although the Tonale doesn’t quite hit the same crescendos of “oohs and aahs” and reawakening feelings, it’s a well-designed compact SUV that is sure to appeal to a wide range of people. And that’s the whole point.
As pretty as it is — I consider it one of the prettiest SUVs to ever see the light of day — it’s also a bit restrained in its overall execution. The reason? For Alfa to continue making cars with a body-clutching effect, it needs to drum up sales. And R1 million+ pieces of art tend to see slow days in the sales office.
But is it art?
Absolutely, yes. I’m not prone to hundreds of precious words describing rising beltlines and swooping roof lines, because photographs tend to do a fine job in that department, but the style of the Tonale SUV justifies a mention.
Where car manufacturers are usually pedantic about maintaining a corporate identity throughout its range — with a front end borrowed from a sedan and a rear end that is reminiscent of a hatchback with an awkward, but practical body in between — it’s refreshing to see Alfa Romeo going back to discarding the rule book.
The central grille architecture with the lower air intakes is full-fat trilobo, the iconic three-piece looks to outline a three-leaf clover and the 3+3 headlights are, Alfa says, inspired by the lights on the beautiful Zagato. Whether on purpose or by lucky coincidence, it’s there.
The taillights follow a similar stylistic execution with a central cross-lightbar connecting these beautiful elements. On the side, what Alfa calls the GT line connects the front and rear seamlessly, an element said to stem from the Giulia GT. That’s a bit more abstract and open for interpretation but pretty nonetheless.
Gadget selections
The Tonale is available locally in three derivatives; the Ti, the Speciale for a limited time, and the range-topping Veloce. Although there are price differences in the range, comfort, tech and style have been democratised with cabins brimmed with features. All models receive a crisp-viewing 12.3” TFT digital instrument display, a 10.25” infotainment system with all the bells and whistles such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a wireless charging station.
On the safety front, all models come with lane-keep assist and auto headlights, adaptive cruise control with reliably accurate speed limit recognition and lane-centring assist. The limited-run Speciale models we tested adds heated and ventilated leather with power-operated seats and a Harman Kardon sound system for an additional outlay of R37 000. What also makes the Speciale, well, special, is that it comes standard with column-mounted aluminium paddle shifters (as does the Veloce) and 20” telephone-rotor-inspired rims, while the Veloce comes with 19-inches and the Ti with a set of 18s.
The Tonale is available locally in three derivatives; the Ti, the Speciale for a limited time, and the range-topping Veloce
Alfa’s driving DNA?
Yes and no. The Tonale’s primary drive source is still its 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, rated for 118kW and 240Nm of torque and coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This is supplemented by an electric motor that adds an additional 15kW and 55Nm of torque to the working system and adds a future-proof strain to the operating DNA of the Alfa Romeo nameplate. But it doesn’t come without its hiccups, chief of which is that I do not consider the Tonale’s hybrid element to be prominent enough.
In fact, it’s easy to forget that this is a hybrid-powered SUV with what felt like very little input from the eMotor. Sure, during stop-go traffic, it worked seamlessly in gradually moving the car forwards without petrol power — Alfa calls it e-Creeping. But it’s short-lived, because it soon runs out of electric charge, forcing the conventional petrol engine to take over driving operations. In essence, the electric motor is too small to revolutionise fuel economy, with only marginal braking regeneration. In the same vein, it doesn’t tangibly aid performance; the 1.5-litre four-pot feels strained with the SUV’s 1.5‑tonne kerb weight.
There is a silver lining, though. By working on the chassis, using independent damping and redistributing weight as far centre as possible, the Tonale has handling characteristics that belie the size and practical nature of this SUV. Through the twists and turns of some Cape Town passes, it proved as sure-footed as a mountain goat, with a direct steering input that’s reactive to reflex. It’s one of, if not the sharpest tool in its segment as far as handling is concerned. On this front, Alfa’s revered DNA is definitely present.
How does it stack up?
The Alfa Romeo Tonale starts at R739 900 and compares favourably against rivals such as the Audi Q3, BMW X2 and Volvo XC40, especially when considering the long list of standard features and equipment it ships with.
Add to that a hybrid-driven powertrain that, in the long run, should mean fewer trips to the filling station.
Is it the best value for money? Well, it depends on what you look for in a car. Then again, can you put a price tag on this calibre of art?
Oh, and then there’s the Tonale’s handling …