First Drive: Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV 2022 Review

We saw the mild-hybrid Alfa Romeo Tonale earlier this year and whilst being a perfectly capable SUV, the 160PS (118kW) powertrain was fairly lackluster and sullied the overall impression of the car. But now we’ve had a first look at the Tonale plug-in hybrid which has a much more attractive 280PS (206kW).

The question is, does this added power transform the slightly wheezy Tonale into a fun to drive and accomplished PHEV? If the mild-hybrid Tonale was an incredibly important car for the future of Alfa Romeo, then their first proper foray into the plug-in hybrid market is equally so. As we were reminded so many times during testing, they have to embrace Alfa Romeo’s “sporty and fun to drive” legacy, otherwise we’ll just have another Stellantis trim option. For Alfa Romeo to thrive going into its electrified future, they need to succeed in the early stages.

If the exterior design is a big factor in your purchasing decisions, look no further than the Tonale. It is a genuinely gorgeous thing, which doesn’t feel right when describing an SUV, but here we are. The rear keeps things simple and elegant with the beautiful lights stretching across the full width of the car. However, it’s that front end that really holds your attention. There’s enough tipping of the hat to Alfa Romeos of the past whilst also having a forward looking and slightly aggressive design.

This is all subjective of course, but when you place the Tonale among its rivals in this market, it really does have the aesthetic edge. We’d confidently state it’s the beauty pageant market leader.

Here’s where we want to see an improvement over the mild-hybrid. This is supposed to be the “sportiest” model in the Tonale range, so if we are to buy into Alfa Romeo’s commitment to “efficient sportiness” and maintaining that performance philosophy, then the Tonale PHEV has to entertain.

We tested the car both on the road and, rather surprisingly, on the Balocco test track, so our impressions are something of a split decision.

Firstly, on the road, it feels accomplished and comfortable when cruising, just as you’d expect from any SUV in the market. The roads in the area aren’t quite as bad for potholes as many UK roads, but generally the Tonale manages well. Begin to push a little bit and engage both the petrol and electric powertrains and the view gets a little muddy. It accelerates pretty satisfyingly and holds the road well, however it does tend to cling onto gears when you lift off. It can also feel pretty twitchy when you start to push harder through the corners, especially over uneven surfaces. Overall the road performance of the Tonale PHEV is a huge improvement over the mild-hybrid, even though we struggle to accept that this will ever feel like a ‘sporty’ car.

That said, the opportunity to take this car out on the track did at least induce a smile. We are some way off the kind of thrills you can get from a Giulia or even Stelvio Quadrifoglio, but the Tonale in this more powerful plug-in hybrid form is more than enough to satisfy.

In terms of electric range and fuel economy, the Tonale PHEV promises quite strong figures, but a real-world test may reduce these slightly. The all-electric motor is good for 80km and the total non-urban range with the engine is over 600km.

With the exterior being a thing of beauty, the interior isn’t too far behind. You won’t find anything out of the ordinary from any other quality SUV on the market, but the quality is there to see and feel. One thing that Alfa Romeo is targeting with the Tonale PHEV is best-in-class roominess, especially for the rear seats – even the taller rear seat passengers will be able to have a little stretch.

If we were desperate to find fault, it would be those big aluminium gear paddles. Yes they are beautiful, but in full automatic mode you start to notice them getting in the way a fair bit.

As with the mild-hybrid version, the Tonale PHEV has a fully digital, and fully customisable, 12.3-inch dash display instead of physical dials, and the same small screen seen in the Stelvio and Giulia. The 10.25-inch built-in infotainment system is also easy to use which can’t be said for a lot of its competitors. There is also a wireless recharging pad for your smartphone.

There’s also a focus on tech that makes life with the new EV features as easy as possible. The Dynamic Range Mapping and Charging Station Finder both make strong moves to alleviate any range anxiety extremely loyal traditional Alfa Romeo owners, who have never even had a sniff of the EV world, may have.

Every Tonale comes with adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane-keep assist, plus plenty more goodies, and there’s a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system available as an option should you want it.

You’ll also have Amazon Alexa connectivity, so you can ask the dystopian overlord what range you have left on your Tonale from the comfort of your bed.

Where the mild-hybrid didn’t really get our juices flowing, the Tonale PHEV with its 280PS certainly has righted most of the wrongs. While the performance is certainly enough to pull skin off custard or destroy a Tiramisu, it’s not in the Quadrifoglio category.

The chassis’ potential certainly feels more fulfilled with this added power. The drive is not perfect, but is a massive improvement. The tech and interior is up there with the best in the market and as far as styling goes this is the market leader.

Alfa Romeo now has a decent entrant in the hybrid market and this hopefully provides a positive platform to continue their road to a full EV portfolio. We certainly hope it sells as life without Alfa Romeo is not one we look forward to.