Alfa Romeo Tonale SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF BAD STUFF
GOODBYE
£48,495 OTR/£53,345 as tested/£534 pcm
WHY IT’S HERE
Does Alfa’s late arrival deserve a place at the small SUV party?
DRIVER
Esther Neve
THIS IS A SAD DAY. THE TONALE IS GOING TO MEET ITS MAKER. QUITE literally We have had the pleasure of the Alfa’s company for six months it’s been all over the UK carried many people and many things and been enjoyable and also economical while it’s at it yes we will acknowledge the pothole/puncture incident but that could have happened to anyone in any car and probably did I’ve been back to the location and it’s now fixed just in case any of you were wondering but today is the day it goes back to Alfa Romeo headquarters
Those days have flown by and the question you see above was always rumbling around in the back of my mind as each trip was clocked up “Does Alfa’s late arrival deserve a place at the small SUV party?” The simple and straightforward answer from six months’ experience is “yes” No two ways about it There are plenty of smaller semiluxe SUVs vying for your cash in its sector but for me no offering from any other company has the personality of the Alfa Which is why although it’s fair to say that its more Germanic rivals are all equally economical capable and enjoyable to drive/travel in the Tonale’s style and more stunning looks there’s no mistaking it’s an Alfa make it truly stand out in its sector
Though I never reached the heady heights of the claimed economy charging up as and when I could saw the figure gradually improve to the high s/low s mpg in real world scenarios not bad with a rightfoot heavy driver enjoying themselves behind the wheel
Talking of charging up one mini issue with the Alfa was what to do with the charging leads if the boot and car were both full and you wanted to top up on electricity but that’s a problem all plugins face
So would I put my money where my mouth is and buy one? D’you know what? I would It’s been reliable fun and sassy Say no more 1332cc 4cyl turbo + e-motor, AWD, 276bhp, 199lb ft
217mpg, 29g/km CO2 0–62mph in 6.2secs, 128mph 1,910kg
Roomy, stylish and enjoyable to drive. Plenty of appreciation from other drivers as well.
The offset numberplate made using car parks with numberplate recognition tricky. 10,100 48.9 MILEAGE: OUR MPG: TOPGEAR.COM›MAY2024