Some may have thought Alfa Romeo was going to fade into the background but as it turns out, Stellantis, the umbrella brand for Alfa, is just getting started with the rollout of many new models as they inch towards an all-electric vehicle future by 2028. For now, there’s still a mix of gas burning, hybrid, and vehicles like the all-new Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle).
The all-new 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale is introduced today touting two powertrain options for us in the United States, the base model with a 256-horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque 4-cylinder engine mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission powering all four wheels. The top model will be all-wheel-drive but have a PHEV powertrain setup with 276 horsepower that combines a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine to power the front wheels and a 90-kilowatt electric motor to power the rear wheels. Power for the Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid’s electric motor is from a 15.5-kWh battery pack that is claimed to provide the vehicle with up to 30 miles of pure EV range powering the rear wheels.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale rides on a MacPherson strut suspension setup and uses Frequency Selective Dampening (FSD) shocks that don’t require any external control like adaptive dampers to do their work of balancing sporty handling and compliant ride quality on the road. Here, the FSD setup saves Alfa some money to keep the pricing scale down. Though, you can still get an active suspension setup as an option.
Aimed at vehicles like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX, and Mercedes-Benz GLA/GLB, the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale will share its underpinnings with other Stellantis family compact SUVs, such as the Jeep Compass. However, the Alfa Romeo Tonale will set its own tone as more of a premium offering and featuring a luxurious theme inside with a 10.25-inch touchscreen Uconnect 5 infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster featuring a vintage Alfa Romeo graphic onscreen design, the ability to store up to 5 driver profiles, and the expected integration of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The look of the Alfa Romeo Tonale is unmistakable for the brand with new LED lighting elements up front that somewhat mimic the LED taillights. The classic Alfa Romeo styled wheels shown here are part of the top Veloce trim and keep on trend with the unique Italian Alfa look, as does the unique front grille and curvy body panels.
Specifics on pricing and fuel mileage aren’t available yet but we expect more details to be revealed in the months to come as the Alfa Romeo Tonale is slated to arrive in the states about one year from now.
