After recently been thoroughly surprised in an entirely positive way by the Maserati Grecale [Sometimes less is so much more, August], I approach the Alfa Tonale, another Italian SUV from the same Stellantis stable, with hope soaring in my heart. It certainly looks the part – quite the most attractive car in its class I’d say – and the interior is no less easy on the eye, effective and spacious too. So far so good.
Sadly then and as a thing to drive, this is a deeply disappointing Alfa, probably the least inherently likeable car (if not the worst) to come from that stable I have driven. And, no, that’s not just because it’s an SUV for I’d never dream of saying the same or anything close to it of its Stelvio big brother.
Let’s put it another way: even if this weren’t an Alfa Romeo and came with no weight of dynamic expectation, and even by the frankly modest standards of 1.8-tonne SUVs, I’d be pretty put out by it. Looks aside there is nothing that is anywhere close to what I want an Alfa to be, or how I’d like it to behave.
The little 1.3-litre engine, heavily boosted by both turbo and hybrid additions, is coarse, the ride is queasy, the handling utterly uninvolving and the steering so remote that one attempt to round a corner with any kind of enthusiasm will convince you never to try anything so foolish again. If this is Alfa’s future, I fear for it. AF
Price £48,495
Engine 1.3 litres, four cylinders, petrol, turbocharged, hybrid
Power 276bhp
Torque 295lb ft
Weight 1835kg
Power to weight 150bhp per tonne
Transmission Six-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
0-60mph 6.2sec
Top speed 128mph
Economy 217mpg (WLTP)
Verdict Enormous disappointment.
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