2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Review: Racing DNA Wrapped in Italian Luxury
2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Review
- 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale: $42,995 – $47,495
- Best-in-class electric range
- Pros: Unique style, athletic performance, driver-focused tech
- Cons: Loud at highway speeds, intrusive cargo cover, limited rear visibility
- MotorBiscuit score: 8.1
Buongiorno, the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale, is fresh off the boat with a distinctly Italian flavor inspired by racing DNA. We’re glad it’s here and admire its unique style with adaptive tribolo headlights and the V Scudetto grille.
It’s named after Italy’s tallest mountain passes and encapsulates the natural curvature, bends, and lines in nature. Plus, it packs the necessary plug-in hybrid power to climb twisty curves with athletic prowess. The fully independent suspension helps, too.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV has impressive passenger space, but the interior materials may seem underwhelming. Plus, the stiff chassis and lack of sound insulation may lack the expected luxury refinement.
Which 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale trim is best?
- Alfa Romeo Tonale Sprint – $42,995
- Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti – $44,495
- Alfa Romeo Veloce – $47,495
Right out the gate, the standard Sprint model has a long list of impressive features, such as all-wheel drive, keyless entry, remote start, a wireless phone charging pad, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, a heated steering wheel, etc.
It has everything you need and more, but the Ti adds enticing features such as ambient lighting, a power liftgate, a gloss black body kit, and 18-inch black diamond-cut wheels. It provides a more distinctive look without breaking the bank.
However, the Veloce model takes things to the next level with 19-inch Diamond cut five-hole wheels, red Brembo brake calipers, an adaptive dual-mode suspension, aluminum paddle shifters, dual chrome exhaust tips, and Alcantara upholstery.
How does the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale drive?
It’s clear that the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale sticks to its roots with athletic, racing dynamics and plenty of power. The 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine powers the front wheels, and an electric motor powers the rear.
This setup provides an impressive 285 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque, while rivals like the BMW X1 max out at 245 hp. The six-speed automatic transmission provides smooth and concise gear shifts as you get up to speed but can lag at higher speeds.
Massive metal paddle shifters provide precise control, and the Tonale can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.6 seconds. It features direct steering and corners well without many body roll-around hairpin turns.
There are two regenerative braking and suspension modes, but they’re locked. Sometimes, the suspension is a bit stiff, and the brakes are a bit soft. The DNA driving modes each have a distinct feeling.
The D or Dual mode combines electric and gas power for faster response times and the most aggressive performance. N or Normal mode is more relaxed and is the only option available without an electric charge.
The A or Advanced efficiency mode relies on electric power. It’s slower than the other modes to make the most of its charge and maxes out at 78 mph. Some drivers may want a bit more control over the settings.
Also, it features an agile turning radius with a compact size. It’s perfect for city life and backcountry cruises. It’s easy to park and maneuver in tight city areas.
How much range does the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale have?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale has an EPA-estimated all-electric range of 33 miles on a single charge. It also gets about 77 MPGe.
When the electric charge is depleted, it gets an EPA-estimated 29 mpg combined. It can travel about 320 miles between fill-ups.
With a Level 1 charger or regular 120-volt home outlet, you can recharge the Alfa Romeo Tonale in about eight hours. It recharges in roughly two and a half hours with a Level 2 charger.
How comfortable is the Alfa Romeo Tonale?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale combines premium comfort with racing aesthetics. The front bucket seats are supportive and well-padded but may feel stiff after longer trips. Also, the bottom cushion is a bit small for taller drivers.
On a surprising note, the 2024 Tonale offers superior rear seat space. There’s enough room for two adults to stretch out, and the seats sit at a relaxed backrest angle. The seats are a little stiff, but at least passengers have rear air vents to stay comfortable.
The automatic climate control system works well to keep the cabin cool and comfortable during hot and humid summer days. It rarely needs adjusting, but the ventilated seats could be stronger.
Some people may expect the luxurious Alfa Romeo to have a smoother ride, but once again, we use the word stiff to describe its performance. Larger impacts are dampened pretty well, but rougher pavement sections cause the vehicle to shudder.
While the engine is fairly quiet aside from an occasional deep roar, the interior gets noticeably loud at highway speeds. Wind and road noise are a bit intrusive.
How is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale interior?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo interior is attractive with a simple yet elegant design. It’s driver-focused, with everything you need to be placed within reach. You can comfortably focus on the road with tons of forward visibility. However, the rear window is tight and limiting.
Large sections of black upholstery are broken up by Italian flag emblems, brushed metal trim, vibrant red accent stitching, and embroidered logos. Suede upholstery and the lack of leather seats are an interesting choice.
But the available Alcantara seats have a unique 3D gradient effect as red bleeds through black surfaces. The customizable back-lit ambient lighting creates an alluring environment. Also, the large paddle shifters and metal paddles craft a racing theme that’s robust and masculine.
There’s no panoramic sunroof, which limits natural light and the ability to gaze at nature. Also, some sections with glossy plastic materials don’t provide the most luxurious feel.
Does the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale have good tech?
The tech in the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale is very advanced and modern. A 10.25-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch digital guage cluster come standard. There are multiple layouts available and up to five user profiles.
The digital guage cluster displays your driving modes, stats, fuel level, and more. But it can also display your map and navigation, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. The system is fast and intelligent.
But a few extra steps are involved in swiping through various menus to adjust your settings. While the climate controls have physical controls to adjust at a glance, features like the heated steering wheel are only accessible through the infotainment system.
Standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a standard wireless charging pad are a nice touch. Also, the available 12-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system is just average. It fails to cover wind and road noise due to lacking a high-quality, crisp performance.
How much cargo space does the Alfa Romeo Tonale have?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale has an adequate amount of cargo space. You can access 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 55.5 cubes overall. The rear seats do fold flat, but getting around the cargo cover can be tricky.
Also, small item storage is lacking. The wireless phone charging pad doubles as a storage tray, the glove box is tight, and the center console is narrow. The door and seat pockets are tight. Plus, there’s a lack of accommodating cup holders.
It’s not exactly built for towing but can tow up to 2,000 lbs when properly equipped.
How safe is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale currently doesn’t have an official safety rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).
However, the 2022 model received a five-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP. It got an 83% score for adult occupant protection and an 85% score for child occupant protection. We’re not exactly sure how well these tests compare to American crash testing standards.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale seems to prioritize safety with modern features like drowsy driver detection, road sign recognition, parallel parking assistance, parking sensors, and rear seat reminders.
Standard safety features include:
- Full-speed forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist protection
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blind spot detection
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane departure warning
- Lane centering assist
- Lane-keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Automatic high beams
- Drowsy driver alert
How reliable is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale?
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale doesn’t have an official reliability rating yet. Alfa Romeo doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, but scores for other models have been improving during the past few years.
Similar vehicles like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio have average reliability rankings. The 2022 Stelvio earned a 75 out of 100, which is average. Scores between 70 and 80 are average, while those between 81 and 90 are above average. The Guila earned a 77.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale needs more time to be put to the test before it can receive an official score. It costs about $800 to maintain the Tonale each year, which is higher than the yearly maintenance cost of about $650 for other new SUVs.
MotorBiscuit awards the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale with a score of 8.1 out of 10
The experts at MotorBiscuit have awarded the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale with an official rating of 8.1 out of 10. The Tonale stands out with a distinctive, unapologetic Italian style that clearly involves racing aesthetics.
While the Alfa Romeo Tonale has stout power and an excellent hybrid fuel economy, the transmission may stumble at higher speeds. It also doesn’t corner as well as its sporty rivals and suffers from a stiff ride.
It has adequate passenger space and a handsome interior, but some drivers may expect more luxury and refinement. The tech is modern but could be more intuitive, and the Tonale packs plenty of value with tons of standard features.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale is unique and well-rounded, but it doesn’t stand out in any particular areas. We hope to see how the similar and more affordable Dodge Hornet compares soon.