Alfa Romeo’s High-tech Compact SUV

Remaining relatively faithful to the concept car of the same name, the Alfa Romeo Tonale also introduces a new and evolved design language for the company, with a return to more rectangular ‘3+3’ headlights that flow into the grille and full-length taillights.

At the lower end of the line-up, you’ll find a 1.5-litre Miller Cycle turbopetrol engine paired with a 48-volt electric motor that can propel the car on its own in limited circumstances. In these models power goes to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and buyers can choose between output levels of 97kW and 120kW. These FWD variants come with an electronic self-locking differential and Alfa Romeo also claims to have given it the most direct steering ratio in the segment.

At the other end of the scale you’ll find a plug-in hybrid Q4 model featuring all-wheel drive and the ability to cover up to 80km of city driving on electric power alone. In this version the front wheels are powered by a 1.3-litre MultiAir turbopetrol engine while the back wheels are motivated exclusively by an electric motor. When everything is working in sync, the range-topping hybrid can sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.2 seconds

Alfa Romeo Tonale buyers can also look forward to a highly digitised cabin, and this is also said to be the first vehicle in the world to feature an NFT (non-fungible token) certificate. The central command centre in the Tonale is a smartphone-inspired 10.25-inch touchscreen featuring customisable widgets and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto as well as built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistance.

The Tonale is also the first Alfa Romeo to feature a digital instrument cluster, but thankfully it has been incorporated into traditional curvy cowls of the kind you’d expect from the brand and drivers can also choose between different layouts, including a Heritage display that emulates traditional instrumentation.