Leaks reveal that Alfa Romeo’s Tonale SUV will have petrol, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with a full-EV version also likely further down the line.
Leaks from Polish publication Spider’s Web Autoblog indicate that Alfa Romeo’s upcoming Tonale SUV will use petrol, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine options from its Jeep Compass sister car.
According to the site, the Tonale’s engine specs were shared from an internal presentation, which also detailed the crossover’s dimensions. At 4528mm, the Tonale is longer than the Jeep Compass (although it shares the same wheelbase), and about the same width as the Mercedes GLA.
The entry-level Tonale will be fitted with a 95kW 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit, which will be combined with a dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard.
The mild-hybrid petrol variant will also be linked to the dual-clutch auto. The Polish publication claims that this model will also produce 95kW, but this is unlikely. The new engine is undergoing development in the smaller Jeep Renegade, and will be a 1.5-litre petrol unit combined with a 48-volt hybrid system, so an output of around 150kW is more plausible.
Topping the Tonale range will be a plug-in hybrid variant with four-wheel drive, using running-gear from the Compass 4xe. In the Compass, this pairs a 133kW 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor to produce 177kW, but the Tonale could receive more power than its Jeep relative.
There are no details of a diesel model in the leaks, but there is mention of a 118kW engine option, which could be an oil burner.
Further down the line, there is also the possibility of a full-EV version joining the ranks, because Alfa Romeo has promised to sell only electric cars by 2027. Sister company Jeep is also on the cusp of an all-electric era, and running gear will likely be shared across both brands.
When it arrives, the Tonale will be a smaller sibling for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV. It will be sized as a rival for long-standing favourites in the compact premium SUV sector, such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA.
Despite the heavy disguise, this development car bears a clear resemblance to the Tonale concept unveiled at the Geneva motor show in 2019, featuring the same overall proportions and design cues. The bluff front end and characteristic horizontal headlight design remains, albeit without the exposed 3D running lights of the concept.
The wheels are also very similar to those seen on the Geneva car, appearing with the marque’s trademark 5-hole design. Unsurprisingly, the concept’s blade-like door mirrors have been replaced with more conventional items, and gone are its sleek flush-fitting door handles. The swooping window line and shapely rear haunches have remained intact, however.
At the rear, this test car wears a set of rudimentary tail lights, although the full-width lightbar of the concept will feature on the final car. As with the headlights, we expect a more conventional lighting setup than that of the concept.
Leaks of a production-ready Tonale have surfaced previously, and this test car serves as another indication that the compact SUV aims to mirror the concept as closely as possible.
The Tonale is set to launch next year, as part of Alfa Romeo’s SUV-offensive that will include a smaller, entry-level crossover in 2023.
Yousuf Ashraf
Keyword: Alfa Romeo Tonale engine specs leaked