Hi-po 205kW small SUV coming late 2023; Alfa won’t rule out hardcore ‘Tonale Q’ either
If you think the new Alfa Romeo Tonale mild-hybrid small SUV needs more muscle, the upcoming Tonale plug-in hybrid (PHEV) could pique your interest.
Due to arrive Down Under ‘later’ this year, the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV will be a faster and more powerful version of all-new small SUV launched locally this month in front-wheel drive mild-hybrid form (118kW/240Nm), bringing a more compelling all-wheel drive petrol-electric powertrain that belts out a combined 205kW of power.
There’s talk of an even more extreme version too, with the Italian brand understood to be considering a ballistic Tonale Q (for Quadrifoglio) performance flagship to lock horns with the 294kW Audi RS Q3 and 310kW Mercedes-AMG GLA 45.
Alfa Romeo Australia product manager for the Tonale, Bridget Thomson, refused to rule out a hard-core hero version based on the 205kW PHEV powertrain, which is expected to bring a stronger turbo-petrol engine, amped-up e-motors and sporty chassis.
“I probably can’t talk about our future product plans at this stage,” she said. “We’re really comfortable with the product offering that’s coming through and we’ll wait and see how the Australian public reacts to that and then we can make decisions from there.”
We all know how passionate the Italians are about performance cars and if the Tonale Q gets the go-ahead, it would be priced from around und $100,000.
However, those wanting a small Italian performance SUV sooner and for less money will be able to get into the Tonale PHEV by year’s end.
For now, Alfa Romeo Australia is keeping quiet on pricing predictions for the fiery but frugal compact luxury SUV, but expect a price premium of around $15,000 over the Tonale Veloce, which could take the Tonale PHEV close to $70,000.
The extra cash splash improves the 8.8-second 0-100km/h sprint time of the Tonale Ti ($49,900) and Tonale ($46,400) Veloce to a hot hatch-like 6.2sec.
Alfa claims the PHEV is ultra-efficient at just 1.4L/100km and capable of driving in pure electric mode for up to 82km (WLTP), but it can turn on the afterburners when needed. The top Tonale has a 206km/h top speed and will be both fast and fun, said Thomson.
“Absolutely. Customers wouldn’t expect anything less from an Alfa Romeo,” said the product manager.
“It’s definitely more high-performance than the current hybrid.”
The PHEV powertrain consists of a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine (132kW/270Nm) combines with twin electric motors – a 33kW unit at the front and a 90kW e-motor at the rear.
While only the rear e-motor drives the rear wheels, making the SUV able to reach speeds of 135km/h in pure EV model, both motors are sustained by a 15.5kWh lithium-ion battery.
Alfa Romeo hasn’t outlined how much combined torque the plug-in hybrid powertrain generates at maximum attack because torque output constantly varies depending on the scenario.
Alfa says different buyers will be attracted to the new Tonale mild-hybrid and the upcoming PHEV, but both SUVs are designed to steal sales from the from the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.
“I think it’s going to be a different buyer than the Tonale mild-hybrid buyer. Those customers are going to be wanting the performance and the extended EV drive added to the powertrain,” said Thomson.
Given the Tonale PHEV’s closest competitors – the BMW X1 xDrive 20i (150kW/300Nm) and Audi Q3 40 TSFI (132kW/320Nm), both priced between $60K and $70K – can’t match the plug-in hybrid’s power output or standing-start acceleration pace (7.4 and 7.8sec respectively), the Italian SUV could find a healthy customer base if Alfa keeps the pricing sharp.
The high-output Audi RS Q3 and Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 pump out a blistering 294kW and 250kW respectively and are considerably faster but command $100,000 price tags, putting them in a significantly higher price category.
There are currently no competitors in the small luxury SUV space offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain, although the Lexus UX is offered with plugless hybrid.
Alfa Romeo reckons the Tonale PHEV is already generating plenty of excitement and buyer interest, but it will be the more affordable mild-hybrid versions that deliver the lion’s share of sales for the crucial new SUV.
“A lot of the information is already out there on that [PHEV] model so customers are already making the decision as to which model they are more inclined to. So we see it adding incremental [sales volumes],” said Thomson.
Alfa Romeo will follow-up its first ever PHEV with an all-new EV in 2024, but the Italian brand is yet to confirm if or when it’s coming to Australia.
While the Turin-based car-maker has been late to the hybrid party – and is very late to the EV arena – it says it will completely electrify its model portfolio by 2027.
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Keyword: Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV to flex muscles this year