First Look: 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale

Compared with the pedestrian stylings of its segment-mates — everything from Cadillac’s XT4 to the BMW X2 — Alfa Romeo’s new Tonale is absolutely gorgeous. Indeed, in the entire subcompact luxury-ute segment, the only rival that can compete in the styling sweepstakes is Range Rover’s Evoque, and that sport-cutey is eons old now.

But will it be enough? Alfa sales are — there is really no polite way to say this — in the toilet. The company sold only 201 of its sporty Giulia sedans last year, and just 709 Stelvio compact SUVs. It cannot — no mainstream automaker can — survive on fewer than 1,000 units a year. So the question is whether the Tonale can touch the hearts and wallets of Canadians sufficiently to lift the iconic Italian automaker out of the doldrums.

On paper, it certainly looks like it can. Besides being, again, drop-dead gorgeous, it has many of the tangible — and a few new intangible — qualities to make it a player in the mainstream luxury auto market.

Firstly, it’s got some truly sweet powertrains, starting off with one of the best entry-level engines going, Alfa’s 2.0-litre Turbo. With 256 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, it’s the equal of any and the master of most. A dual-scroll turbocharger and a quick-shifting nine-speed automatic ensure that boost is always at the ready, and the Alfa has immediate throttle response. Look for the Tonale to be a performance leader in this segment with AWD standard on all trims.

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The 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce (European spec) Photo by Alfa Romeo

And also a technology leader. Tonale’s top-shelf propulsion unit is a high-tech plug-in hybrid that marries a 1.3-litre turbocharged four — itself with a mild-hybrid belt-alternator-generator to add extra torque — and a 90-kilowatt electric motor that drives the rear wheels. Combine all three and you’re good for 272 horsepower of all-wheel-drive goodness. And the icing on the cake is a 15.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that Alfa says allows the Tonale 48 kilometres of electric-only driving. Three modes are available through Alfa’s “D.N.A.” controller: Dual Power, with electric and gas engines maximizing power; Natural, with a standard hybrid sharing of propulsion duties; and Advanced Efficiency, which sees the 90-kW electric motor used exclusively.

Another technological advancement — and a world-first, says Alfa — sees the Tonale debut an NFT digital certificate. Based on non-fungible token (NFT) technology, this “blockchain card” serves as a confidential — and non-modifiable — log of all the data generated in the vehicle’s lifetime. This, says Alfa, will assure future owners of the car that it has been properly maintained, a trait the company says should have a positive impact on its residual value. Think of it as an easily compiled, unimpeachable service history, all locked up with the marketability of claiming your car features blockchain technology.

Still on the technology front, Tonale boasts Stellantis’ latest Uconnect 5.0 infotainment system. Customers can personalize the home screen with frequently used features like a smartphone. If it’s the PHEV version, drivers can monitor efficiency through a unique Hybrid Pages app. Ucoonect 5.0 can also store up to five different user profiles, memorizing preferences for music and vehicle operation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, and Uconnect 5.0 also brings Amazon Alexa to Alfa Romeo, giving occupants the freedom to interact with Alexa both from home-to-car and car-to-home. You can ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks, as well as add items to your to-do list and check real-time information.

Considering Alfa’s history — and its proven track record with the Stelvio — you can expect the Tonale to be one fine-handling sport-cute. The company claims best-in-class weight distribution and the most direct steering in the segment. Then throw in four-pot Brembo brakes and fully independent MacPherson suspension system with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) shock absorbers for maximal road-holding.

The 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce (European spec) Photo by Alfa Romeo

Two trims will be available — Sprint and Veloce. The Sprint will be the entry-level trim, and can be customized with multiple individual options. The Veloce, meanwhile, is the top-of-the-line everything-including-the-kitchen-sink variant boasting maximum luxury and sportiness. As for pricing, we don’t have any information yet, since Alfa Romeo Canada are not taking orders until the last quarter of 2022, and actual deliveries won’t start until Q1 of 2023.

One question so far left unanswered is whether there will a Quadrifoglio version of the Tonale. While no official announcement has been made, the company did make much mention of its QF versions of the Giulia and Stelvio in the always-requisite corporate history portion of its press statement.

Fingers crossed that Alfa will build a Tonale QF, though. A Ferrari-motored 505-horsepower beauty of a lightweight Italian sport-cute is almost too much joy to contemplate.

Keyword: First Look: 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale

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