Alfa Romeo has a new small SUV, the Tonale. It shares a platform and some components with the Dodge Hornet and is partly based on the Jeep Compass. Alfa, Dodge, and Jeep are members of the Stellantis conglomerate.
The Dodge/Jeep connection may help explain the Alfa Tonale’s lack of the Italian rizz that’s imbued in Alfa’s Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV. Despite the traditional Alfa grille, the Tonale’s styling is generic, and it’s missing the crisp, entertaining handling that “Alfisti” (Alfa fans) expect.
That’s not to dismiss the Tonale. It’s the first Alfa and first among such premium rivals as the BMW X1, Lexus UX, and Volvo XC40 to come as a plug-in hybrid—the Tonale’s only drivetrain. A 1.3-liter gas engine plus an electric motor produce a rousing 285 hp and deliver an EPA-estimated 29 mpg and 77 MPGe in combined city/highway driving.
The Tonale can travel about 30 miles on electricity alone. Moreover, it’s right-sized as an urban runabout—room for 4, decent cargo space, easy to park, easy to enter and exit. Even the base Sprint trim comes with AWD and a passel of advanced safety features. As for Tonale’s similar cousin, a Dodge Hornet base model is almost 13 grand cheaper, but that’s with a gasoline engine; a Hornet PHEV costs nearly as much as the Tonale.
