U.S. dealers to receive the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV in May 2023: Report [Update]

Update: ‘Price & Release Date’ section updated.

After prolonged delays, the much-awaited 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale is finally here, and it’s the brand’s first model available with electrification. Three variants are available globally: gasoline, gasoline mild-hybrid, and gasoline plug-in hybrid variants internationally. The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV has been finalized for the U.S., and here’s everything we know about it:

Exterior

As Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato had said, the luxury C-SUV offers the distinctive Alfa Romeo Italian style.

At the front, the Tonale PHEV flaunts the iconic “Trilobo” grille, the distinctive Alfa Romeo “Scudetto” shield, and aggressive full-LED matrix headlights in a “3+3” design. The Tonale sports pronounced wheel arches, fender flares, a sleek greenhouse, and strong shoulders on the sides. Additionally, the Tonale PHEV features low-profile tires with signature Alfa Romeo rims. At the rear, the taillights repeat the design cues of the sleek headlights, and in addition, they form a sine curve covering almost the vehicle’s width. Alfa Romeo says that the all-encompassing rear window is a tribute to the 8C Competizione.

The plug-in hybrid variant doesn’t look different from the non-electrified gasoline and gasoline mild-hybrid variants. Both of its distinguishing elements are quite subtle. Above the left-side rear wheel arch is the charging port cover, and on the left-side rear quarter glass, is more of an easter egg. It’s a modified Biscione dragon logo featuring a charging port that doubles as the monster’s head and a lightning bolt representing electric power and a flame.

Interior

The interior of the Tonale is conventional and sporty and doesn’t go overboard on minimalism, just the way traditional performance enthusiasts prefer. The dashboard finds a middle-ground between chunky and sleek, and it features a sporty design pattern integrated into its smooth passenger-side section. The compact steering wheel features a flattened bottom section, and two large paddle shifters are behind it.

The highlights of the interior are a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, both Android-powered and part of Uconnect 5. The infotainment system has 4G connectivity, OTA updates, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto.

Specifications

The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV rides on the same platform as the Jeep Compass 4xe and the new global Jeep Commander, what Stellantis calls the “small-wide 4×4 architecture.” It measures 178.3 in. in length, which means it is longer than the Compass (173.4 in.), and its width and height are 72.4 in. and 63.0 in., respectively.

A 1.3-liter turbocharged gas engine with a belt starter generator mounted on it is linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission to power the front wheels. An electric motor at the rear axle powers the rear wheels, making the Tonale PHEV an eAWD model. The total power of the plug-in hybrid system is 285 hp, which is the best in the segment.

The electric motor gets its energy from a 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Alfa Romeo expects the Tonale PHEV to deliver an electric driving range of more than 30 miles and a total driving range of 320 miles.

A DNA switch allows controlling the electrified power delivered to the wheels. In Dynamic mode, the engine and electric motor deliver maximum performance. Then comes the Natural mode for normal or relaxed driving. Lastly, an Advanced efficiency mode enables pure electric operation. A 0-60 mph sprint in the Tonale PHEV takes six seconds flat.

Trims & Features

The Alfa Romeo Tonale will be available in the U.S. in a base ‘Sprint’ trim, a luxury-focused ‘Ti’ trim, and a sporty ‘Veloce’ trim. Details of the features included in these trims should emerge closer to launch. Alfa Romeo has confirmed the following features as part of the standard equipment:

• 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto
• Wireless smartphone charger
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)
• Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA)
• Blind spot and Rear Cross Path detection
• Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection
• Driver Attention Assist and rear seat reminder
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with Lane Keep Assist (LKA)

Alfa Romeo has also confirmed that it will offer Level 2 autonomous driving with Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) in the U.S.-spec Tonale. TJA automatically adjusts speed and trajectory to keep the vehicle centered in the lane and at a safe distance from the car in the front.

Price & Release Date

Production of the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV will take place at the G.B. Vico plant in Pomigliano d’Arco (Naples), Italy. In the U.S., prices start at USD 42,995 and go up to USD 47,495. A USD 1,595 destination charge is additionally applicable to all three trims.

Alfa Romeo has started taking pre-orders for the 2024 Tonale PHEV, but only in the Ti and Veloce trims. After speaking to Senior Vice President and Head of Alfa Romeo & Fiat North America, Larry Dominique, MotorTrend reported on February 2, 2023, that the Tonale PHEV will reach U.S. dealers at end of May 2023.

The company says the Sprint trim will become available later in Q1 2023. A lease option is also available, and customers who choose that can take advantage of a USD 7,500 federal EV tax credit.

Grade	2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Price
Sprint	USD 42,995
Ti	USD 44,995
Veloce	USD 42,995

On the Alfa Romeo Tonale Quadrifoglio

Alfa Romeo cars with the four-leaf clover badge are instantly associated with a significant performance advantage compared to the regular models. Dominique told MotorTrend on May 10, 2022, that Quadrifoglio versions would continue to be produced even in the electrification era. Dominique noted that a performance upgrade for the Tonale is not currently in the works, but MotorTrend learned that it could be a possibility down the road.

Imparato had also suggested that a Tonale Quadrifoglio is not on the roadmap. The brand boss told Auto Express that “Quadrifoglio is not the vocation of Tonale” currently. However, if the customer response (for the standard variant) is good and there are expectations (for a high-performance variant) then Alfa Romeo “will work on other possible development,” the CEO added. If many customers request “something special,” then the company may launch the Tonale Quadrifoglio, the CEO indicated.

Alfa Romeo reportedly unhappy about the Dodge Hornet

A Stellantis source has told The Drive that the Tonale was originally an Alfa Romeo-only project. Internal politics and Dodge’s desire to improve its average fuel economy figures compelled Alfa Romeo to share the model. The Italian brand wasn’t happy about it but had to deliver the requested compliance car. The budget simply wasn’t there to make extensive design changes, which meant that it could only ensure a basic level of exclusivity on the design front. As a result, the Dodge Hornet has ended up looking way too close to the Tonale.

Alfa Romeo has been trying to win over North American customers for years now but has yet to find success. The Giulia and Stelvio were both attempts at breaking into the mid-size market, but neither was successful. It was hoping that the compact Tonale will finally be its winner across the Atlantic. But now, with a similar model from Dodge also available, it can’t claim the exclusivity it originally intended to. Many Dodge fans aren’t happy either, feeling the American brand didn’t differentiate the Hornet enough and make it look like a proper Dodge, as per a report from Motor1.com.

Also See: Dodge Hornet R/T PHEV vs. Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV: How they fare on paper

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Featured Image Source: Stellantis