1992 Alfa Romeo Spyder Veloce on 2040-cars

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2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Review: A fun compact SUV with a green spin

Pros: Fun to drive with great steering; potent power and torque; usable electric range; beautiful design Cons: Cramped back seat and tiny cargo area; some chintzy interior bits; other PHEVs are more efficient While there plenty of choices within the small luxury SUV segment, there are some niches that have not been well-explored. The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale manages to fit two of them. It is one of the few plug-in hybrids, while also catering to those who love to drive (and look good doing it). Nothing else manages that one-two-three punch of delivering fuel economy, fun and style. In terms of size, the Tonale is on the smallest end of the luxury SUV world, joining the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA-Class and Volvo XC40, but offers substantially more power along with the unique characteristic (for the segment) of electric driving range, all for just a couple thousand more than the base models of those options. There are a couple larger and more efficient plug-in hybrid options from Lincoln and Lexus, but they're not nearly as engaging to drive. The sporty Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid, meanwhile, isn’t quite a luxury model. As such, the Alfa is a unique offering well worth your attention. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2024? The Alfa Romeo Tonale is a completely new model for 2024. What are the Tonale interior and in-car technology like? The Tonale's interior design is clearly in the vein of the Stelvio and Giulia. The dash is curvy with big round air vents and a double-barrel instrument cowl. It has sporty details like the starter button on the dash, and when optioned, beautiful and satisfying aluminum shift paddles that wouldn't be out of place in a Ferrari or Lamborghini. We love the pops of color provided by the exterior-matching dash panel in the Ti and Veloce, or even better, by the optional configurable multi-color panel that can replace it. Some of the materials around the cabin look and feel too budget-oriented for a luxury vehicle, but on the whole, it's a solid cabin. Fortunately, the Tonale does not take its infotainment inspiration from the Stelvio and Giulia. Instead it gets a Uconnect system like its twin, the Dodge Hornet, as well as other newer Chrysler vehicles.

Alfa Romeo will be expanding its lineup beyond the Tonale

Last night, speaking with the press, Senior Vice President and Head of Alfa Romeo North America Larry Dominique gave us an idea of the Alfa lineup in the near future. The brand will be expanding its offerings, but not by too much. Alfa will eventually have five key models. It will have two offerings in the C-segment (Tonale-size), two offerings in the D-Segment (Giulia/Stelvio-size) and one in the E-segment (larger than Giulia/Stelvio). And as implied by our size clarification, we already know what most of those are, with the Tonale taking the C-segment SUV slot, and the Giulia and Stelvio for the D-segment. Dominique said the second C-segment vehicle would be something more car-like than the Tonale, though he wouldn't commit to saying it would specifically be a sedan. So it's possible it could be some kind of hatchback or maybe a coupe-like SUV. He was more vague about the E-segment vehicle. Considering the car market, some kind of SUV would seem most likely. As previously reported, this E-segment machine will arrive in 2027 with a wide range of electric powertrains from 300 to 1,000 horsepower. All of these new models will be fully electric. That includes the next-generation Giulia and Stelvio. The Tonale won't be going completely electric just yet, but it seems reasonable to assume a new generation model will be. Dominique noted that the Tonale, which is only offered with a plug-in hybrid in the U.S., is a good way to start introducing both dealers and customers to the idea of electrified Alfas. Apparently these five segments are the limit for Alfa for the time being. Dominique said that those models will cover more than 80% of premium buyers, and Alfa is trying to be "efficient" with how it covers the market. So don't expect the myriad bodystyles and niches from German brands such as BMW and Mercedes. There is one possible exception: a sports car. Dominique said that they're always interested in a sports car or halo product. He wouldn't commit in any way to such a product, though. With that being said, there's already been one teaser for something that might be just such a special sports car, maybe called 6C, a few weeks ago. We doubt that Alfa will launch a sports car that will stick around like the 4C, it will probably just be limited production cars that can be sold out quickly. Related video: A Night With Giulia

Alfa Romeo Giulia interior revealed on YouTube

When our David Gluckman reported from the Alfa Romeo Giulia reveal in Milan last month he didn't get to sit in or photograph the interior, but he wrote of it, "I liked what I saw of the interior. The center console is angled to hem the driver in a little, which works well with the canted, sweeping dash. It kind of reminds me of the look in newer Mazdas – clean and simple with a good balance of organic curves and straight edges." Now we can see what he meant because a YouTube video from user Alfa Romeo World shows off the new sedan's cabin. We're going to guess that this is a top-trim setup because there is a lot of stitched leather and carbon fiber in there. It's a good looking place for driving, and that steering wheel makes our hands want to clutch it. The infotainment area is one flush tinted screen extending from the gauge cluster and holding the line of the instrument panel, and the image appears to show up on the entire screen, not on another smaller screen mounted behind it. It's simplicity in a good way, bereft of any gimmicks that we can see, and with a six-speed manual transmission. For all the sportiness of the hard points, the seats look rather flat, especially in the back. We'll hold off on judgment until we sit in them. Have a look at it in the gallery above, there are more shots at this Facebook fan site, and we'll be lining up to take a seat in it at the Frankfurt Motor Show.