Typically, when someone asks you what you’re driving, it’s a one or two word answer. Oh, it’s an Audi Q5. Or BMW X1. Or simply, a Corvette. Or Mustang.
But with the latest Alfa Romeo I’ve been piloting this week, you need to take a deep breath, and maybe adopt a Tony Soprano accent.
Which might just scare a few people if the conversation is in the Whole Foods parking lot.
Say it after me: Alfa Romeo Tonale Tributo Italiano Utilita Sportiva eAWD. Capisce?
The pint-sized Tonale – it rhymes with Denali – has been around for a couple of years now, providing the first rung on the Alfa ownership ladder.
No, it hasn’t been the total success Alfa hoped for. Maybe because its biggest competitor has been its larger, and more dynamic big brother, the Alfa Stelvio.
That, and the fact that the Tonale is a re-skinned version of a mechanically-identical Dodge Hornet, which undercuts the Tonale by thousands of bucks. Remember Dodge and Alfa Romeo are part of the Stellantis automotive group.
But hey, it’s an Alfa Romeo with that glorious, iconic scudetto, or ‘little shield’ triangular grille on the nose that has been a feature of every Alfa Romeo since 1934.
And still one of the coolest exterior features of the Tonale is the stunning triple-U LED headlight design which gives a slightly menacing look to the front end.
To celebrate its Italian heritage, and hopefully woo a few more buyers, Alfa has introduced this gussied-up, limited edition Tributo Italian version for 2025.
It’s a sweet package that includes body-colored lower trim, a black-painted roof, gloss-black window surrounds and a set of those lovely 20-inch Grigio alloys, plus red-painted Brembo brake calipers and a pair of chrome exhaust tips.
And talking of paint, splurge the $2,200 on the truly-glorious Verde Fangio Metallic paint which is greener than the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa on St. Paddy’s Day.
Inside, the Tributo Italian package includes lovely paneled-leather sports seats with teeny perforations that show red through the holes.
The cabin itself is surprisingly roomy for a compact SUV, with decent rear-seat space, with seats that fold flat for a spacious luggage area for all those cases of Prosecco you’re bringing home from Trader Joe’s.
But the headline feature of this latest Tonale is its feisty hybrid powertrain. Here there’s a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated to a six-speed automatic that’s juiced by a 90 kW electric motor driving the rear wheels.
Gas and electric power combine to deliver a non-trivial, and best-in-class 268 horseys and 295 lb-ft of torque.
Its party piece however is the 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor which, when topped-up, can take you 33 miles on zero-emission, stealthy-silent, electric-only power. Perfect for zipping around town.
And when you plug in to a typical 240-volt home charger, you can replenish those Duracells in around two and a half hours.
So how does it all come together on the road? Two words: Mamma Mia. Stomp on the sporty aluminum accelerator pedal and the Tonale scoots away from a stop light like a spooked gecko. Click the stopwatch and you’ll see 0-to-60 mph in 5.5 seconds.
That hybrid assist also provides plenty of punch when you’re pulling out to pass, or merging from a freeway on-ramp.
No, it’s not the sweetest-sounding four-cylinder, getting a little harsh and throbby as the revs rise. But at 75 on I-75 it’s as smooth as Tuscan olive oil.
The electric-assist steering is also not as laser-precise or as responsive as you’d expect of an Alfa Romeo, especially the sibling Stelvio. But it’s nicely-weighted and, coupled with standard all-wheel drive, makes the Tonale fun through the curves.
As for the price of all this Italian brio, this limited edition Tonale Tributo Italian is a biggish hit at $53,400, or $59,500 for our tester. Base versions are a better value at around $45,000, or $36,500 for the new-for-2025 non-hybrids.
But for a little taste of Italy with fun hybrid power, this newest Tonale has a lot going for it.
