The 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale (pronounced toe-nahl-ay) is the new entry point to the Alfa Romeo lineup in the United States. It's a crossover SUV that slots beneath the brand's compact Stelvio, but it shares little with its bigger sibling. The Tonale isn't just another small SUV. It signals a major sea change at Alfa Romeo, one that the brand hopes will carry it into the electric future.
Right out of the gate, there's good news. Every Tonale comes with standard all-wheel drive, a plus for those who live in climates with temperamental weather conditions. The first and more conventional powertrain on offer is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder borrowed from the Stelvio. In the Tonale, it makes 256 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, not far off the Stelvio's 280 hp and 306 lb-ft.
The Tonale's interior space is a mix of old and new. The steering wheel and large shift paddles found in other Alfas are still here, and the seats look familiar but feature a slightly different design. Top-trim Tonales will be coated in swaths of vegan leather and faux suede, but seats in all Tonales get a neat multicolor pattern on the inner part of the cushions.
The infotainment screen houses Uconnect 5, software that will be familiar to anyone who's used to a modern Jeep, Ram or Dodge. The system features a customizable home screen to make navigating to your most used apps easier, and the system comes standard with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Tonale also has Alexa built in, which means you can control the car from your phone and it will understand natural language for voice commands.
Edmunds saysThe Tonale has the right looks and some fresh tech, but we'll have to wait and see if it also has the right moves to take on the best in class when we eventually get behind the wheel.
