Originally supposed to be revealed last year, the all-new Tonale premiered today with great pomp and circumstance. The compact SUV’s debut is dubbed La Metamorfosi, but to be frank, metamorphosis is a most unfortunate way to describe a Jeep Compass with different badges.
Thoroughly detailed in the walkaround videos below, the Alfa Romeo Tonale is rocking the Small Wide platform of the aforementioned model. The Italian marque appears to have updated it here and there because Alfa Romeo further promises “best-in-class driving dynamics.” Considering that handling is a subjective topic in the automotive world, the automaker may exaggerate its first new product since the Giulia-based Stelvio crossover.
Toned down (pun intended) from the concept presented in March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show, the production version is appropriately sized to take on the likes of the Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Volvo XC40. It’s a very hot segment in both Europe and the U.S. right now, and of course, Alfa Romeo will bring the Tonale stateside for the 2023 model year.
Pictured with Teledial wheels available in 17- to 20-inch guises, the compact utility vehicle will be offered with two powertrain options in the first instance. The base specification is a 48-volt mild-hybrid that flaunts 130 ponies from a 1.5-liter mill. Upgrading to a variable-geometry turbocharger unlocks 30 more horsepower, and both variants feature front-wheel drive. European customers are further offered a 1.6-liter turbo diesel with 130 hp.
In North America, the Tonale will boast a 2.0-liter turbo with 256 hp as the base powertrain option. Q4 all-wheel drive and a torque-converter automatic are standard. At the very top of the lineup, the PHEV Q4 AWD combines a 1.3-liter turbo with a 90-kW electric motor for a total system output of 272 horsepower and 30+ miles (48 kilometers) in EV mode.
To be made at the Giambattista Vico plant in Pomigliano d'Arco, the Tonale is expected in U.S. showrooms in the first quarter of 2023.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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