Alfa Romeo has opened the order books for the all-new Tonale compact SUV in Italy, starting with the “Special Edition” that is available to order online or directly through its dealerships. The launch edition will be exclusively available in hybrid form boasting a comprehensive equipment package from €39,000, or the equivalent of $42,900 at today’s rates.
While most of you will already be aware that overseas prices do not correspond to local pricing in North America (which has not been communicated yet), it’s worth pointing out that the high-spec model is priced higher than the base-spec trims of rivals in Italy, including the BMW X1 (€33,600 / $36,950), the Mercedes-Benz GLA (€36,495 / $40,134), and the Audi Q3 (€37,300 / $41,000).
See: Alfa Romeo Debuts New Tonale Compact SUV With Hybrid Options And It’s Coming To U.S.
However, as is the case with most launch specials, the Tonale Special Edition gets all of the available goodies in the design and technology department. Starting with the exterior, it is fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels, Brembo brakes with red calipers, adaptive full-LED Matrix headlights, and tinted rear windows.
Inside, the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 4G capability for over-the-air updates, voice control, and navigation while it is combined with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. There is also a sporty leather steering wheel, aluminum gearshift paddles, a wireless charging port, an automatic tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera. As for the Level 2-ready ADAS suite, it includes features like the Adaptive Cruise Control and the Traffic Sign Recognition.
Alfa Romeo also communicates that the Tonale is “the first car on the market to be equipped with an NFT (non-fungible token) digital certificate”. The blockchain-based tech will register vehicle data to generate a certificate containing the car’s service history. In layman’s terms, it’s a fancier, more gimmicky, not to mention, way more complicated and ultimately unnecessary way of recording a car’s maintenance digitally. But each to his own, we guess.
Read Also: Alfa Romeo Working On A Tonale Quadrifoglio Performance Model But Hasn’t Green-Lighted It Yet
Instead of featuring the much-awaited plug-in hybrid flagship with 272 hp (202 kW / 275 PS), the Tonale “Special Edition” comes fitted with the lesser hybrid configurations. This includes a 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine producing 128 hp (96 kW / 130 PS), and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated 48V electric motor producing an extra 20 hp (15 kW / 21 PS) and 55 Nm (40.6 lb-ft) of torque.
Soon, the “Special Edition” will also be available with the more powerful hybrid where the combustion engine produces 158 hp (118 kW / 160 PS) thanks to a VTG turbocharger. In both cases, power is transmitted to the front wheels which is the case with all Tonale variants excluding the Q4 PHEV.
Following the Special Edition, the Tonale will be available in Super, Sprint, Ti, and Veloce trims, similar to the current range of the Giulia and Stelvio. Besides the option of buying the Alfa Romeo Tonale Special Edition for €39,000 ($42,888) with a 5-year warranty, Italian customers can also lease the SUV through Leasys with an advance payment of €14,500 ($15,950) and a monthly fee of €389 ($428) for 36 months. Alfa Romeo didn’t mention the delivery dates for the Tonale but from previous announcements, we know that the first European models are expected to arrive this summer.
