That’s so… Alfa: month 3 with the Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV

Updated: 16 April 2024

► It’s an Alfa Romeo
► But it’s also a practical crossover
► Read month 2 here

Every so often the Tonale does something that makes me want to say ‘That’s so Alfa’ as if my car’s a likeable yet flawed character in a sitcom.

For example, the fuel flap has a lock that’s opened via a button in the car, but there’s no such mechanism for the cover over the electric socket. ‘That’s so… Alfa.’ 

Alfa Romeo Tonale Month 3

And the trip computer. It isn’t near the cockpit dials, nor the stalks – but instead buried on the main infotainment screen. Perplexing, and so Alfa.

And that strange new noise every time I went around a corner. Tyres? Nope. Frosty air-conditioning had chilled the rubber seal around the steering wheel so much that it now squeaked at every turn.

That’s so Alfa.

Read month 4 here

Logbook: Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.3 PHEV Veloce (Month 3)

Price £48,495 (£51,595 as tested)
Performance 15.5kWh battery plus 1332cc four-cylinder, PHEV, 276bhp, 199lb ft, 6.2sec 0-62mph, 128mph 
Efficiency 217mpg (official), 41.1mpg (tested) 29g/km CO2
Energy cost 15.8p per mile
Miles this month 929
Total miles 4589

By Curtis Moldrich

CAR's Digital Editor, F1 and sim-racing enthusiast. Partial to clever tech and sports bikes

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