Milan gets muddy

Tonale

MATTHEW HAYWARD

THE LAUNCH OF any new Alfa Romeo is always cause for celebration, and the Tonale is no exception The Giulia saloon was a riot, and the Stelvio is one of the most fun-to-drive SUVs out there Sales have been slow, however, especially in the UK The Tonale is a smaller, compact crossover, serving two purposes: to scoop up more volume sales, and to start Alfa on the ‘road to electrification’

That’s all well and good, but we really want to know whether or not it stays true to the brand Under the skin, this Alfa is actually based on the same platform as the Jeep Compass, albeit heavily re-engineered It’s powered by a new ‘Miller Cycle’ 157bhp 1 5-litre turbo fourcylinder in this mild hybrid version, which is channelled to the front wheels through a seven-speed automatic ’box

On North Yorkshire roads we set off in the Ti, lower of two specs, with passive Koni FSD dampers It’s on the firm side but pretty well-rounded on these lumpy single-track lanes The super-quick steering is a bit of an Alfa trademark, and helps to make the Tonale feel agile. Although it’s certainly no Twin Spark, the engine is one of the more characterful modern fourcylinders on the market, and the mild hybrid set-up means you can run on electric when the conditions are right, though there’s no way to force it to do so.

Ramp things up in the most aggressive driving mode and it feels responsive, but when left to its own devices in comfort mode there’s noticeable throttle lag.

Performance (0-62mph in 8.8sec, 133mph top speed) is more than adequate, and you really can make swift progress on twisting roads.

The more expensive Veloce allows you to play with adaptive dampers. Although the suspension changes automatically according to which mode you ’ re

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Familiar Alfa face fronts a modified Jeep platform – and there’s a Dodge version in the USA; interior is stylish and understated in, thankfully you can switch independently between stiff and slightly less stiff. In fairness, the softer of the two works well on broken surfaces, and the firmer mode adds significant control when the roads allow. Metal shift paddles on the Veloce are a highlight inside.

The real ace up the Tonale’s sleeve is the way it looks. There are several respectful nods to Alfas of old – most obviously the Il Mostro SZ-inspired headlights –and a gorgeous set of teledial wheels. It’s relatively reserved on the inside but well-appointed, and it looks and feels the part.

Prices start from just under £40,000 and, as a sensible daily driver, the Tonale offers an attractive alternative to obvious German competitors.