It’s by far the best looking suv on the market. I’m really not into this class of car at all! I wouldn’t entertain any of the rivals mentioned but this I’m genuinely considering for my next lease this year
Never disagreed so much with someone on the looks of a car haha. All the things you hate about it I actually really like and vice versa. Great review nonetheless!
Agreed - was not instant when I first saw it but by the end of the review I really like the looks - I wonder if they will do a Cloverleaf with a bit more umph!
The side profile looks a bit weird, like the wheelbase is too short for the body but apart from that it looks really nice. Much better than the German competition
Alfa have the capability of making very beautiful cars. Unfortunately the Tonale is not one of them. Design failure I'm afraid. Anyone who buys and Alfa, buys it to look at it. You won't be looking back at this Alfa after you park it.
Totally disagree on the front looks. To me this is the best part of car and it's literally stunning. I think this is the best looking front in the industry or at least in this class. I really do hope they do this with Stelvio and Giulia. This is subjective but seriously? Well, good review though.
In terms of looks I have to disagree. I find this the most beautiful aggressive looking front lights & I love the rear lights as well. I hope the Giulia new facelift gets those lights. And I hope Alfa makes a stationwagon/sportswagon of the Giulia with these lights
Its a shame they didnt make a Giu;ia Sportwagon from the start, I think they would be in a far better positon and give me something to buy to replace my old Stilo.
How can you not like the looks of the Tonale ? With all the competition looking like they were designed by and for accountants the Tonale has class and gorgeous style. The detailing and proportions all over the car are fantastic
as a classic Alfa owner, the tonale is the ideal lease car for me. My 164 is getting old and parts are harder to find. Gas is also getting really expensive, and no other car brand excites me. It looks sleek and I don't really want a larger size SUV. I am torn between this or getting an old LC100 series overlander/tow rig but I am curious to see how this car drives but most of all, I want to support alfa so that they can survive and continue to build amazing cars I would like to own in the future.
Ever considered Mazda? The CX-5 looks pretty and sleek, is a "driver car" (compared to average suv). Also Mazda has it's own phylosophy that deserves support! ;-)
I wrote an article on Hotcars about the importance of the Tonale to Alfa Romeo. It’s the metamorphosis of the brand, transitioning to electric power. I really hope the Tonale becomes their top seller ever since returning to the US.
@@sompisiphinda1417 I love it. It stayed true to its concept design from years ago. Sleek, sporty and a premium interior will help distinguish it in a overcrowded crossover space
Top seller in Europe maybe but this is a bit too anemic to do well in North America. I'd love to see a higher power electro AWD, just make sure to give it real exhaust pipes.
I love the SZ. I remember when i was a kid i saw the car in a car magazine and i was like wow. I had never had seen such an special and beautiful car. It looked like nothing that currently drove on the roads.
@@TD1237 It wasnt supposed to look beautiful… Obviously! It was a menacing beast, a middle finger to all other cars while a GREAT car to drive. That was the idea
@@TD1237 They look awsome in real life! Some say Lamborghini Countach is not good looking, but when you see one in real life... you just stare at it! Same with SZ.
Totally disagree on the looks of the front end. That's the primary design face of the car. Wouldn't be a current Alfa without it. Also, the hatch "close" button works as intended. It needs to be held for a second before the hatch will close to ensure intention, supposedly due to North American regulations. And, yeah, the SZ was a bit of a monster but these headlights are totally nice. However...no manual transmission, so...not for me. Nothing is.
@@Tomoyo0827 So....clearly, you're too young to have driven a manual. It has absolutely nothing to do with "racing drivers". Most professional racing series use either sequential boxes or paddle-shift transmissions. If you can't understand, then it's not for you. Shifting is FUN!
That hatch comment is garbage. One quick press on the button on my Canadian-spec Tiguan (yup, different trim levels in the US) and the trunk closes, every time.
@@LOTUSELISE340R for the US market the button is a 1 second hold to insure you mean to close it and not by accident. Alfa simply made them all the same. Other manufacturers might not have done this so I can’t speak to your VW.
The Alfa Tonale is a much better looker than all its rivals. Few people choose an X1 for its looks! I'd argue most BMW X1 owners chose it for its badge. Can't wait for the more powerful Tonale to turn up 😃
I have to disagree with Rori on this one. This car os gorgeous and thats why we Alfistis love Alfa, it doesnt look like the other Crossovers. Oh and the boot closing button works all the time, its just set in a way that you need to press and hold for a second or 2 before it closes. As is the request in some European countries.
Got to disagree with you on the styling, I think its one of the best looking SUVs out there. Up against freak show BMWs and overly camp Mercs, the Tonale looks even better. Like Volvo have with their cool Swedish vibe, Alfa seem to have found a great look for this car and I really hope it does well for them and the brand continues.
I love everything about the Tonale except the rear (reminds me of a 208). But it's a *gorgeous* car overall and I love the headlights. Also disagree with the BMW thing. The newer BMW's look awesome: not a copy-paste strategy across the range and not drab and boring like the other Germans (or their past models). Just my opinion though. Now let's hope Alfa can bring a sportscar to the table in the not too distant future. :-)
Call me crazy, but I actually think that blockchain certificate for the car actually sounds interesting. The only thing that ever seemed interesting to me about the blockchain is the permanence of the inputs. So if you use it to store the car's servicing and mileage, a second hand dealer can't fake it.
In some countries (Italy is most definitely one of them) the dodgy practice of rolling back the odometer and faking the service is history is well oiled in and people always question the authenticity of the car and its history. In those markets the NFT may be seen as added value
First, kudos to AutoTrader for keeping Rory on. Second, I'm tiring of hearing about vehicles like the Tonale being some sort of exception for Alfa and (at worst) a betrayal of their past. Yes, it's a CUV, but like their other relatively practical models it reflects the market demands of its time.
I have to disagree with two things. 1-Front end looks. Its beutiful. Its evolution from 159-Brera. 2-Nft. Its very smart because in Eastern Europe 80% of imported cars had major damage or mileage has beed rolled back. Btw. Some journalists said that programing of tailgate is for US market, so you need to pres button twice or hold it down.
A normal electronic service book would have been a far better solution than NFTs. No reason to use a big polluting nail-driving device when all you need is a regular old hammer.
The NFT can’t be edited though. What happens if the cars NFT is created at 50000 miles, then sold, then it does another 100,000 miles, is crashed and set on fire. How useful is that NFT then?
@@kalleguld the difference is that the maintenance book is managed by Alfa, and it relies on people (dealer, or others) updating it. An NFT is not controlled by alfa or the dealers, can not be modified, and its integrity is guaranteed by design. The data comes from the car itself (mileage, first of all). Of course it’s not gonna revolutionise the car industry, but it’s a nice practical application of a NFT.
@@AutoTraderTV the NFT associated to each car exists as soon as the car is born. It’s not “created at 50k miles”. What you eventually do at 50k is “read what is stored in the NFT representing that car”
Two points: a) we appear to like opposite ends of the car. I think the front is truly Alfa, and b) Alfa Romeo built a Jeep alternative in the 1950's. An SUV or crossover is returning to their roots. They should have called it the Matta to tie in with the past.
Rori, you forgot to mention that the plug-in hybrid version will have around 280hp! Hopefully that‘s going to be a proper driver‘s car. The exterior design is fantastic!!
For whatever my American perspective is worth, I think it looks incredibly exotic. I would imagine the design language wouldn’t fit on such a small package, but they killed it. We rarely see alfas and we’ve only had modern ones since 2017.
To my eye it's a Brera in a CUV suit, which makes it look best in it's class, defo Alfa absolutely nailed it. Also hyped for the QV version somewhere down the line. Also, a feature that has been missed out, not only it has Alexa, but as far as I know the boot is capable to be used for Amazon deliveries.
Love it! The heritage of this car is special and yet, people are bothered about this car being a CUV. Why? Jaguar did it and many other marque brands, so why not Alfa? The way I see it, Alfa deserve a slice of the market by putting out what is in demand for the masses. Bravo Alfa! Bravo to Pomigliano d'arco and bravo to the people of Naples for this amazing vehicle!
I think it looks ok for the price point, seeing it in black would help the front end looks? I'll be interested when they introducing some more performance models. Great video as always Rory.
Why, why, they just don't make the bloody wagon Giulia. I don't want crossovers or sedans. I've had 159 wagon (as new btw), and I would like to have another alfa wagon. Especially if it's RWD. Othervise we'll stick to bimmers.
Also the market share in nordics and northern europe in general in A4/3-series class has been over 50% wagons. And 159 wasn't any different. So it really baffles me why Giulia wagon isn't already a thing.
Most people that want a wagon would endup with something more boring/conservative like vw or bmw. But people that buy small crosovers are the ones following trends and they are more likely to buy an “exotic” brand like alfa.
50% or more wagons.. you will only find this in germany mostly. All other countries have way less wagons. Thats the reason why the did not create the Guilia Wagon. The costs would be much higher then the money they would get from selling the Guilia Wagon. Wagons dont play a role outside of germany.. and Alfa Romeo was almost gone.. they did not have the money and the sales numbers to create and maintain a Guilia Wagon.
@@Viper3dc In Finland and other nordics the sedan is dying. Most of the premium (and family) cars are still wagons, altough crossovers are coming fast in their heels.
The most amazing thing about this car is how close they actually came to matching the concept car VS. just how much less attractive it is than the concept car. Really, go back and look at the concept car images, then look at the production vehicle. It's really close. Yet amazingly so far away. The subtle changes to stance and the headlights, for example, make a world of difference.
I love Alfa Romeo but this design is just not it. The front is too low compared to the rear. The headlights don’t follow any particular like and look drooped making the cars stance appear awkward. Don’t get me wrong I hope the cars successful so they can continue making more coupes, but if I had the money there is no way I’d get this over a 2nd hand competitor.
Same, the droopy headlights and the way everything goes together is sorta awkward. I like it overall but can't say I disagree with anything you mentioned.
Finally someone who gets it, I couldn’t really explain it but it just looked weird in my opinion, especially the headlights and taillights, love Alfa Romeo but I wasn’t feeling this cars exterior design
For me, as Alfa lover, this car lacks "driver car" status, it seems more of a segment filler that's made to make money for company. Well, I hope it sells well for Alfa's sake and later they will drop something like 2.0 Turbo from Gulia in it (2.9 V6 seems unlikable)
The power steering will be ajusted with a software update in the near future. Lots of journalist complained about the steering being to light in dynamic, and being not that beefy. So they told the Dutch reporter it will be looked in to and ajusted.
The NFT idea is good. It wouldn't sway my decision between buying or not but if i did buy, it would be nice knowing with complete confidence that my vehicle was serviced by Alfa and not faked. Or even when owners clock back the miles!
@@TD1237 If the concern is for environmental reasons, It all depends on what Network they're using. Most of the networks aren't bad for the environment. However, the main one is but they're subject to change their mechanism in the next year which will reduce the environmental impact hugely :)
@@TheTruthKiwi If its operating on a reputable chain then yes, it can never be hacked. You cant change data on a Blockchain. It's one of the very reasons it's such a vocal topic right now. It's designed to be immutable.
Omg this wheels just bring me back my childhood…i was in love with alfa romeo and the new design is much more italyian like a big piece from a grana padano
it's not difficult to imagine that front on a Dodge with a revised bumper. I love how well the Stellantis guys designed it so it fits both brands. But we gotta wait to see if it actually works.
It could very well hurt Alfa Romeo, which they're trying to position as a premium "sports luxuruy" brand if Dodge has literally the exact same car for less money with differences only being cosmetic.
@@apostolostvable I feel stellansis are willing to let Alfa take the hit in the US. There thinking is the Alfa will make up sales in Europe and the Dodge will make up the bulk of the US sales
This is one of the best looking crossovers on the market right now. Also NFTs make a lot of sense once the technology begins to be used for serious things such as the way they are implementing here.
I just drive one few days ago. I think he have the best direction in the world. Is nothing like it when you take corners without break.He feels fantastic. Is a great car
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Tend to agree with Rory on the looks. The concept was great but something got lost in the transition to the production model.
If I HAD to buy such an SUV type, this would definitely on my list as the frontrunner. Imo, Alfa, of course being italian, just has that flair, uniqueness, quirkiness, that all may not like but in my books makes them stand out, compared to the generic competition style cues. My only wish, to have a little more power, around 250-300bhp and with 4wd. That could be either be a bigger engine or mated to a more powerful electric drive train, both with a better sounding exhaust or otional to have it so.
This is by far the best looking small SUV you can buy, I guess thats the best ever. If it is reliable, the handling, performance and utility check the boxes this could be Alfas first profitable vehicle for sale outside Italy in a long long time
Rory, good stuff thanks. The Tonale is a compromise Alfa and therefore not for the enthusiast per se. However, it seems to have a little bit of character and is technically sound so on a positive note this could be a good foundation going foward; I certainly hope so!
Always put a smile on my face when come across Rory from AutoTrader kindly explaining to us the finer details on current cars on the market with Rory's soothing & pleasant voice! This Alfa Romeo Tonale Crossover Hybrid Utility Vehicle is great package to start our adventures in future eDriving experience by 2030 & beyond! Thank You So Much Rory for the honest review of the Alfa Romeo Tonale! 🙏🌷🌿🌎💜🕊🇮🇹
If you think the Tonale looks bad, you should have a look at any BMW currently on sale. Alfa did a great job with the styling, meanwhile half of the new cars coming out these days are horrid….so I’m really not sure what you’re on about.
I like the Tonale but I also like BMW's. I think the older ones look awfulb but I like the newer models. Yes I know they're controversial but idc. They're the only German car company to make cars that look different and interesting.
about the talegate: in another review (Autogefühl is i remember correctly) they said that they had the automated tailgate button configured following the american regulations, so you have to push the button for a couple of seconds for it to close!
The front design is a prefect reincarnation of the 33/75! Love it. On the other side , the multimedia screen is exactly the same as in a high spec Fiat Tipo.
This really looks like the PERFECT CAR! I think the looks are marvelous!!! The interior is great also. The only thing missing so far is a powerful engine something with at least 300hp and I hope that at some point they will make one. The price also sounds fine for such a good looking car.
I think the car looks incredible and futuristic but still exotic enough for the Alpha brand. I get where Rory's coming from though. Still wish people wouldn't resort to attacking his design tastes *just* because he chooses to have an opinion of his own. But this always happens with Alfa's. People feel personally violated when someone doesn't like the brand. Same with Lexus and Tesla fans.
NFTs no thanks I prefer my scams the old fashioned way. I knew Alfa would bottle it like they always do just didn't see it would be NFTs. Nice video. Fantastic scenery. Keep up the good work.
NFT is the best thing that could happen to a car. Maybe not for somebody that always buys NEW cars or gets to drive NEW cars all the time but for second hand owners (70-80% of people) this is great news. Because in recent times there is more and more lying on the service history and miles of the car.
Pity - Alfa had the opportunity to shake off the stigma of questionable build quality and materials, and it looks like they haven't. Engine choice and looks are decent at least, I'm sure it'll sell well enough to support the sportscars, which is what we really care about.
I think they did with the giulia and stelvio. They have a lot of aluminum parts and the worst thing on alphas, aka. rust, isn‘t a problem no more, as far as i know. Also here (austria) Stelvio and Giulia are selling like hell i see between 3-6 every day and i hear nothing about quality issues (and these cars have a few years on the market now). We‘ll see how the tonale is doing when it‘s being sold
Yeah, Alfa's are extremely unreliable. Seriously, way more unreliable than German competition, on par with Range Rover if surveys are anything to go by. Idk why no-one ever mentions the reliability issues but people are so eager to criticize reliability with any other car. I still like them though (and 4C is gorgeous) but they are far from sensible.
The build quality and materials started to get better with the 159 series. The Guilia and now the Tonale have a very good build and materialquality. Its nothing compared to the old 156er Series which was really really bad in both areas. Alfa gives 5 years of warranty now!!
@@Dank-One Mercedes, BMW and Audi products appear towards the bottom in car reliability surveys. Don't think Alfa are less reliable. (See CAR WOW reliability survey.) If you want reliability buy Japanese. If you want style and average reliability buy Alfa. If you want a pretentious badge buy a Mercedes, BMW, Range Rover or Audi (Posh badges that don't deliver a full quality and reliable customer experience.)
What are you on about? Every survey I've seen has Alfa at the bottom or very close. Check JDPower for example, always near the bottom. Whatcar ranks them as the fifth most unreliable brand. The Germans are shown to be far ahead of them but still significantly behind Lexus and orher asian brands. Even Carwow's surveys have Mercedes ahead of them. Alfa, from everything I've researched, is seriously problematic when it comes to build and reliability.
I think he succeeded well, this may also become an Alfa that will be sold a lot. That is ultimately the intention. Let the next Alfa Romeo also come, it remains a special brand
So so wrong, Rory is not the person to be talking about design… the Tonale is utterly gorgeous. Has to be one of the best looking SUV’s ever! I really hope this does well for Alfa
100'000 km Stelvio Fanatic here. If the TONALE has the same weight distribution (50:50) like the Stelvio, and the same steering ratio (12:1) like the Stelvio, it will be a frigging wonder to drive!