The Alfa Romeo Tonale will compete with
some of the compact segment’s finest SUVs, such as the BMW X1, Audi Q3,
Mercedes-Benz GLA and Volvo XC40. However, if it’s one thing that it will not
get, that’s a hot Quadrifoglio version.
Italy’s AutoBlog reports that the
Stelvio’s smaller sibling won’t be graced with the adrenaline-pumping
Quadrifoglio moniker, as the company’s primary concern at this time is to get
it into production and focus on the money-making versions. As a result, future
buyers will have to settle for the regular variants.
Unlike the Stelvio and Giulia, which are
based on the Giorgio platform, the Tonale will reportedly sit on the same
architecture as the Jeep Renegade and Compass, named as the FCA Small Wide 4×4.
It will also become Alfa Romeo’s first vehicle to feature a plug-in hybrid
powertrain, something that the 4xe versions of the Renegade and Compass already
have.
The 1.3-liter four-pot and electric motor
develop up to 240 PS in the two Jeeps, offering a maximum
pure electric range estimated at 50 km and a 130 km/h top
speed in the EV mode.
The top-of-the-line version of the Tonale
is understood to launch with a mild-hybrid system and a 2.0-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder engine, producing up to 330 horsepower. It goes without saying
that Alfa Romeo won’t build a Tonale GTA either, as that moniker is currently
reserved for the Giulia only.
We can’t be sure of anything in these
challenging times, but if Alfa Romeo sticks to the plan, then the Tonale should
launch in the first half of 2021.
