I drove the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV for a week — here’s my pros and cons

I’m still convinced that PHEVs have a lot of potential, especially when it comes to persuading car shoppers about why they should ditch all-gas completely and move into something more efficient. After I drove the Alfa Romeo Tonale for a week, I can tell you that it is a refreshing change to all of the other PHEVs I’ve tested in the last few months.

The Italian car maker only sells a few models stateside, with the Alfa Romeo Tonale being one of three. Specifically, I got to test out the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale, which has an MSRP of $49,500. On top of its hybrid power, there’s a dedicated 15.5 kWh battery that offers an EPA-estimated range of 33 miles. Similar to other PHEVs, your reliance on gas is lessened thanks to that battery, which in turn, could save you money in the long run.

Beyond the promise of better efficiency, there are many other reasons why I think you should keep the Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale as an option to consider for your next car purchase.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale: Specifications

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale: Testing summary

In total, I drove 349.1 miles in my week’s worth of driving the Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale. Based on the trip settings of the vehicle, that breaks down to 147.3 miles on gas power and the other 201.7 miles on all-electric. Given that I try to charge at home where there’s greater cost savings, rather than going to a charging station, more than 57% of my total driving was done with all-electric power.

That’s important to note because if your electric rate at home is about 17 cents per kWh, this would come out to be about $2.64 to charge the Tonale's 15.5 kWh battery if it were completely drained. Alternatively, it would cost me $10.08 to get the same amount of juice at a charging station that charges at the rate of 65 cents per kWh. What I’m getting here is that you’ll see much higher long-term savings by charging at home, which in turn would also minimize your reliance on paying for gasoline.

All told, I got a combined fuel economy of 60.8 mpg, which is substantially better than any all-gas powered vehicle out there but not the best I’ve seen in a PHEV I’ve tested. In fact, I got better results with the Kia Sportage PHEV and Kia Niro PHEV — but neither of them comes close to matching the powerful 285 hp performance of the Tonale.

Charging the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale does take a long time on Level 1 charging at home. It took a little over 12 hours to get the vehicle fully charged, which is why I can’t stress enough about installing a Level 2 charger if you intend on getting an EV. It’s not much of a problem for PHEVs, since you can always fall back on gas power — unlike EVs. Speaking of charging, the Tonale still does it faster than the Kia Sportage PHEV, which was nowhere close to being charged after 12 hours.

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale: What I Like

Classic Italian automotive styling meets modern design

One of my favorite things about the Alfa Romeo Tonale is that it’s a different looking vehicle from everything else you see on the road — and it’s exactly what it needs to make an impression. From its aggressive looking grill on the front, to dazzling verde fangio metallic paint job, everything about this crossover SUV screams Italian luxury design.

Small details like Italy’s flag etched into the side mirrors and stitching on the headrest give the Tonale a luxury-meets-sporty look that instantly catches attention. The curvy body, too, is also a pleasant contrast over the hard-lined designs in other PHEVs that many car makers seem to favor, like the Lexus RX450h+.

Dynamic headlights

Not only are the Tonale's headlights extremely bright for nighttime driving, but they’re also dynamic in the sense that they will illuminate the areas to the left or right of the car depending on where I’m turning. I really like this extra illumination because it helps me to see and anticipate what could be on the sides of the car while I’m driving.

I also think of it as a safety feature, due to how it could help notify pedestrians and other vehicles about the direction I’m going. The only other vehicles I've tested with a similar feature have been the Ford F150 Lighting and Rivian R1T, which costs a lot more than the Tonale.

Jet engine style air vents

Part of its appeal are all the small design details that set the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV apart from other EVs and PHEVs. For instance, the air vents are designed in the style of a jet engine, which matches the Tonale’s sport design.

Functionally, it’s different as well because rather than the typical slider design of most air vents, this one articulates by adjusting the knob in the middle — with a clockwise motion to stop the air flow.

Drives smooth on electric power

Most of the hybrids I’ve tested often struggle with acceleration, but when the Tonale's set to ‘A’ drive mode (advanced efficiency), the drive is all-electric powered. I recommend this because of the zippy acceleration it offers from a complete stop, whereas in standard hybrid mode, the acceleration feels sluggish until reaching cruising speed.

Quiet interior space

This wouldn’t be a luxury vehicle if it didn’t have outstanding sound proofing with the interior space. Even at cruising speeds on the highway, the Alfa Romeo Tonale offers a quiet ride that matches its smooth performance.

It’s definitely better than the majority of the PHEVs I’ve tested, but only trails the Lexus TX550H+ as the quietest ride in a PHEV — but that one’s obnoxiously more expensive at $78,050.

Eye-catching ambient lights

At night, the interior space of the Alfa Romeo Tonale comes to life with its dazzling ambient lights. Thankfully it’s not as over-the-top as the Genesis GV70, but it certainly catches my attention with its bright and customizable lights.

There’s a main light bar complete with the Alfa Romeo logo and what appears to be a carbon fiber pattern embedded into the dashboard. It certainly adds to the flair, but the intensity is just right to make it easy on the eyes.

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale: What I Don't Like

Oversized paddle shifters

Although I didn’t use them all that much during my week’s worth of driving, the paddle shifters along the sides of the steering wheel are obnoxiously large — so much so that they get in the way of accessing the turn signal and windshield wiper knobs. They’re used to manually shift the gear, but I wish they were smaller and more discreet in design like other vehicles.

Weird placement for power button

I’m not sure it’s the smartest placement for a power button, but having it accessible on the steering wheel could be problematic — even though I never once accidentally pressed on it. The power button just feels odd right on the steering wheel, so I would much prefer to have it on the dashboard to eliminate any accidental presses while driving. Instead, I think the drive mode selector would have been a more logical option on that exact position on the steering wheel.

Cramped trunk space

Crossovers might not have the same spacious trunk sizes as other SUVs, but I find the one in the Alfa Romeo Tonale to be much more cramped. I had to pull down the back seats in order to accommodate my JackRabbit OG2 micro ebike, which even managed to fit easily into the trunk of the smaller sized Honda Civic Hybrid.

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Speciale: Bottom Line

Despite being a smidge out of my budget, I still recommend getting the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV because of its original looks and the extra long term savings of its all-electric power. It’s also a fun, quiet ride that’s matched by how well it blends luxury and sportiness to its design — making the Tonale one of more original-looking compact SUVs on the market.

Ultimately, the Tonale PHEV proves that you don't have to sacrifice style or performance to embrace electrified driving.

More from Tom's Guide

• I test drove a Lucid Air Pure for an entire day — it has better range as my gas-powered car
• Sorry, EVs — I test drove my first PHEV and it’s the perfect blend of electric and gas power
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