2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Review

The Tonale promises a sleek, Italian take on the small SUV segment aimed at reinvigorating the company’s presence in Australia with a younger demographic.

Alfa’s Tonale range is split into three main variants, with a surprisingly affordable base model and a more premium version powered by a mild-hybrid engine, as well as this, the range-topper with a clever, fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The Tonale Veloce plug-in hybrid is an incredibly important vehicle for the brand, sitting as Alfa Romeo’s first-ever PHEV vehicle in one of the most popular vehicle segments.

One of the main questions that potential Tonale buyers will be asking, though, is whether or not the range-topping plug-in hybrid powertrain with its added power and inherent fuel savings justifies the near $20,000 premium over its identical Veloce mild-hybrid sibling.

To find out, we got behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV to see how the Italian contender holds up in the bourgeoning plug-in hybrid small SUV segment.

Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Competition

How Much Does the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Cost?

The Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce plug-in hybrid sits at the top of the Tonale range wearing a price tag of $78,500 before on-road costs are applied.

For reference, Alfa’s entry point into the Tonale range, the Tonale Hybrid Ti is priced at $50,900 while the mid-range Tonale Hybrid Veloce is priced at $58,900.

This means the range-topping plug-in hybrid Tonale variant commands a $19,600 premium over its equivalent Veloce mild-hybrid sibling.

Our test vehicle was also fitted with Alfa’s optional panoramic sunroof which is priced at $2,500.

• Alfa Romeo Tonale Hybrid Ti: $50,900

• Alfa Romeo Tonale Hybrid Veloce: $58,900

• Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-in Hybrid Veloce: $78,500

• + $2,500 sunroof ($81,000 as tested)

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Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Specifications

What Features Does the Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Have?

To help sweeten the deal for buyers, Alfa has thrown a heap of features inside the Tonale Veloce plug-in hybrid.

The lengthy list is headlined by a set of 19-inch alloys, Brembo brakes with red callipers, Matrix LED headlights with adaptive driving beams and dynamic indicators, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with customisable dials, a wireless charging pad, a powered boot lift, keyless entry & start, dual-zone climate control and adaptive cruise control.

On the styling front, the Tonale Veloce PHEV picks up a dark ‘Scudetto’ front grille with a Dark Miron body kit with matte highlights, Veloce badges, rear privacy glass and power-folding side mirrors with small Italian flags on either side.

Inside, the Tonale Veloce PHEV picks up black leather upholstery with heated and ventilated seats, as well as Alfa Romeo embroidered headrests, aluminium door sills, wheel-mounted paddles and driving pedals as well as ambient lighting and a heated steering wheel.

There’s also a surround-view monitor with parking sensors and a long list of active safety tech that we’ll cover in the safety section of our review.

Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Connectivity & Infotainment Features

One area that the Alfa Romeo Tonale took us by surprise was the amount of technology on offer inside the cabin.

Kicking things off with the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, this display is bright and looks great thanks to crisp graphics and offers a fully customisable readout that you can tailor to your preferences.

With a few simple inputs via the steering wheel, you can choose from a range of pre-configured displays with your choice of energy consumption, live navigation displays and more.

There’s also a button at the end of the wiper stalk that switches between one of three pre-programmed arrangements including a more traditional set of analogue-looking dials.

Turn your head to the centre of the dash and there’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that takes care of your media and vehicle functions.

It’s a solid display, positioned well within reach from both the driver and co-pilot’s seat with the same crispy graphics.

There’s obviously a pretty decent chip powering the system, too, because the 10.25-inch display responds quickly to inputs and is happy to work its way through multiple sub-menus with haste.

Sound for the Tonale Veloce PHEV is provided by a wonderful 465-watt, 14-speaker sound system courtesy of Harmon Kardon.

Tonale buyers also pick up a three-year subscription to the My Alfa Connect services suite, which offers remote operations, vehicle tracking and diagnostics.

Does the Alfa Romeo Tonale Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Buyers will be pleased to know that the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV does indeed offer wireless smartphone mirroring for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ecosystems.

The process of pairing your phone with the Tonale wirelessly is quick and simple via Alfa’s infotainment system, with no drop-outs in connection in our time behind the wheel.

One small gripe is that Alfa’s operating system maintains a large border around the edges of the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto screen, which means your navigation or media screens can look a little bit crammed in.

The virtue of this arrangement is that you have constant, easy access to seat controls and your preferred list of shortcuts for things like the surround-view monitor, eco-coaching mode or your notifications.

Is the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Comfortable to Drive?

Alfa has opted for a sportier setup with the Tonale’s suspension, while the plug-in hybrid powertrain offers some serious push and makes for a great little SUV package for the city.

We say city, specifically, because the Tonale’s sporty aspirations mean that it’s not exactly a soft, comfortable long-distance tourer - but we’ll get to that part.

For now, let’s take a look at what’s lurking underneath that gives the Tonale PHEV such impressive acceleration… so long as the battery is charged.

The Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV is powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit and a rear-mounted electric motor that, combined, produce 208kW of power while offering the benefits of an all-wheel drive system.

With a fully charged battery and a heavy right foot, the Tonale PHEV offers great acceleration.

It’s got immediate poke off the line thanks to the electric motor, while 208kW of power helps it accelerate to 100km/h in a very impressive 6.2 seconds.

Combine that power with the Tonale’s sporty handling and Alfa has got the fundamentals of a fun-loving compact SUV well and truly covered.

The Tonale’s steering is impressively sharp and thanks to the relatively stout wheelbase, it’s quick and easy to turn on a dime.

There is some noticeable body roll if you’re pushing through longer, sweeping bends, though overall the Tonale has a tonne of charisma behind the wheel.

The Tonale PHEV’s performance does, however, fall off a cliff when the battery is flat, with the little petrol engine struggling to keep up with its sporty aspirations.

With the noticeable drop in power, the Tonale becomes more of a conventional compact SUV package when the battery pack is empty, though you still get moments of smooth electric power when you’re taking off from the lights or while you’re parking.

On that note, the Tonale is a strong performer on a daily drive around town.

The steering wheel is incredibly lightweight, making the Tonale super easy to point, while the short wheelbase platform is happy to park virtually anywhere.

The sporty suspension package also lends itself well to agile town handling, without much in the way of crashing around the urban jungle.

Leave the smooth city streets in the rearview, though, and the Tonale proves a bit too firm for a daily commute on country roads.

Even with the stock 19-inch rims - over the optional 20’s - the Tonale can’t help but transmit bumps into the cabin and feels a bit on edge on rougher sections of a country B-road.

The confidence of an all-wheel drive system certainly helps it claw back, but overall things are too firm for this sporty little SUV.

Thankfully, things are super refined on a long stretch of highway, with the lightweight steering making it easy to point and shoot down the motorway inside the quiet cabin.

All up, Alfa has done a great job in making the Tonale a super dynamic little SUV package, though its greatest appeal remains with city buyers.

Is the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Fuel Efficient?

Arguably the biggest drawcard for the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV is the fuel-efficiency gains over its mild-hybrid siblings in the range.

In near identical Veloce trim, the Tonale PHEV commands a $19,600 premium over the Tonale Veloce mild-hybrid, so are the fuel savings significant enough to justify the extra money?

The quick and simple answer is yes - so long as you’re fastidious about charging up the battery.

That’s because the battery is the key ingredient in matching Alfa’s claimed 1.5L/100km fuel economy figures, with the battery and rear-mounted electric motor effectively doing the work for the petrol unit, helping you to net some serious petrol savings.

If, however, you don’t keep the 15.5kWh battery topped up, you’ll be leaning on the petrol engine for most of the drive, which means your fuel economy figures take a significant hit.

The battery has a claimed energy consumption rating of 24.1kWh per 100km.

In our time behind the wheel, we didn’t have much of a problem matching Alfa’s fuel economy claims, averaging slightly north at 1.8L/100km on a 60-kilometre mix of town, country and highway driving.

When the battery was flat, though, we saw the Tonale PHEV consume up to 6.2L per 100km on the same mix of driving, showing just how important it is to keep the 15.5kWh battery topped up.

For Aussies with a daily commute less than the claimed 60km of all-electric range, the Tonale PHEV makes a lot of sense, though it’s worth keeping in mind the economy figures if and when the battery is depleted.

Charging the Tonale’s battery pack with the help of a 7.4kW AC charger takes around 150 minutes while using a domestic power outlet takes around seven hours for a full charge.

Is the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Practical and Spacious?

Buyers certainly won’t be feeling too short-changed when stepping inside the Tonale’s cabin, while the packaging itself makes for a practical little SUV with more space than many key rivals.

Climb aboard and you’re greeted with a surprisingly sporty cockpit that makes things feel quite exciting for the small SUV segment.

The Tonale’s predominantly-black cabin flies under the radar at first glance, though look a little closer and several small design elements celebrate Alfa’s heritage and showcase some trademark Italian flamboyance.

The large steering wheel with a flat-bottom design and the aggressive wheel-mounted paddles help to make a sporty first impression.

We think it would have been more intuitive for the massive, metallic paddles to control the levels of regenerative braking, as is common for plug-in hybrid vehicles, though this is a minor gripe.

Alfa’s circular air vents are once again on show, while the tiered dashboard design with some interesting textures on the dash and silver highlights helps to keep things interesting up front.

In terms of the fundamentals, headroom is a little tight for taller drivers, even with the adjustable seat in its lowest position, while the high-rising dashboard means that forward visibility isn’t the best in the segment.

Thankfully there are soft touchpoints for your elbows while driving and a lovely feel from the leather upholstery that give it a premium edge over a number of rivals.

Storage options inside the Tonale are a mixed bag.

We love the capacity and utility of the large storage tray and wireless charging stash sitting behind the gear lever - it’s one of the best designs on the market.

That said, your other storage options are limited to a pair of cupholders, small door bins and a compact storage area inside the folding armrest.

We also noticed that the centre console itself had a bit of flex to it and didn’t feel like it was tied down well for the premium segment, while the Tonale’s rotary ‘DNA’ drive mode button was getting extremely hot over time.

The latter may be an issue relegated to our review vehicle, but the heat was noticeable and didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Move to the rear and things are pretty spacious for the small SUV segment.

Adults can sit in the second row behind a tall driving position without having their knees up against the seatback, which is actually quite a feat in the world of compact SUVs.

The fact you can welcome adults in the rear of the Tonale without any guilt goes to show its a practical package.

That said, headroom is quite tight due to the slightly elevated seating position while the rear windows err on the smaller side, limiting the view and the amount of light entering the cabin, but not to a problematic degree.

Amenities in the rear include air cents, a USB-C and USB-A charging port, a bottle holder and a folding armrest with cupholders, while parents will be glad to know the Tonale is packaged with two pairs of ISOFIX anchors and three top tether mounts on the seatback.

How Big is the Alfa Romeo Tonale’s Boot?

The Tonale proves itself a small SUV with some great practicality chops when you open up the power-operated boot lid, though its capacity is ultimately limited by the PHEV hardware underneath.

The Tonale PHEV boasts 385L of boot space which doesn’t exactly lead the segment, but means you don’t have to compromise too much when lugging around people and cargo.

For reference, the standard Tonale mild-hybrid range has a massive 500L worth of boot space because it doesn’t have to accommodate all the added hardware of the plug-in hybrid.

Fold down the rear seats and you’ll unlock 1,430L worth of space for cargo and sports gear.

There’s also a neat little gear tunnel in the centre seat that allows you to squeeze in some long, narrow items and some under-floor storage for your charging cables.

All up, while the Tonale PHEV’s boot space has been compromised by the plug-in hybrid gear lurking underneath, it offers a very usable amount of real estate for the compact SUV segment.

Is the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Safe?

Alfa Romeo has thrown a heap of safety equipment into the Tonale PHEV to ensure that no buyers go wanting, especially at this end of the price spectrum.

As standard, the Tonale PHEV’s safety equipment list includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control and a surround-view monitor with front, rear and side-mounted parking sensors.

Buyers also pick up a level two autonomous driving system that combines the lane-centring and traffic jam assist systems with adaptive cruise control for easy highway cruising.

Rounding out the list of safety features are traffic sign detection, lane-keep assist, a speed limit assistant and six airbags inside the cabin.

Does the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

Plug-in hybrid versions of the Alfa Romeo Tonale remain unrated by ANCAP, though the mild-hybrid Tonale range secured a five-star ANCAP safety rating after 2022 testing saw it score the following marks. 

• Adult Occupant Protection: 84%

• Child Occupant Protection: 87%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 67%

• Safety Assist: 85% 

What Warranty Does the Alfa Romeo Tonale Come With?

Alfa offers the Tonale PHEV with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty, with additional coverage for the plug-in hybrid system and battery.

Warranty coverage for the battery and high-voltage components stretches out to eight years or 160,000 kilometres.

Three years' worth of servicing costs total $1,600, while five years of servicing for the Tonale PHEV is priced at $3,100.

Service intervals for the Tonale PHEV stand at 12 months or 15,000-kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Worth it?

While small SUVs are a dime a dozen these days, the number of plug-in hybrid options isn’t nearly as plentiful, which means the Tonale does well to serve an important - and growing - niche for compact SUV buyers.

As an urban-friendly, plug-in hybrid small SUV package, the Tonale holds up well, providing great acceleration, sporty handling and offering a relatively spacious cabin for the segment.

That said, one of the major threats to the Tonale PHEV actually comes from within the lineup, with the similarly-equipped Tonale Veloce mild-hybrid picking up many of the inherent benefits of Alfa’s small SUV while providing nearly $20k in savings.

To get the best fuel efficiency out of the Tonale’s PHEV powertrain, you’ll need to be stringent about charging it between drives and overnight, otherwise it loses many of its calling cards when the little petrol engine is left to do the legwork.

Once again, this puts mild-hybrid versions in an increasingly positive light due to their fuel efficiency, added practicality from the larger boot and of course, the significant price divide.

In many ways, the Tonale PHEV is a victim of the platform’s success, with the most expensive version - even with the added power and efficiency gains - where it sits as a bit of an odd duck in the well-accomplished lineup.

As a standalone, the Tonale is an impressive vehicle, though we’d encourage you to do a lot of homework on whether you need to spend the extra for Alfa’s plug-in hybrid tech.

For buyers splurging, you won’t be disappointed, though the amount you have to gain while upgrading from lesser variants isn’t quite as big of a gap as you might expect.

If you need help picking between variants or you’re looking for another car entirely, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying specialists who can lend expert advice and even help you find the best possible price.

Five Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty (eight years for battery)

2. 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder + electric motor produces 208kW

3. 60km all-electric range from 15.5kWh battery pack

4. 1.5L/100km fuel economy figures (claimed) 1.9L/100km (tested)

5. Six-speed automatic with all-wheel drive