Yorkshire Hosts Alfa Romeo for Tonale PHEV First Drives

Our region has hosted a UK first drive for Alfa Romeo’s small Tonale SUV, in its newest plug-in hybrid form, with writers from around the country flocking to the Yorkshire Dales.

Initially launched late last year, the Tonale is the second SUV from the famous Italian sporting brand — following the Stelvio which arrived in 2017. It’s available as an ordinary hybrid, with a combined 158hp at the front wheels through a 1.5-liter petrol engine and 20hp motor, or as the PHEV as driven at the launch event in Yorkshire.

This pairs a slightly smaller 1.3-litre petrol turbo which produces 177hp to the front wheels, with a 90kW (121hp) electric motor driving the rear wheels — giving the Tonale all-wheel drive capability with a peak system output of 277hp. Crucially the small Alfa can drive up to 43 miles on the motor alone, which makes it more attractive to fleet managers as it moves the car into a lower Benefit in Kind bracket.

Alfa Romeo initially launched the Tonale with a driving event in its native Italy — near the Tonale Pass from which the car takes its name — so it’s natural for the UK drives to take in the nearest domestic equivalent of Yorkshire. The event was based at Middleton Lodge Estate near Darlington, with a driving route that took in a rest stop at the highest pub in the UK: Tan Hill Inn, 1700ft above sea level.

With Northern Group members among the attendees you can look forward to reading about the Tonale PHEV, which starts at £45,995 for the Ti trim, in our various outlets soon.