Yahoo Sports The Tonale Is Alfa Romeo's First Plug-In Hybrid
Alfa Romeo revealed the Tonale more than one whole pandemic ago, back in March of 2019. Just under three years later, the production version of Alfa's second crossover is here, and it represents Alfa Romeo's first-ever step toward electrification.
Like the original concept, the Tonale is a compact crossover that scales down the Stelvio premise to another size class. The headline is the plug-in hybrid trim, which pairs a 1.3-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine making 180 horsepower with an electric motor producing 121 horsepower. That's a system-wide 272 horsepower to pair with a 30 mile all-electric range.
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A more traditional Tonale is available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4 producing 256 horsepower, but that option does not bring any hybrid assistance. Both variants are all-wheel drive, but, while the hybrid comes with a six-speed automatic, the 2.0-liter variant comes only with a nine-speed automatic.
The Tonale's most unique feature is the way it records service records. Alfa Romeo claims that the Tonale is the first car directly tied to a non-fungible token. This NFT records all services performed by any shop or dealer that has access to the tool onto a blockchain record, which they say will increase value on the used car market by providing concrete proof of reliable maintenance. It is unclear how this product being on the blockchain is any more secure than a traditional maintenance record already tied to an individual car's VIN by a dealer, but it sure is on the blockchain.
This being a Stellantis product, the Tonale comes equipped with their Uconnect 5 infotainment system. That adds Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. Adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and a traffic jam assist provide some level 2 autonomous driving features without, in the words of Alfa Romeo, "interfering with the driver experience, where control and emotion remain intact."
Alfa's small crossover arrives in showrooms early next year.
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