SUVs have become the new normal in the automotive industry for a couple of years now. All manufacturers want to sit higher off the ground and go faster simultaneously. Alfa has decided to jump into this space and use its racing heritage to make the all-new 2023 Tonale. Alfa has been known to make some of the best Italian cars since 1910, and the Tonale is no exception. This vehicle was first showcased in 2019 as a concept vehicle and has spent a few years before coming into its final production stage. Nevertheless, Alfa has managed to get a lot of the lines and creases into the production version of the Tonale.

The Tonale slots in below the Stelvio in the Alfa Romeo global lineup. It is marginally smaller in all dimensions and has a narrow footprint. This is a luxury subcompact SUV, and it rivals the likes of BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, and the Audi Q3. It has a new styling with some signature Alfa Romeo bits and is now unveiled for the masses.

RELATED: 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale Debuts As Plug-In Hybrid C-SUV With NFT Tech

An Exquisite Italian Styling

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale's Side View

If there is one thing Italian cars are known for, it has to be their styling. These cars are nothing short of a piece of art and look at home on the streets, on a race track, and even inside a museum. The Tonale carries forward the Alfa heritage effortlessly with a design like no other vehicle on the market. There is LED lighting all around, and the wheels look exquisite. The headlamps and taillamps' design is similar, and the taillamps run the entire vehicle's width at the back.

One of the most iconic design elements on the Tonale is the front grill which is in the signature Alfa Romeo design, the inverted triangle. The wheels, which appear to be 19 inches, also have a unique design. Other styling elements include somebody cladding running the entire length of the car on both sides, along with the small front splitter and rear diffuser, all finished in black.

A New Age Interior

 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale's Interior

What is worth noting about the interior of the Tonale is that it is all new and has been made ground up. It is in line with all modern-day luxury cars and goes a step further with its Italian fit and finish levels. The 12.3-inch driver's display animation looks stunning as one starts and turns off their vehicle. The selection of different driving modes changes the layout of the display as well. There is a knob to select the drive modes, and it is similar to the one found on the Gulia and the Stelvio.

The infotainment system of the Tonale is an all-new 10.25-inch system that happens to be a full touchscreen unit, and it offers Uconnect 5 feature, which is essentially connected car tech. The system also includes over-the-air updates, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and Google Assistant connectivity, the latter two allowing one to unlock, lock, or start the vehicle from any location.

RELATED: Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV Gets New Platform After FCA/PSA Merger

Multiple-Engine Choices

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale's Top View

The Alfa Romeo Tonale will be the first-ever Alfa offered in a plug-in hybrid system. In total, it has two engine options, a two-liter turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.3-liter engine along with the electric motor. Both these engines have AWD, with the turbo petrol engine offering a conventional AWD system, and the hybrid motors will be mounted on the rear axle powering the rear wheels and the 1.3-liter engine powering the front wheels. The 2.0-liter inline-four is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. This engine produces a healthy 256 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

The plug-in hybrid produces a total of 272 HP. The 1.3 liters inline-four engine is turbocharged and works in harmony with a 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. The vehicle is capable of driving on pure EV power too. The Tonale PHEV uses a six-speed automatic transmission, and Alfa Romeo promises over 30 miles of electric driving range. A full charge of the electric motor is expected to take 2.5 hours.

The official release date for the Tonale has not been revealed yet by Alfa, but the vehicle is expected to roll out in the first quarter of 2023. The Tonale is expected to be priced at $32,000, which is an aggressive price point for a vehicle to come from a prestigious Italian manufacturer. The vehicle is expected to launch in three trims, the sporty Sprint, the mid-range Ti, and the fancy-looking Veloce. Along with the vehicle, the owners will also be getting an NFT. This NFT will be used as a verifiable ledger of the vehicle's official service records, improving residual values as these new cars become used. All of Alfa Romeo Tonale’s models will be built in Italy at the automaker's plant in Naples.

The 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale is a fantastic vehicle in design and innovation. Alfa has made sure that it takes small steps to enter the world of electrification by offering the car a hybrid engine before diving deep into the world of EVs. The Tonale looks good and is backed by Alfa’s racing heritage, and it is expected to ride well.