Alfa Romeo’s Tonale SUV has been caught testing ahead of its official reveal.
When it arrives, the Tonale will be a smaller sibling for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV. It will be sized as a rival for long-standing favourites in the compact premium SUV sector, such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA.
Drivetrain details have previously been leaked, indicating a full EV version likely.
Despite the heavy disguise, this development car bears a clear resemblance to the Tonale concept unveiled at the Geneva motor show in 2019, featuring the same overall proportions and design cues. The bluff front end and characteristic horizontal headlight design remains, albeit without the exposed 3D running lights of the concept.
The wheels are also very similar to those seen on the Geneva car, appearing with the marque’s trademark 5-hole design. Unsurprisingly, the concept’s blade-like door mirrors have been replaced with more conventional items, and gone are its sleek flush-fitting door handles. The swooping window line and shapely rear haunches have remained intact, however.
At the rear, this test car wears a set of rudimentary tail lights, although the full-width lightbar of the concept will feature on the final car. As with the headlights, we expect a more conventional lighting setup than that of the concept.
Leaks of a production-ready Tonale have surfaced previously, and this test car serves as another indication that the compact SUV aims to mirror the concept as closely as possible.
The Tonale is set to launch next year, as part of Alfa Romeo’s SUV-offensive that will include a smaller, entry-level crossover in 2023.
Yousuf Ashraf