• Well-designed interior, with flamboyant styling touches
• Excellent driving position, not so good visibility
• Infotainment and tech work very well

How is the quality and layout?

Alfa Romeos have always had attractive interiors but, traditionally, the firm has struggled to deliver the kind of quality expected of an upscale brand. However, the company’s most recent vehicles have bucked that trend – and the Tonale further improves Alfa’s reputation. There are some cheap-feeling plastics, but you’ll have to look hard to find them.

There are lashings of Alfa’s trademark design flair, from the backlit panel on the passenger side of the dashboard (which looks particularly nice at night) to the unnecessary but strangely appealing wheel-mounted starter button. None of these flourishes are essential but they do add to the feel good factor. Having such large gearshift paddles in front of the indicator and wiper stalks may take some adjustment, but there is a real sense of character inside this SUV.

Infotainment and tech

The new infotainment system also looks beautiful, responds quickly and has contemporary creature comforts like Amazon Alexa voice control. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard and work seamlessly, and the whole system updates remotely. Even the voice control works well.

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The 10.25-inch central touchscreen is accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. This can be configured with a choice of dial displays, including one option that’s a neat retro design that pays homage to Alfa’s racing heritage. It can also be customised to show the info most important to you.

However, the touchscreen is a little bit of a stretch, and although there are a good number of physical control button beneath it, it takes a little time to learn your way around them. The voice control can help you here.

Comfort

• Firm seats offer excellent long-distance support
• Lots of adjustment up front
• Rear room is competitive with rivals

The front seats are a little on the firm side initially. But their support is such that on longer journeys you’ll avoid aches and pains. The central armrest isn’t high enough to support your elbow without removing your hand from the wheel, though. We also have a minor issue with the front footwells – they’re quite narrow, which forces your feet together and makes you feel a little hemmed-in.

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There’s not an intrusive amount of wind or road noise – the latter particularly impressive given the size of the wheel and tyres – so longer journeys shouldn’t be too tiresome in this regard, either. However, the engines do sound a little unpleasant and strained when asked to work hard, which will disappoint long-standing Alfa fans used to the firm’s more melodious previous power units.