► It’s an Alfa Romeo
► But it’s also a practical crossover
► Read month 1 here
So far I’m struggling to follow the logic of when the Tonale’s engine takes a lead and when it’s running on electricity. Sometimes the engine fires up and clears its throat, as if to remind you it exists.
The revs can rise for no reason, and the car can sound like a lawnmower on idle. It’ll launch on EV power occasionally; at other times it’ll hold a gear for a second longer than you’d expect. And sometimes it doesn’t save enough battery for clean running on journeys that end in a city.
It’s always a quick car, but sometimes it sounds like a quick one that’s had a heavy night.
It feels as though there’s a Magic 8 Ball between my right foot and the Tonale’s 276bhp and 199lb ft. Several times this month I’ve got a ‘don’t count on it’ on a slip road and a ‘my sources say no’ while pulling out.
In Dynamic mode what I do on the throttle seems to more directly affect the behaviour of the car. Perhaps hybrids, generally thought of in environmental and economic terms, are actually less discombobulating when trying to be sporty; I had a more seamless time when I drove a Ferrari SF90 to Le Mans recently.
Logbook: Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.3 PHEV Veloce (Month 2)
Price £48,495 (£51,595 as tested)
Performance 15.5kWh battery plus 1332cc four-cylinder, PHEV, 276bhp, 199lb ft, 6.2sec 0-62mph, 128mph
Efficiency 217mpg (official), 41.1mpg (tested) 29g/km CO2
Energy cost 23.0p per mile
Miles this month 471
Total miles 3660