ALFA ROMEO TONALE

Compact SUV with PHEV tech and design flair makes its exit. Did it do Alfa proud?

WHY WE RAN IT

To see how well Alfa Romeo's new plug-in hybrid small SUV balances rationality and emotion

My more juvenile car friends continue to call our outgoing long-termer the toenail- and yes, its name doesn't translate brilliantly into English - but having spent a good few months with it, I feel it deserves more respect than that.

The Tonale plug-in hybrid was a long time coming compared with rival offerings, not least because incoming Alfa Romeo boss Jean-Philippe Imparato insisted the car needed to be improved before it the powertrain - more of that in a moment - but the ability to eke out a very respectable official EV range of 48 miles. This enabled the Tonale to play to the crucial business car market, in which Alfa hasn't had a seat for a while now.

That powertrain, for me, is really the sticking point with this car. As I've mentioned in previous reports, I got used to it over time and didn't find myself disliking the car as a result. But the mix of poor refinement and an electric motor and engine that didn't seem to work very well together, leading to slow move-offs and some required perseverance when getting up to speed on motorways, ultimately felt disappointing. It is Alfa Romeo, after all - but I'd comment on this in any car, Alfa Romeo or not.