ALFA ROMEO TONALE

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

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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.