Fashionably late? 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid pricing places it above electric cars like the Volvo EX30 and Tesla Model Y

Alfa Romeo Australia has confirmed pricing for its Tonale small SUV flagship, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) officially called the Plug-In Hybrid Q4 and available in a single Veloce trim, but it won’t come cheap.

Priced at $77,500 before on-road costs, the PHEV is significantly more expensive than its petrol-powered Tonale siblings that start at $49,900 for the Ti and moves up to $56,400 for the Veloce.

In fact, the Tonale PHEV is more expensive than the Volvo EX30 range (from $59,990-$69,990), which competes in the same premium small SUV space, and nudges close to the Lexus UX300e Luxury ($79,990) and Mercedes-Benz EQA250 ($82,300).

Even within the Alfa Romeo stable, the Tonale PHEV is the fourth most expensive option, outpriced only by the performance-honed Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio pair ($153,500 and $143,500 respectively), and the larger Stelvio Veloce ($82,950).

Due to touch down in Australian showrooms from October, the Tonale PHEV also launches at a time where the local market is starting to tip in favour of full EVs over hybrids, as the first six months of 2023’s sales data shows that the former has hit 43,092 sales, while the latter (hybrids and PHEVs combined) have amassed 41,845 registrations.

Still, the Tonale PHEV is designed to appeal to buyers who might not be able to make a full-time EV work for them, and offers a powertrain that combines a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with an electric motor to drive all four wheels.

With a combined system output of 208kW, the Tonale flagship needs just 6.2 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100km/h.

Upfront of the Tonale PHEV is a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen.

And with a 15.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack in tow, Alfa Romeo is claiming a 60km all-electric driving range.

The Tonale PHEV also features a 7.4kW AC charger that can juice the Italian SUV from empty to full in 2.5 hours.

Alfa Romeo, however, is yet to reveal fuel economy figures for the top-spec Tonale.

What is known, is equipment levels, as the Tonale PHEV comes standard with LED matrix headlights, rear privacy glass, Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, a heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless smartphone charger, keyless entry, and perforated black leather-accented seats that are heated, cooled and power-adjustable up front.

Priced at $77,500 before on-road costs, the PHEV is significantly more expensive than its petrol-powered Tonale siblings.

Handling multimedia is a 10.25-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, digital radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support – the former wirelessly.

Safety is also an area of strength for the Tonale PHEV thanks to front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view monitor, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beams, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring and six airbags.

Of note, however, a ‘Magic Park’ system will be added to cars that go into production from September, which is presumably an automated parking function.