The Alfa Romeo Tonale, the hybrid SUV emblematic of the Milanese brand's revival, is now at the center of an unexpected controversy. The UNARMA union, representing some of Italy's carabinieri, has lodged an official complaint with the Rome public prosecutor's office, denouncing the Tonale's unsuitability for field missions.
An SUV deemed unfit for service
Since June 2023, several Tonales, in their 160 hp version with seven-speed automatic gearbox, have been integrated into the law enforcement fleet for mobile patrol missions. These vehicles have been modified for service: partial armouring, a cell for arrested persons, blue LED lights, radio equipment, etc.
But according to UNARMA's first-hand accounts, the vehicle's handling would be problematic in emergency situations, such as high-speed pursuits or on rough roads, a common terrain for carabinieri. Several agents claim that these defects could endanger their safety and compromise the effectiveness of interventions.
A series of incidents
The complaint refers to a growing number of internal reports, and also mentions accidents involving recently delivered Tonales.
Although the Tonale is considered safe for everyday driving by the general public, the question raised here concerns exclusively intensive operational use by law enforcement agencies, where stresses are much higher.
The UNARMA union goes to the front
In an official statement, Antonio Nicolosi, UNARMA's national general secretary, denounced an "unacceptable" situation: "It is the responsibility of the administration to guarantee safe, reliable means that are fully adapted to operational requirements. We will not stop until everything is cleared up."
UNARMA is requesting a full investigation, including access to technical documents, supply contracts, acceptance reports and test results. The union stresses that this action is aimed at protecting agents, not tarnishing Alfa Romeo's image.
A sensitive case for Alfa Romeo
This issue is all the more sensitive in that it comes at a time when the Tonale will soon benefit from an update this year. For Alfa Romeo and StellantisThe Tonale is a strategic model.
It now remains to be seen whether this complaint will result in a change of specification for service vehicles, or even a change of supplier for future fleets destined for the Carabinieri. For the time being, to the best of our knowledge, the police had Alfa Romeo Junior delivered to thembut not the carabinieri.
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I own a Tonale PHEV and while I love it as a family car, it's not really a sports car. It has great acceleration, but that's the only "sporty" thing about it. I've had many occasions where it doesn't stick to the road in tight corners, doesn't brake fast enough and generally feels like a tall, heavy SUV. The Italian police should have bought Giulia cars instead.
Yes, of course, this Tonale order is. Completely illogical, a sports car is basically a rear-wheel drive vehicle, which is what carabinieri have always had; Guilia in the 60s and 70s, Alfetta, Alfa 75 and 90....
In short, sporty sedans, not family Suvs, which aren't Alfa Romeo at all...
I have a 210hp diesel Stelvio and despite its size it's very agile and precise on small roads, its rear axle winds up well, it brakes well, accelerates hard in d mode ... But it's a real Alfa Romeo, not a rebadged jeep compass.
The Tonale is not particularly heavy in mild hybrid form (around 1500 kgs), and not as heavy as the Stelvio. It's the mechanical aspects that are the problem. The damage to the brand's image is catastrophic.
Finally people who know what an Alfa Romeo should be, it should not look like a truck as I keep saying, thanks again to Carlos Tavares for his sabotage of our beautiful Italian car industry.
The Tonale dates back to before Picsouvares...
Alfa Romeo Giulia, GT. Abd Giulietta. No, to electric or SUV . I do not know why but when the Auto industry has a good selling model they discontinue producing it. Prices on vehicles are high now super expensive
Mi sembra strano. A meno che i C.C. volessero un fuoristrada con tenuta di strada sul veloce simile ad una berlina sportiva! La Tonale è un SUV medio "tranquillo". O lo si modifica pesantemente su sospensioni ammortizzatori impianto frenante ecc.ecc. e si può strapazzarlo a dovere, o lo si usa per altre mansioni.
Ma dico: provarlo prima, NO????
Non è questione di aggiornamenti e proprio il veicolo non adatto agli impieghi operativi delle FF.OO. Ma questo si sapeva. A mio avviso è stata una scelta per smuovere le vendite che sono al disotto delle aspettative. Al momento o giulia oppure altro veicolo
Purtroppo da quando Alfa, Fiat e lancia sono state comprate dai francesi di STELLANTIS.......le auto italiane non vanno bene.
Logico la concorrenza è super agguerrita,specie la Tonale fa cagxxe
What suffering for an Alfaist to see what the brand is becoming, Peugeot chassis and engines, loss of style and sportiness, forced electrification... added to the technocratic and ideological European regulations that are ruining the industry... let's hope that Alfa will quickly get its act together, a century of automotive history.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Tonale is a specific Alfa base and not derived from PSA's EMP2s, which are actually quite efficient...
Misplaced bashing.
And no, it's not Alfa Romeo-specific at all, it's based on a Jeep Compass...
Worse than that, the Tonale is based on a Jeep Compass. Peugeot's engines are rubbish, especially this 3-cylinder, but in terms of running gear, chassis, roadholding, etc., it's always been a benchmark.
At the same time, with the power of a car without a license, it's not very difficult to be a benchmark in roadholding...
Let Peugeot bring out a 500hp rear-wheel drive and we'll talk again...
Tutti i 3 cilindri fanno schifo...
Penso la Tonale vada bene per il servizio di pattuglia come la Renegade ma non come gazzella.
Non penso sia una macchina sbagliata ma una gazzella sbagliata
the tonale was designed before Stellantis on the same platform as its American counterpart, so it's too heavy, too high, and has no class or connection with what you'd expect from a good Alfa-Romeo tg.
Couldnt of said it better!👏🏼
Fully agree with you, I've been an alfa fan since the 70s but not any more
Peugeot has always been very good at chassis development, but very bad at engines.
The tonal
Mhev 160 CV ha un bel motore ma il cambio anche usato in manuale è lento i blocchi elettronici escludono manovre di emergenza (senza Cintura non si parte) ed il freno di emergenza elettrico esclude le tipiche manovre testa coda degli inseguimenti
Bella suv da famiglia ma inadatta alle forze di Polizia
Hello,
The many "glowing" comments about Stellantis, Carlos Tavares and, more broadly, the French, in connection with this publication leave me wondering. Either the people who publish them are misinformed, or they are conveying misinformation. After all, the Tonale is a pure FCA product, developed under FCA on an FCA platform. Only the commercial launch took place under Stellantis. Not that C. Tavares is a friend of mine, but it seems he's got a good back in any situation this rich boy... 😉
I think people have already labelled Alfa Romeo as a Peugeot in disguise, rightly or wrongly, quite simply... and in this case it's Stellantis' fault.
And the future Stelvio, which looks more like a DS/Peugeot than an Alfa Romeo, won't help matters...
..scusa avevo letto ricchione..
Der Tonale hat für einen Alfa Romeo zu wenig Qualität bei Motor und Fahrwerk, das Getriebe ist zu lahm und schlecht abgestimmt.
Wer Alfa fährt will kleinen verkleideten Peugeot bekommen.
...la parziale blindatura effettuata avrà alterato la distribuzione dei pesi della vettura sbilanciandola in determinate condizioni!
Oppure i Carabinieri non le sanno guidare!
I carabinieri la sanno guidare eccome.... ma purtroppo è come guidare un furgone .... e con i furgoni non fai gli inseguimenti.....
An Alfa Romeo "under investigation" for poor roadholding... thanks Elkann.
So much for trying to create a sporty image based on a Jeep Compass...
Carabinieri normally have specifications to validate the Tonale's suitability for testing ?????
I don't understand !!!!
The 160 hp Tonale, plus the weight of the armor, a tall SUV body, and it's used for high-speed driving? There's a problem: it's unsuitable for sporty driving, or for chasing a more powerful car. You should have chosen a more powerful Stelvio, or a Giulia.
The 268 hp 2.0 Gme of the American version and the Dodge Hornet should have been specially adapted for riflemen.
The carabinieri are even spoiled! compared to our gendarmes with Alpines on the freeways! real soaps, vehicles totally contrary to fast interventions and pursuits ... on Motorways! Bravo to the decision-makers, civil servants who surely have no idea of the realities of fast driving... in all weathers!
Merci Thank you merci a vous
If one day MacDonald's buys Bocuse, and puts a Bocuse label on its hamburgers, the quality and taste will remain McDo.
The Tonale is a pure Fiat/FCA product, with the chassis shared with the Fiat Tipo/Jeep Compass, and the new hybrid 1.5 Firefly engine and 7 speed gearbox (also found in the Tipo).
I can only assume that the extra weight of the customisation (armour, cage interior) has caused the handling imbalance?
I think, in my humble opinion, that it should be up to those in the field to try out and choose their work tools - of course, without going overboard with their choices.
Con l'entrata dei Francesi,si sono perse tutte le belle caratteristiche dell'Alfa.Pertanto ormai è alla fine vita.Ora tocca ai marchi Italiani,poi tocca a loro
ADESSO AI CARABINIERI DIAMO: FERRARI LAMBORGHINI FORSE COSI' SONO CONTENTI
Bonjour je vous trouve trop injuste je possède en ce moment une tonale 1.6 et une Ferrari Roma après avoir eu Maserati , Porsche , bmw , alfa 166 Gtv coupé v6 , X6 et deux Stelvio diesel cette dernière avec la Giulia elles sont vraiment bien même en rapport aux bmw et la tonale manque un peut de nervosité mais elle est fortement agréable , viva 🇮🇹
The cars I enjoyed the most? Stelvio , Gtv coupe V6 , Maserati MC stradale , Trofeo Grecale , and of course the Ferrari Roma the rest I have even more memories and a lot of mechanical and electronic problems, Alfa it's not a car it's a philosophical soul, best regards to all
Tonale,Stevio, junior, where are the Alfa's? There's still the magnificent guillia which if I'm not mistaken will soon be withdrawn from the catalog, where are the Alfa's ENGINES and the pleasure behind the wheel? Thank you stellantis.
I've had a Tonale PHEV 280 CV for 2 YEARS and I'm very satisfied with it.
The 195 hp non-rechargeable MG 3 Chinese hybrid, with a fuel consumption of 4.4 liters per 100 km, for less than 20,000 euros, and a 0 to 100 time of 7.4 seconds, will sink all Italian sports cars... and others.
Ich habe einen langweiligen -30 PS Tonale und habe in gut 2 Jahren 50 tlkm runtergefahren. Ich mag das Teil und bin sehr zufrieden damit.