ALFA ROMEO TONALE EDIZIONE BAMBINI - THE PERFECT CAR FOR STYLE-CONSCIOUS PARENTS

• Alfa Romeo creates the perfect car for style-conscious parents ­– Tonale Edizione Bambini features a range of unique accessories to make travelling with children easier
• Study of UK parent drivers* reveals 59% think it is important their car’s interior retains a sense of style, but find it more difficult to keep their vehicle tidy after having children
• One-off Alfa Romeo Tonale Edizione Bambini equipped with features including a built-in baby changing unit, in-car baby monitor and an array of clever storage solutions and accessories
• Watch the Tonale Edizione Bambini being put to the test here

Alfa Romeo has unveiled the Tonale Edizione Bambini – a unique new concept model equipped with a suite of innovative features designed to make travelling with children easier, including a built-in slide-out baby changing unit, an in-car baby monitor and a range of additional storage solutions.

The reveal of the concept comes as Alfa Romeo research shows 59% of parents* agreed it was important the interior of their car retains a sense of style. The same percentage say they find it more difficult to keep their vehicle clean after having children - with almost half (48%) describing theirs as messy or untidy. More than half (56%) of participants even admitted to feeling embarrassed to have someone else in their car due to mess created by their kids.

The Edizione Bambini concept created by Alfa Romeo UK comes with a range of features and accessories to enhance the practicality of the Tonale for families, while maintaining its premium feel and distinctive Alfa Romeo style.

To help parents undertaking journeys with their baby-on-board, a changing unit has been elegantly integrated with the 500-litre boot of the Tonale. A survey by leading baby product brand Huggies revealed that 86% of parents have had to change their baby’s nappies on the move, including while being in the car**.

Upon opening the electronic tailgate, the bespoke unit simply slides out from the parcel shelf to reveal a custom-made, easy to clean changing mat. When no longer required, the changing unit slides easily back into the parcel shelf, ensuring no compromise on boot space.

Shaped to fit neatly against the contours of the driver and front passenger seats, custom-made seat tidies feature several storage spaces including a drinks holder, bento box for snacks and a rattle-free pen holder. With 44% of UK parents using a reward chart to motivate their children, the seat tidies also feature two large pockets with a chart for each child to encourage them to keep the car tidy***.

In keeping with the rest of the interior, the seat tidies are made from grey leather with matching stitching and an embossed Alfa Romeo logo. The Alfa Romeo research revealed that children typically kick the back of the front seats 3.5 times per journey, so the design incorporates protective panels to help maintain their premium finish.

The research conducted by Alfa Romeo also revealed that 43% of parents find not being able to see what their child is doing a source of stress when driving. To maintain visibility at all times, the Edizione Bambini is equipped with an in-car baby monitor, which can be connected to smartphones via an app for use by front seat passengers and can be positioned for both front and rear-facing child seats.

The majority of parents (55%) reported that children complaining of boredom cause them stress while driving, so the Tonale Edizione Bambini is equipped with a number of features to keep children entertained. Tablet holders are fitted to the back of the driver and front passenger seats, while a foldable central toy tidy provides more activities to keep children occupied on long journeys. To avoid arguments, children sitting in the middle seat also have their own leather folder which can hold both a tablet and their own reward chart.                                                                                                              

For rubbish like sweet wrappers or tissues, the Tonale Edizione Bambini comes with a six-litre, touchless bin which is secured to the footwell behind the centre console and can be removed completely if desired. For cleaning the interior on the go, a car vacuum is stowed on the boot floor and charged via the integrated 12V socket on the move.

An organiser helps to maximise the boot capacity of the Tonale. Its concertina design allows for easy stowage when not in use. The boot organiser also features a cleaning bag which fits neatly into one of the compartments and comes with a range of products to keep both children and the car clean, including a boot cleaning brush, leather cleaner, tissues and wet wipes.

Julie David, Managing Director, Alfa Romeo UK, said: “With so many parents understandably struggling to keep their car tidy, the Tonale Edizione Bambini provides practical solutions which fit in seamlessly with the premium interior in the Tonale – proof that having children doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your car’s style. With a choice of sophisticated hybrid powertrains, a striking design and innovative technology, the Edizione Bambini is further proof that the Tonale is ideally suited to family life.”

The new Alfa Romeo Tonale is the Italian brand’s first mid-size SUV and its first electrified vehicle, available with a choice of two powertrains - a 160hp hybrid, or a 280hp Plug-In Hybrid Q4 capable of travelling 40.4 miles on electric power alone (WLTP combined cycle), increasing to 47.8 miles in urban areas (WLTP urban cycle).

The Tonale is available to order now, with prices starting from £38,595.

*Survey of 2,000 UK parents who drive with children aged 0-11 years old, conducted in January 2023

**Survey of UK parents conducted by Huggies

***2019 YouGov poll