Over the last 25 years of being a journalist, the one thing that has followed me dating back to my early days in the corporate world is a good sense for design. I used to lead a design, writing, and usability team and eventually made the jump into journalism. The design sense is basically like a sixth sense — you know when something is designed well and looks aesthetically appealing. Recently I had a chance to test out the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the one thing I remember most is that the dashboard display is the best I’ve seen all year so far.
The evolution of car dashboard design
Cars are definitely improving in this regard. I feel it started when Chevy and other GM brands decided to forgo Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, relying instead on their own dashboard interfaces. (One irony with that is how GM cars then started relying on Google apps instead — the underlying AI tech is all Google but the interface to get there is GM.)
On the Tonale, it’s a radical improvement. To me, automakers have likely sat down with video games, elaborate websites, and even movies and TV shows to find out what works the best in terms of more color design. Many TV shows now have an introductory segment that lists the actors and often features some of the best graphic design around. One example is Young Sherlock, a show with introductory credits that are as good as the show itself.
Testing the Alfa Romeo Tonale drive modes
Driving the Tonale for a week, I kept marveling at the dashboard interface. For example, when you switch drive modes, the dashboard shows a well-designed preview of what to expect — snowy roads, dirt and mud, dry pavement. It looks like something out of Forza Horizon.
Fortunately, it also works really well.
I didn’t get a chance to test the snow modes on the Tonale, because it was dry and wet during my testing, but I did test out a mode that helps on slippery roads. With rain and ice falling one day, I took the Tonale out on some remote country roads and never felt like the SUV was going to move around in the lane at all or even cause any tire slip.
This is one of the first tests where the dashboard interface made me want to test out more drive modes, just to see how they all look. They reminded me a bit of the Ford Bronco (which I had just tested the week before) in that they are colorful and clear. The screens are helpful because you can easily tell which mode you are using as opposed to what you see on some vehicles. Often, you only see the word change, which doesn’t exactly lodge in your memory.
I loved driving the Alfa Romeo Tonale because, no matter what mode I was in, the traction was stable and secure, even during the day when the conditions were not ideal. It also made me want to test more Alfa Romeos to see if they also use a similar interface design approach.