Used Alfa Romeo Tonale (Mk1, 2022-date) buyer’s guide: cut-price Italian style
A full used buyer’s guide on the Alfa Romeo Tonale that has been on sale in the UK since 2022
Verdict
The Alfa Romeo Tonale is the antidote to claims that all modern cars look the same. While it’s true that the small SUV segment is busy and many of the contenders are indistinguishable from one another in terms of their design and driving experience, that’s not the case with the Tonale, which looks smart and is good to drive. However, although the cabin design also appeals, the quality isn’t the best. Scour owners’ forums and it’s clear that the service from dealers can be patchy, but most people haven’t had significant problems – and what they have had is certainly no worse than you could experience elsewhere. Maybe it’s time to step outside your comfort zone and try something Italian?
Alfa Romeo celebrates its 116th birthday this month; the company was founded on 24 June 1910 as ALFA (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), then was renamed Alfa Romeo in 1915 when it was acquired by Nicola Romeo.
Since then it has produced a raft of sporting saloons, convertibles, coupés and hatchbacks, but as with all companies, it has had to embrace the SUV to survive.
Its first was the Stelvio, which arrived in 2017, but it would take another five years for a junior sibling to appear – and when it did, the Tonale didn’t do as much to boost its maker’s fortunes as Alfa Romeo hoped. We ran a plug-in hybrid for six months and generally loved it, with only minor niggles to report. So, is it time to take the plunge and buy a used Tonale?
History
We got our first glimpse of the Tonale when it was shown in concept form at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The production version was revealed in February 2022, with 128bhp and 158bhp 1.5-litre mild-hybrid powertrains, and a 276bhp Q4 plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive. It was the first car to be sold with an NFT digital certificate as standard, which provided a tamper-proof record of service history and mileage.
Used - available now
2025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
18,461 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £22,990
2025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
10,150 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,620
2025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
11,216 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £20,310
2022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
11,851 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,280The Tonale went on sale in the UK in August 2022, in 158bhp hybrid form with a choice of Speciale (for the first few months), Ti and Veloce trims; all cars came with a dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 276bhp 1.3-litre plug-in hybrid Q4 joined the range in January 2023 in Ti and Veloce forms, and there was also a Speciale edition for the launch period only; by early 2024 the Ti had been renamed Sprint.
In October 2025 a facelift brought updated styling, fresh wheel designs, more exterior colours and interior revisions.
Which one should I buy?
Mild-hybrid editions are perky enough, but the plug-in hybrid feels much more zesty and there’s the possibility of a real-world range of 40 miles on electricity. You’ll pay a premium for the PHEV, but we’d say the better driving experience makes up for the extra cost.
Even the entry-level Ti/Sprint is well equipped, with its 18-inch alloys, 10.25-inch touchscreen and auto headlights, wipers and high beam, plus electric driver’s seat adjustment. Also included are front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, adaptive matrix LED headlights, a powered tailgate and wireless phone charging, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Buy a Veloce and you also get upgraded brakes and suspension, privacy glass and 19-inch wheels. The Speciale had 20-inch alloys.
Prices
Most second-hand Tonales are mild hybrids, but there is a reasonable number of plug-in hybrids. It’s the mild hybrids that are the most affordable to buy, but If you’re looking to buy a fairly new Tonale, significant discounts aren’t hard to find.
You can buy a used Alfa Romeo Tonale for just over £17,000 through our Buy a Car service.
Check the price of a used Alfa Romeo Tonale with our free car valuation tool...
On the road
Alfa Romeos have a good reputation for being fun to drive, and that’s the case with the Tonale. The biggest letdown is a lack of refinement, but after that it’s pretty good news. The transition between petrol and electric is excellent, the brakes are strong and the handling is sweet.
There’s plenty of adjustability, too, thanks to Alfa’s familiar ‘DNA’ adjustable chassis, and if you buy a Veloce edition, you can play about with the adaptive dampers to set up the suspension just how you want. The Tonale isn’t perfect dynamically, but it’s better than many of the other compact SUVs you could choose.
Alternatives to the Alfa Romeo Tonale
The Tonale’s biggest problem is the sheer number of rivals; the segment is awash with them. Some, such as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, are very accomplished, while the Mercedes GLA is another strong contender; all come with some great powertrains.
The Volvo XC40 has been around for a while, but it’s still very desirable. Two other alternatives that are readily available, well equipped and very desirable are the Hyundai Tucson and its cousin, the Kia Sportage. The MINI Countryman is another compact SUV that’s easy to live with, and you shouldn’t overlook the Cupra Formentor, Volkswagen Tiguan, Mazda CX-5 or Ford Kuga, while the Peugeot 3008, Toyota RAV4 and Citroen C5 Aircross are also worth a closer look.
What to look for
Brake down
Some Tonales can suffer from squeaky brakes, especially when the pads are cold or in wet weather. A change to softer pads can make the difference, but premature wear can then become an issue.
Electronics
The Tonale is no different from many modern cars, with over-enthusiastic proximity sensors, infotainment systems that can shut down and collision warnings on clear roads. Software updates are key.
Fobbed off
As well as the main key fob, there is a small wearable fob to lock and unlock the car. The battery in this is not replaceable, so you have to change the whole fob when the battery is flat.
Tow story
If you’re buying to tow, the 158bhp mild hybrid can pull 1,500kg but the plug-in hybrid is limited to 1,250kg, despite being more powerful (276bhp) and having all-wheel drive.
Interior
Alfa has a habit of providing inviting interiors, and that’s the case here. The design is appealing, the multimedia system works brilliantly and the quality is mainly good, but rivals tend to be put together better. Practicality is good, with enough space in the back for three adults, while the hybrid’s boot capacity is excellent at 500 litres; the plug-in hybrid’s hardware shrinks this to 385 litres.
Running costs
All Tonales need to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, and while prices for 1.3 and 1.5-litre cars aren’t identical, they’re very similar.
Services generally alternate between Minor and Major for all Tonales, with the former priced at around £200. Buy a Tonale hybrid and the Major service cost varies between £275 and £652, whereas the band is £266-£597 for the plug-in hybrid.
No Tonale engines have a cambelt, service plans can be bought up to the car’s first birthday, and each service at an official dealer includes breakdown cover for a year. Insurance groups are quite high (groups 28-30 for hybrids, and 34-38 for plug-in hybrids), and because most Tonales cost more than £40k new, the road tax is £200 per year plus the £440 expensive car supplement until the car’s sixth birthday.
Recalls
Alfa Romeo has recalled the Tonale six times so far, the first in October 2022 because the brake lights could stay on when the cruise control was in use.
Faulty batteries led to the recall of mild-hybrid Tonales in July 2023, then in December of that year it was identified that some plug-in hybrids could suffer from short circuits in their charging cables.
Incorrect tyre size information on the Certificate of Conformity led to a recall in May 2024, a month before a few cars were recalled because of faulty sunroof-opening mechanisms. The most recent campaign came in September 2025, this time because some Tonales could suffer from the touchscreen failing to switch on when the engine was started; the fix was a software update.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
Alfa Romeo is very much a niche player in the UK, with a market share of just 0.1 per cent or so. In the past decade it has made only two appearances in Driver Power, with the same model: the Giulia came third in 2018, then again in 2019. But the Tonale has never been included, mainly because not enough owners have submitted their views.
Alfa Romeo sells so few cars in the UK that it doesn’t even appear in our Brands survey, despite the fact that other minnows, such as Subaru, Jeep and Suzuki, all feature in our countdown.
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Used Alfa Romeo Tonales for sale
2025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
18,461 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £22,9902025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
10,150 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,6202025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
11,216 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £20,3102022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
11,851 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,280
2022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
21,594 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,999
2022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
15,459 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,497
2025 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
25,864 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L
Cash £22,399
2022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
10,381 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,949
2022 Alfa Romeo
Tonale
7,415 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L
Cash £22,699
