Alfa Romeo Tonale vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio

What's the difference?

Alfa Romeo’s Tonale has been a success for the company globally, but you wouldn’t know it in Australia.

Alfa, along with brands like Fiat, Peugeot, Renault and even Skoda are scrabbling for traction in our oversaturated market, absolutely heaving with mainstream mid-size SUVs and cheap competition.

Euro alternatives are on the back foot and the Tonale looks like it’s on the precipice of extinction, registering just 50 units in the sales data this year.

That hasn’t stopped Alfa from introducing this new updated model with a raft of improvements it says will help boost its chances.

Is it worth a second look? Let’s find out.

This week I’ve taken the recently updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce on a massive road trip and after the first few hours of driving it, I thought this is the sort of car you get when you need some extra boot space but still want that sports car vibe.

It helps that our test model is finished in the classic 'Alfa Red' but while its on-road performance can't be ignored, it has some tough medium SUV competition from the likes of the BMW X3, Genesis GV70 and Lexus NX.

So, is it just a fun car to drive or will it suit the family, too? I've been cruising around in it for the last week with my family of three to find out for you!