MG Im6 vs Alfa Romeo Tonale

What's the difference?

Meet the IM6 Performance, “presented by MG”. And that last bit’s important, because while it’s marketed and sold by the Chinese mainstream player, it really is unlike any other MG going around.

Think of it as like a Lexus to Toyota, or an Audi to Volkswagen, with the Chinese brand going premium, and seemingly making a direct play for Tesla’s fan base. How so? Well, there’s only two models in IM line-up (sound familiar?) with the IM6 a rival for the Model Y, and the IM5 (which we’ve also tested) a competitor to the Model 3.

The IM6 is spacious, pretty sumptuous and ridiculously fast. And it offers up some features I’ve only ever really seen in high-end German metal. But it’s also got some quirks.

So, can MG run with the big dogs of the premium car world with the IM6 Performance? And should Tesla be worried? Let’s find out.

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.