Alfa Romeo Tonale 2026 News
Refreshed luxury challenger has arrived
Read the article
By Tim Gibson · 09 Jul 2026
Alfa Romeo’s stylish and refreshed hybrid SUV is here. The brand has announced pricing and specifications for its updated Tonale small SUV in Australia. It will be offered as a petrol mild hybrid, with prices starting from $64,990 9before on-road costs), which is the same as before. Plug-in hybrid power is now an extra $1500, with prices starting from $78,990.The Tonale is similarly priced to the BMW X1 that is available in petrol ($66,700) and PHEV ($79,500) set-ups. It will also tackle the revamped Cupra Formentor that just got a sizeable $7000 price cut in Australia ($53,990). PHEV variants of the Formentor are $4500 cheaper than the comparative Tonale, starting from $74,490. The petrol mild hybrid Tonale is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 128kW and 240Nm, supplemented by a small electric motor and 48-volt battery.The PHEV also has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, but adds a larger electric motor to boost power to 198kW and 270Nm, along with an all-wheel drive system.Its 15.5kWh battery has an all-electric driving range of 59km, according to WLTP standards. The car has received a new sharpened design as part of its refresh, including a re-thought front grille and new 19-inch alloy wheels. It also has several new interior features as standard.Seats are covered in a synthetic leather, and the front ones are electrically adjustable, with heating, ventilation and memory function. The steering wheel and windscreen washer nozzle are also heated. Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 10.25-inch central touchscreen, along with a wireless phone charger.It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.There other convenience features like an electrically operated tailgate with hands-free function, and keyless entry and start. Alfa Romeo has introduced special edition variants of its Tonale and Junior SUVs, called the Ibrida Sport Speciale. The Junior is priced from $51,990, while the Tonale starts from $68,990, so they are both more expensive than base versions of their respective models. The Junior is a compact SUV, powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol mild-hybrid system, producing 107kW and 230Nm. It sits under the Tonale in Alfa Romeo’s range. The special edition flair to these models adds synthetic leather and Alcantara seats, as well as a sunroof and a glossy black body kit.
Jeep axes several cars
Read the article
By Laura Berry · 12 Jan 2026
Stellantis, the parent company that owns Jeep and Alfa Romeo among other car brands, will discontinue the sale of all plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in North America.In a statement issued by Stelantis the company cited a lack of demand for PHEVs as the reason for its decision to remove them from sale.“With customer demand shifting, Stellantis will phase out plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) programs in North America beginning with the 2026 model year, and focus on more competitive electrified solutions, including hybrid and range‑extended vehicles where they best meet customer needs.”Stellantis confirmed the decision would see plug-in hybrid versions of models discontinued, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Alfa Romeo Tonale.Stellantis blames customer demand, but sales show the Wrangler 4xe to be the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the United States. Stellantis has been plagued with hybrid woes in the US, with the company issuing a recall as recently as November 2025 for a potential fire risk that affected more than 320,000 vehicles across the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Wrangler 4xe ranges. In September, 2025, Jeep announced it would discontinue its plans for a PHEV version of its Gladiator ute before it had even gone into production.The move to pull PHEVs from its brands in the US is at odds with global trends, which show sales of hybrids, particularly PHEVs, increasing as demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) wanes.Stellantis said it will focus on building its BEV and regular hybrid ranges in North America. Stellantis’ decision to discontinue PHEVs in the US doesn’t affect Australia’s Jeep range mainly because the Jeep Grand Cherokee was axed in 2025, including the 4xe, and the Wrangler isn’t offered with plug-in hybrid power.The Jeep Compass is offered as a PHEV in Australia and will continue to be even when the new generation arrives because it will be produced in Europe and won’t be affected by the company’s US decision. Meanwhile the Avenger SUV is the only BEV offered by Jeep in Australia.As for the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV this was axed from the brand’s Australian line-up in 2025.
Alfa Romeo says its reliability better than rivals
Read the article
By Andrew Chesterton · 31 Oct 2025
Alfa Romeo says its quality and reliabilty on the Tonale small SUV is "far ahead" of its German rivals in BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
New SUV promises 'maximum pleasure'
Read the article
By Andrew Chesterton · 15 Oct 2025
Alfa Romeo’s new Tonale promises to reinject the “Alfa Romeo driving appeal” into its small SUV, with a new generation doubling down on the driving fun in an effort to lure in more customers.
Bold exclusive Alfa Romeo announced
Read the article
By Tim Gibson · 02 Oct 2025
There are new limited edition Alfas on offer.