Alfa Romeo hasn’t been in the greatest shape in the US as of late. The line-up is mostly rather old with the Giulia and Stelvio, and the newest American-market model, the Tonale, hasn’t taken off. From the sound of it, the Tonale hasn’t had great success in other markets either, since the head of Alfa Romeo in France, Alain Descat, revealed to French news outlet Le Journal de l’Automobile, that a refresh is already on the way for this year. That’s just three model years into the little SUV’s life-cycle.
Trying To Turn Around The Tonale
Technically, the Tonale is the best-selling Alfa Romeo in the US. The problem is that it’s only barely the bestseller, despite being the most affordable and newest model in the range. At the end of last year, with only 3,383 sales, it only beat the Stelvio by about 200 units, and the Stelvio was down that year by more than 2,000 units. Even worse, the Tonale is pacing slower this year based on first-quarter sales.
With all that context, it’s easy to see why Alfa wants to update the Tonale, and why it’s already been working on ways to boost sales. For this year, it added a cheaper, non-hybrid version with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making the same 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque as its twin, the Dodge Hornet. On the subject of the Hornet, Dodge has also been trying to boost its sales, in part by cutting the price for this year. We also wouldn’t be surprised if a Tonale refresh means one for the Hornet, too.
Updated To Fit With A Fresh Line-Up
Styling will likely be a part of the Tonale’s refresh, and we suspect it will be given crisper lines to help it fit in with the recently launched Junior subcompact and upcoming Stelvio, which looks especially crisp based on leaked renders. Both have sharper edges on their lights, and they offer two-tone paint schemes. All of that seems entirely possible for a refresh. The interior could also be updated, perhaps with a larger and better integrated touchscreen like in the Junior.
Related
Iconic Alfa Romeo Nameplate Coming To America
The Junior – nee Milano – is sexy and reasonably priced. Do you want one?
A refresh should also keep the Tonale from looking too stale in an Alfa dealer that will start hosting a variety of new models. The Junior is reportedly headed for the US, and Descat confirmed that the new Stelvio will be revealed at the end of the year, with it arriving in 2026. Furthermore, he said the new Giulia will be revealed sometime in 2026, likely with deliveries coming in 2027. The Stelvio and Giulia will both be using the STLA Large platform like the Dodge Charger and Jeep Wagoneer S, and they’ll be available with electric and internal-combustion powertrains. The Quadrifoglio’s twin-turbo V6 might even survive to appear in the new vehicles. So, hopefully, even if the Tonale doesn’t ever quite reach its potential, it will at least be enough of a bridge for Alfa to get through its line-up updates.
Source: Le Journal de l’Automobile via Carscoops
#Alfa #Romeo #Tonale #Makeover
