Alfa Romeo Tonale vs. BMW X1

There’s officially a new contender for the best compact luxury SUV in town. The Alfa Romeo Tonale has been in the works for years, and now in 2024, it’s finally set to hit American streets. 

This exciting new entry into the Alfa Romeo canon boasts a ton of cool features, and it’s the first time the marque has featured an electrified powertrain. But how does it stack up to the competition? To find out, we put it head-to-head against another longstanding staple in the luxury car scene, the BMW X1.

Let’s see which one comes out on top. 

Price

First, let’s see which of the pair is the most affordable.

The Tonale is available in four different styles; here they are, along with starting MSRP as of this writing. 

• Tonale Sprint: $43,845 

• Tonale Ti: $46,500 

• Tonale Speciale: $49,500 

• Tonale Veloce: $51,040 

The BMW X1 comes in two available versions. 

• X1 xDrive28i: $40,950 

• X1 M35i: $50,350 

While they’re similar in initial cost, the Tonale starts and ends at a slightly higher price point. However, because the Tonale is a plug-in hybrid, customers who choose to lease an Alfa Romeo near Navarre, FL may be eligible for a hefty EV tax credit. Contact your local dealership for more info. 

Performance

The Tonale comes with but one powertrain option, a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a 90-kilowatt electric motor and 15-kWh battery. It also comes with standard eAWD. Despite having smaller displacement than some subcompact SUVs on the market, the Tonale delivers an impressive 285 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque. 

Meanwhile, the X1 has two available powerplants. The xDrive28i’s engine puts out 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, while the M35i cranks 313 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Both come with all-wheel drive. 

The top-tier X1 may have the M performance designation, but it still lacks the torque to beat the Tonale, and its slightly higher horsepower comes with a massive price hike. 

Fuel Economy 

So, which luxury SUV has the best gas mileage? 

The X1 M35i gets middling gas mileage, with a rating of only 26 MPG combined. The xDrive28i is only slightly better at 28 MPG combined. 

When driving using only its internal combustion motor, the Tonale is rated for 29 combined miles per gallon. But, with the battery fully charged, that figure jumps up to 77 MPGe. 

At a full charge, the Tonale’s battery can carry it 32 miles without burning a single drop of gasoline. With a level 2 at-home charger installed, that battery can go from empty to full in just two and a half hours, meaning you could go weeks without filling your tank. 

Interior

Like other Alfa Romeo models, the Tonale’s cockpit is designed with the driver in mind. It features a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen display, which runs the latest Uconnect 5 system for maximum operating speed, and it’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa for voice command and device integration. 

The center screen is tilted subtly toward the driver’s seat for easy reaching. It also has a wealth of tactile buttons on the center column and steering wheel for auxiliary functions and climate controls. It also boasts a 12.3-inch digital info cluster, and other standard features include Alfa Connect Services, a Wi-fi hotspot, and wireless phone charging. 

The X1’s infotainment setup consists of a 10.7-inch center screen and a 10.25-inch driver info cluster, which fit together in one large interface. It runs the latest BMW Operating System 9 with touch and voice control, and standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and BMW ConnectedDrive. However, there’s a conspicuous lack of physical buttons and knobs, so most functions must be controlled through the touch screen. 

Both compact crossovers have a strikingly tech-forward cabin setup, and they both provide enough features to do everything you need to do. Which one is better? Well, it’ll largely shake out to personal preference. 

Test Drive an Alfa Romeo Tonale Near Destin, FL 

At Alfa Romeo of Pensacola, we have a wide variety of Tonale models, with multiple trims and colors available. We also have some excellent lease and finance specials, because just because it’s a luxury car, it doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to drive one. 

If you don’t see what you want on our website, give us a call at (850) 903-4724 to learn more about placing a custom factory order.