The Alfa Romeo Tonale has received a mid-life update with design changes and updated powertrains, with Australian deliveries due next year.
A facelift for the 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale small SUV has debuted in Europe ahead of its Australian launch by the middle of next year.
Due in showrooms between April and June 2026, the updated Tonale gains styling inspired by the smaller Junior, with a new front bumper, fresh 19- and 20-inch alloy wheel designs, black and white emblems, and black lettering for the Veloce and Sport Speciale.
To meet the latest Euro 6E-bin emissions standard, Alfa Romeo has updated the mild-hybrid engine in Europe, now developing 130kW, while its 201kW plug-in hybrid system has also been updated, including a refined hybrid control processor.
Alfa Romeo stated the latter will enable "more prompt, linear, and continuous" power delivery.
A Stellantis Australia spokesperson told Drive that further details about the 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale, including powertrain availability, are yet to be finalised.
In the United States, the Tonale Plug-In Hybrid will not be offered, with the small SUV to be sold exclusively with its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, non-hybrid petrol engine.
The current Australian version features a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, as well as a 1.3-litre plug-in hybrid system.
Other changes include an updated centre console design with a new rotary gear selector, while it is now possible to change gears with aluminium paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
There is also a wider front and rear track, three new metallic paint colours – Rosso Brera, Verde Monza and Giallo Ocra – and new upholstery options, including "cannelloni" (ribbed weave) seats with red leather or two-tone black/white Alcantara.
VFACTS new-car sales data shows 116 Alfa Romeo Tonales were reported as sold between January and September 2025, with the mild-hybrid accounting for 75 per cent of sales and 25 per cent for the PHEV.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
