Refreshed 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale Drops Hybrid, Adds Sick-Ass Tri-Spoke Wheels

Sometimes, an enthusiast-focused brand decides it wants to stop losing money, so it introduces a crossover designed with more mainstream buyers in mind. The plan doesn't always work, but it seems to have worked out pretty well for Porsche, so you can't really blame other automakers for trying. Unfortunately for Alfa Romeo, the Tonale hasn't quite been the success it was probably hoping for, at least in the U.S. — through September, sales are down 23%, with only 2,109 sold (beating Stelvio sales by a mere 608 units). But hey, maybe the refreshed 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale can turn things around. 

As you can see, the exterior styling has been updated but isn't exactly a wild departure from the pre-refresh Tonale. It's a facelift, not a full redesign, after all. Its updated grille and bumper does make the 2026 model look better than the outgoing Tonale, though, and the new 20-inch, three-hole wheel design looks absolutely incredible. You shouldn't buy a car just for the wheels, but man. If there ever were a wheel design that would be the exception to that rule, it might be this one. If only they weren't bolted to a slightly fancier Dodge Hornet. (Oh wait, RIP Dodge Hornet.) 

Aside from the tri-spoke wheels, the biggest news here is probably that Alfa got rid of the plug-in-hybrid option. Instead, the Tonale lineup has been split into three trim levels, each powered by Alfa's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. That engine makes 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, with power sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic, so it should feel pretty quick, but it also won't return anywhere near the gas mileage that the hybrid offered, nor will it give you 33 miles of electric-only range. 

As for the interior, it looks pretty much the same as before, although Alfa does claim the cabin now offers "elevated materials, colors and finishes." Red leather seats are also a new option now, and there's more contrast stitching. 

For 2026, your trim level options are now the Tonale Sprint, Veloce or Sport Speciale. A base-model Tonale Sprint comes with 18-inch wheels, LED lighting and aluminum pedals, but don't expect fancy leather. Instead, you get fabric seats, but hey, at least they come with contrast stitching! Those who want leather seats will have to upgrade to the Veloce, which also adds larger 19-inch wheels, red Brembo brake calipers, aluminum shift paddles, an adjustable suspension and power liftgate. Plus, the seats are ventilated. 

If you want those sweet three-hole wheels, though, you'll have to go for the top-of-the-line Sport Speciale, which also promises "exclusive silver exterior detailing," black Brembo brake calipers and "a black-and-pearl Alcantara cabin with exclusive ambient lighting signatures."

While the refreshed Tonale probably won't convince many Jalopnik readers to give it a test drive, you have to at least respect Alfa's commitment to offering its baby crossover with some real color options. Black, white and gray are still available for all the boring normies, and Verde Fangio and Misano Blue also stick around for '26. Meanwhile, there are also three new colors to pick from: Rosso Brera, Verde Monza and Giallo Ocra. Will anyone buy a yellow Tonale? That remains to be seen, but I love that it's an option.

For now, Alfa prefers not to talk about pricing, but expect a separate press release on that soon, since it says the refreshed Tonale will hit showrooms "at the end of 2025."

Alfa Romeo