Compared: 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale vs. 2023 BMW X3

Straddling two segments, the new hybridized Alfa crossover beats the X3 on price and efficiency but not on choice.

Beth Nichols | 

Mar 22, 2024 | 3 min read

Alfa Romeo | BMW

The Alfa Romeo Tonale is a new small crossover that will — Stellantis hopes — remind people that this Italian brand still exists. You can think of it as a fancy version of the plug-in Dodge Hornet R/T, something to take on the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and BMW. In terms of size and price, the Tonale falls in between the subcompact BMW X1 and compact BMW X3.

Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo Tonale Is Priced Lower Than the X3

Regardless of trim level, the Tonale packs a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder, a 15.5-kWh battery, and a 90-kW electric motor on the rear axle. This setup provides a combined 285 horsepower and all-wheel drive (AWD). In its base form, the hybridized Alfa costs about $45,000.

That's around $4,000 lower than what BMW charges for its starter X3, which comes standard with rear-wheel drive and a 248-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four. Shoppers can pay $2,000 extra for AWD or spend a great deal more for one of the three inline-six-powered M models, which all include two drive axles.

There's the 382-hp X3 M40i for about $64,000, the 473-hp X3 M for around $78,000, and the 503-hp X3 M Competition for about $85,000. In time, Alfa may come out with a comparable performance variant likely bearing a Quadrifoglio badge.

BMW

The X3 Edges Out the Tonale in Passenger Space

Every Tonale model comes with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless smartphone-mirroring tech — as does the base X3. Both automakers also provide desirable driver-assistance tech, including forward-collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring.

The X3 has the edge on maximum cargo space — 55 cubic-feet to the Tonale's 52 cu-ft. It has more behind-second-row luggage volume, too, offering 29 cu-ft to the Tonale's 23 cu-ft. And for the few individuals who will hook a trailer to either of these luxury rides, know that the X3 can tow up to 4,400 pounds, whereas the Tonale can support only 2,000 pounds.

Alfa Romeo

The Tonale Beats the X3 in Fuel Economy

With an EV range of about 33 miles, the Tonale can handle most daily trips on electricity alone and delivers an EPA-estimated 77 MPGe. With just gas it delivers an average 29 mpg combined, which is better than the X3.

The X3 returns an estimated 23/29/25 mpg city/highway/combined for the four-cylinder-powered, rear-drive base model. Adding AWD knocks that down to 21/28/24 mpg. Those opting for the M40i can expect to see 21/26/23 mpg, while X3 M buyers make do with a mere 15/20/17 mpg.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Beth Nichols

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Beth Nichols stumbled into automotive journalism and found her footing, jumping between a few car magazines before going freelance. Her head, once full of useless facts about literature and art history, now holds useless facts about vehicles. She edits, checks, and occasionally creates content for Capital One, and though she understands it’s customary to write a bio in the third person, I don’t like it.