Compare the2025 Lexus UXVS 2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus UX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Alfa Romeo Tonale doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the UX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Tonale doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the UX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The UX’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Tonale’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The UX has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Tonale doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The UX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Tonale doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the UX and Tonale have rear cross-traffic warning, but the UX offers optional Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Tonale’s Rear Cross-Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the UX and the Tonale have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the UX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Alfa Romeo covers the Tonale. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Tonale ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The UX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Tonale’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Lexus dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the UX’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the UX’s reliability 47 points higher than the Tonale.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX first among small premium suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Tonale isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 52 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the UX gets better mileage than the Tonale running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lexus UX uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Tonale requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus UX higher (6 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Tonale (5 to 6). This means the UX produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tonale every 15,000 miles.

The UX has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tonale doesn’t offer a CVT.

The UX stops shorter than the Tonale:

The UX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tonale’s 55 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Tonale doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better maneuverability, the UX’s turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the Tonale 1.3 PHEV’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The UX’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Tonale 2.0T’s (34.2 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the UX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tonale (6.3 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the UX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Lexus UX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 550 pounds less than the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the UX. The Tonale doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Alfa Romeo. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 35% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 19th.

The UX (except Base) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tonale doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the UX has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Tonale only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

When the UX F Sport Handling is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Tonale’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The UX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Tonale doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus UX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Alfa Romeo Tonale isn't recommended.

The Lexus UX outsold the Alfa Romeo Tonale by over two to one during 2024.