First teaser hints at fresh shape for new compact crossover, confirmed for unveiling next year
Alfa Romeo has released the first image of its replacement for the Tonale compact crossover, due in early 2028.
The image showcases the rear flank of the car, with a new and sharper rear light design and a scalloped wing. This suggest it could have a more rakish, coupé-like roofline than the upright Tonale.
The new car, which has yet to be named, will be one of two Alfa Romeo models in the C-segment – the heartland of the European market – as the Italian brand looks to rejoin the mainstream.
As with the spiritual successor for the Giulietta hatchback, it will be based on Stellantis’s new multi-energy, segment-spanning STLA One architecture.
Alfa Romeo previously confirmed it will offer the hatchback with both combustion-engined and electric powertrains in a bid to broaden its appeal, and the same will apply for the Tonale replacement.
The ICE cars are likely to use developments of the mild- and plug-in hybrid powertrains currently offered in other models across the Stellantis portfolio.
Announcing the hatchback at Stellantis’s investor day in May, Alfa Romeo said it would “leverage Stellantis’ global scale while differentiating its offering to continue developing authentic Alfa Romeos”.
The new crossover will be instrumental in the brand’s future, considering the Tonale was its second-best seller globally in 2025. Its “leading light”, however, was the smaller Junior crossover.
The future of the brand’s flagships, the Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV, remains to be determined. The sibling models were briefly retired in September 2025 but production was restarted months later as the development of their replacements was delayed.
The new Giulia and Stelvio were originally due to be offered solely as electric cars but were held back so they could be retrofitted with hybrid powertrains.
Alfa Romeo said in May only that it was “studying solutions to continue operating in the D-segment”, hinting at further changes and indeed delays.
The current Giulia and Stelvio are confirmed to remain on sale through 2027.
Alfa Romeo’s global sales grew by 20% last year to some 73,000 cars. That was, however, largely due to the ramp-up of the high-volume Junior.
The Tonale was updated with a fresh look and a series of mechanical changes last October, but the success of these changes has yet to be determined.
Autocar understands that fewer than 200 examples of the facelifted Tonale have been sold since it arrived in UK showrooms in January.
