Compare the2024 Lexus UXVS 2024 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.

The Lexus UX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tonale doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 the Tonale have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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.

The Lexus UX achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Tonale has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

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 almost 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 53 points higher than the Tonale.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Tonale isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, 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 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus UX higher (7 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Tonale (6). This means the UX produces up to 1.1 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’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

The Lexus UX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 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 first in service department satisfaction. With a 96% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 32nd.

The UX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The UX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Tonale doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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 almost six to one during 2023.