It's the battle of the left-field premium crossovers as the Alfa Romeo Tonale takes on the Mini Countryman and Volvo's XC40 in a running costs battle!
There are many impressive premium compact crossovers to choose from, with the new BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA and the Audi Q3 all springing to mind, however, the often forgotten contenders in the segment are often referred to as “left field” options! The Alfa Romeo Tonale is one of the latest left-field options within the crossover market, and if you’re looking to buy one but need to sell your current vehicle first, AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer!
There is only one powertrain option within the local Tonale range, so how do the base model’s running costs compare with two lesser-mentioned rivals in the form of the Mini Countryman and Volvo XC40?
The figures
|
Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.5T Hybrid Ti |
Mini Cooper S Countryman |
Volvo XC40 B3 Ultimate Dark |
|
|
Engine size |
4-cyl, 1.5-litre turbo petrol + electric |
4-cyl, 2.0-litre turbo petrol |
4-cyl, 2.0-litre turbo petrol + 48-Volt electric |
|
Power/Torque |
118 kW/240 Nm |
141 kW/280 Nm |
110 kW/265 Nm |
|
Gearbox |
7-speed dual-clutch auto |
7-speed dual-clutch auto |
8-speed automatic |
|
Seats |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Airbags |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
Driven wheels |
Front |
Front |
Front |
|
Load Capacity |
500-litres |
450-litres |
452-litres |
|
Fuel capacity |
55-litres |
51-litres |
54-litres |
|
Claimed consumption |
5.7 L/100 km |
6.7 L/100 km |
7.1 L/100 km |
|
CO2 emissions |
130 g/km |
153 g/km |
162 g/km |
|
Service plan |
5-year/ 100 000km (Maintenance) |
5-year /100 000km (Maintenance) |
5-year/100 000km (Maintenance) |
|
Price |
R754 900 |
R748 981 |
R751 400 |
Comparing the trio
Purchase price
The models we have chosen for this comparison are competitors from a pricing and body-style perspective. Monthly instalments are calculated throughout 72 months with a 10% deposit and no balloon or residual. The interest rate is set at 12%.
Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.5T Hybrid Ti
With the instalment parameters in place, the Tonale will work out at R13 283 per month over 72 months.
Mini Cooper S Countryman
With the instalment parameters in place, the Countryman will work out at R13 178 per month over 72 months.
Volvo XC40 B3 Ultimate Dark
With the instalment parameters in place, the XC40 will work out at R13 221 per month over 72 months.
Fuel consumption
On paper, the Tonale has the lowest claimed fuel consumption followed by the Countryman and the the XC40. The real-world figures produced by the trio, from our experience, have the order very much the same, with Toanle being the most frugal of the three.
Service plans
All three contenders come with identical 5-year/100 000km maintenance plans.
Verdict
Having looked at the data, in the first five years of ownership, we would be confident that the Alfa Romeo Tonale would be fractionally cheaper to run than both the Mini and the Volvo.
Keyword: Alfa Romeo Tonale vs Mini Cooper Countryman vs Volvo XC40: Which one has the lowest running costs?