Compare the2024 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale

Both the Equinox and the Tonale have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Equinox the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Tonale has not been tested, yet.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Equinox 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Alfa Romeo covers the Tonale. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Tonale ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

There are over 21 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’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 Equinox’s reliability 26 points higher than the Tonale.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact 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 Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Tonale requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tonale (14.9 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tonale (15.6 vs. 11.2 gallons).

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Tonale (6). This means the Equinox produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tonale every 15,000 miles.

The Equinox stops shorter than the Tonale:

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tonale doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Equinox has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Tonale; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Tonale (107.3 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a 2.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Tonale (7.9 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Equinox w/18” Wheels’ minimum ground clearance is 2.4 inches higher than on the Tonale (8 vs. 5.6 inches).

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 850 pounds less than the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

The front grille of the Equinox offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Tonale doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Tonale doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tonale.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Equinox’s rear seats recline. The Tonale’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Tonale with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 22.9 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tonale with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Tonale can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Tonale has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Tonale doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its SOS Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

When the Equinox Premier 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.

Both the Equinox and the Tonale offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Tonale.

The Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tonale doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Equinox 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 Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Alfa Romeo Tonale by over 101 to one during 2023.