Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester 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 Forester 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.

The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats 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.

Both the Forester 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Forester has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Tonale has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Forester 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.

There are over 5 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Forester’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is rated below average.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Tonale doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better fuel mileage than the Tonale running its gasoline engine (26 city/33 hwy vs. 29 city/29 hwy).

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

The Forester has 5.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tonale (16.6 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Forester 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 Forester’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Tonale are solid, not vented.

The Forester 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 Forester’s wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer than on the Tonale (105.1 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Tonale’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a 3.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Tonale (8.7 vs. 5.6 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 600 pounds less than the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

The front grille of the Forester uses 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 Forester has 2.4 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, .2 inches more rear hip room and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tonale.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The Tonale’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Tonale with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 22.9 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tonale with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Forester Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Tonale doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Forester uses the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Tonale doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Tonale. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Alfa Romeo. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 10% lower rating, Alfa Romeo is ranked 11th.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Forester 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.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Tonale doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Forester Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Tonale’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Forester and the Tonale offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Tonale.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Alfa Romeo Tonale by almost 73 to one during 2023.