2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2020 Cadillac XT4

Cadillac employed a “Y” trim level strategy for the 2020 XT4, starting with the standard Luxury trim and offering upgrades to Premium Luxury or Sport trim. The test vehicle featured Premium Luxury trim, which emphasized comfort over sportiness. It came with front-wheel drive, Silver Radiant metallic paint, 20-inch aluminum wheels, a navigation system, a Bose premium audio system, and several option packages, totaling $45,660 including destination charges. The XT4's exterior was visually appealing, especially with the 20-inch alloy wheels, and had a crisp, tailored styling. However, the interior had some quality missteps, such as the plain black trim around the power window controls, though it generally used competitive materials.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting well with the rest of the Volvo lineup. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, featured a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also had a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim on the dashboard and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents melding together seamlessly.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, available from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. It had a nine-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. The EPA estimated a fuel economy of 26 mpg for the FWD model, though the test vehicle returned 24.8 mpg. The XT4 had a lively driving character due to its fat band of torque, but the FWD model experienced front-wheel slip and torque steer. The nine-speed automatic transmission provided smooth shifts but was hesitant to downshift in Tour mode, a problem somewhat mitigated in Sport mode. The XT4's interior needed better isolation from engine and road noise, and the suspension struggled with both speed humps and smaller bumps, though the oversized wheels offered impressive grip.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge on top. The gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 had 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge had a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft from its electric motors, with a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Recharge could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the T5 and T4 took 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The XC40 emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. The Recharge model also offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 provided comfort for the driver and front passenger, with soft leather, padded armrests, and heated, ventilated, and massaging seats. The rear seats were heated and had air conditioning vents, with ample legroom but a flat cushion. The air conditioning system was highly effective, quickly cooling the interior during a heatwave. The XT4 had a clean, minimalistic interior with plenty of storage space, including umbrella holders and an angled wireless smartphone charger. However, cargo space was limited, with 22.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 48.9 cubic feet with the seat folded down. A hands-free power liftgate was available.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had the same passenger and cargo space as the gasoline models, though it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive in interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated for the lack of space with clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped to hold a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a standard USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 featured the latest version of the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system, which was much improved from previous versions. The test vehicle included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, Cadillac Connected Access services, and near-field communication pairing to Bluetooth. The 8-inch display was a touchscreen, with intuitive controls on the center console and steering wheel, and a voice-recognition system. However, the screen could be larger, and the climate system was not integrated into the voice-recognition system. The optional 13-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround audio system provided a satisfying listening experience. The test car did not have a head-up display or a rear camera mirror.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps built-in. The system also included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The standard hardware setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge model had OTA update capability, allowing for updates to any vehicle function controlled by software. It also lacked a start button, with the car starting automatically when the driver shifted out of park. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but it was not confirmed for the XC40.

For the 2020 model year, the Cadillac XT4 added forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, low-speed automatic emergency braking, and the Safety Alert Seat system to its standard equipment. It also included a rear-seat reminder, Teen Driver technology, and two years of automatic collision notification and emergency assistance. Premium Luxury and Sport trims added blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and lane-change warning systems. The Driver Awareness Package included automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and a following-distance indicator. Adaptive cruise control was available in the Driver Assist Package. The XT4 received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and Good ratings from the IIHS for moderate-overlap frontal-impact and side-impact protection.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. The electric XC40 Recharge had not been tested, but Volvo expected it to perform well due to a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure. The XC40 came with standard safety features like lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver-alertness monitor, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist system. The Recharge model had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.