2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2020 Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai's 2020 Palisade had a striking design that could easily be mistaken for a luxury brand. Its bold styling featured a massive grille and thin headlights, with a unique headlight assembly that included larger fog lights. The Palisade's chrome accents and character lines added to its visual appeal, although some found it a bit busy. Inside, the Palisade's cabin exuded elegance with a fully digital instrument panel, a large touchscreen, and a center console filled with controls. The top-of-the-line Limited trim offered ambient lighting, leather upholstery, and a host of other premium features.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV look with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch. It shared familial styling cues with other Volvo models, such as the "Thor’s Hammer" LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, had a blanked-off grille, unique alloy wheels, and a model-exclusive color. Inside, the XC40's minimalist design featured high-quality materials like Nappa leather and Nubuck textile. The interior design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents blending seamlessly.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came with a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The Palisade offered various drive modes, including Sport, Comfort, Eco, Snow, and Smart, which adjusted the vehicle's performance based on driving conditions. Fuel economy for the FWD model was 19 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined, while the AWD model achieved 19/24/21 mpg. The Limited trim featured a self-leveling rear suspension, enhancing its handling and ride quality.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 model had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The AWD T5 model offered 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric XC40 Recharge had a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft from its dual electric motors, with a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Recharge could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the T5 and T4 took 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. The Recharge also featured one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade excelled in versatility, offering 45.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row down and 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The third row was spacious enough for adults on longer trips. The second-row captain's chairs provided comfort and convenience, with multiple cup holders and seatback pockets. The Limited trim featured power-folding third-row seats, although they operated slowly.

The 2021 Volvo XC40, including the Recharge model, had less interior space compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. However, it offered clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console and a bag hook in the glovebox door. The Harman Kardon audio system's speakers were moved to the dashboard, allowing for larger door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was designed to hold a phone securely, with a wireless charging pad available as an option.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard. The SEL trim offered an optional Driver Guidance package, which included a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, satellite radio, and an in-car intercom system. The Limited trim featured a Harman Kardon premium audio system with 12 speakers, a surround-view monitor, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge introduced the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, featuring Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability, allowing for software updates without visiting a dealership. The gasoline models continued with the previous infotainment system, which included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS and came with a full array of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention warning. The digital instrument panel displayed parking sensor warnings and featured a unique blind-spot camera system that projected live images on the instrument panel.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest safety ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA for its gasoline models. The XC40 Recharge had a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system.