2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator slotted below the Navigator and above the compact MKC and its replacement, the Lincoln Corsair, in Lincoln's lineup. The Aviator featured a unified design language across Lincoln's sedans, crossovers, and SUVs, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its roofline tapered slightly, giving it an elongated look, while the low, wide beltline provided a boat-like appearance. The cabin boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats appeared elegant and sturdy, and the shifter buttons had a piano-key design. The Aviator's interior was plush, with soft-touch materials extending from the dash to the door panels and even the sides of the center console. The vehicle also featured a massive panoramic moonroof and unique warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch. It fit nicely with the rest of the Volvo lineup, featuring “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The XC40 Recharge was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. The interior was minimalist, with high-quality materials like 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. Volvo did not dumb down the interior design to meet a specific price point, maintaining a premium feel throughout.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring model combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering RWD or AWD, while the PHEV was AWD only. Both versions could achieve 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The PHEV provided a smooth driving experience, using electric power at low speeds. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned in feedback. Fuel economy for the RWD Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17, 24, 20. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 MPGe combined rating.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge on top. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The Recharge had a 78-kWh battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity. The Recharge could achieve 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds, the T5 in 6.1 seconds, and the T4 in 8.1 seconds. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. It also offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain’s chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space. The Aviator had some confusing controls, like the door-release function and seat controls, which required navigating a touchscreen menu. The manual door release worked only for the driver’s door, raising concerns about accessibility in emergencies.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom than the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also small, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated with clever storage solutions, including 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 a wireless charging pad optional and a single USB-C port standard. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator featured the Sync 3 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout, providing a user-friendly interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display offered a lot of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge used the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, featuring Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability for any vehicle function controlled by software. It lacked a start button, requiring only the presence of a key fob to shift out of park.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 gasoline model received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. 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, 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 driver-assistance system. The Recharge model also had a scalable sensor suite for future advanced driver aids.