2020 Subaru Ascent vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2020 Subaru Ascent, resembling an enlarged Subaru Forester, was designed with practicality and utility in mind. It featured gray plastic cladding for 360-degree protection, an oversized grille, and exaggerated fender flares for a robust appearance. The Ascent's roof rails and 20-inch aluminum wheels on three of the four trims added to its functional design. The base model, starting at $31,995, came with 18-inch wheels and lacked privacy glass. Upgrading to the Premium trim at $34,395 offered better detailing and a superior infotainment system. The Limited trim at $39,345 added leather seats, while the top-tier Touring trim at $45,045 included premium leather, a panoramic sunroof, and special wood trim. The test vehicle, a Touring trim, was priced at $46,285 and featured a stylish Abyss Blue Pearl paint and Java Brown leather interior, offering a more luxurious feel than typical Subaru models.

In contrast, 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. It featured "Thor’s Hammer" LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also had a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a unique rear bumper, and a model-exclusive Sage Green Metallic color. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents blending seamlessly. Unlike many competitors, Volvo maintained a high-quality interior without compromising on design.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and all-wheel drive (AWD). It produced 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, providing good acceleration. However, it was a thirsty powertrain, averaging 18.9 mpg during testing, below the EPA estimate of 22 mpg. The Ascent's handling was not particularly sporty, with slow and numb steering and a suspension that struggled with undulating road surfaces. The CVT, while decent, had issues with power delivery, producing unexpected surges and fading power during acceleration. The shifter felt cheap, and the vehicle rolled significantly when parked on a hill. Despite these drawbacks, the Ascent excelled on freeways and off-road, thanks to its AWD system, X-Mode off-road traction system, Hill Descent Control, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the 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, sharing its powertrain with the Polestar 2, had 402 hp and 486 lb-ft, 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 Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort over performance, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. It also featured one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent offered comfort, especially in the Touring trim, with soft leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The driver’s seat was 10-way power-adjustable with a manual thigh support extension. The front seats had significant track travel, making the Ascent appealing to tall people. The dashboard featured a useful shelf and upscale ambient lighting, though the controls appeared dated. Storage options included a center bin, door panel bins, and a glove compartment. The Ascent could be configured with a second-row bench seat or captain’s chairs, with the latter providing comfort and sliding functionality. The third-row seat was accessible and offered acceptable space for short trips. Cargo space was 17.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 47 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86 cubic feet with the second row folded.

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 competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The frunk was small, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. 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, 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 an optional wireless charging pad and a standard USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent featured a Starlink infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, and integrated apps like Pandora. Premium trim added an 8-inch touchscreen, text-messaging capability, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Starlink Safety and Security connected services. The Touring trim improved with a high-resolution screen and navigation. The system had stereo knobs for tuning and volume, and separate climate controls. However, the voice-control system was outdated and the navigation system had issues with accuracy. Pairing via Bluetooth and streaming music was easy, and the Harman Kardon speakers provided rich sound quality. USB ports were available in all three rows. The Ascent Touring also offered a 180-degree front camera view, a 180-degree rear camera view, and a PIN Code Vehicle Access system for active lifestyles.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It 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 also had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing the driver to simply shift out of park with the key fob on their person. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but it was not confirmed for the XC40.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. It featured EyeSight, Subaru’s collection of camera-based advanced driving assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Premium trim added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, while Limited included LED steering-responsive headlights with automatic high-beam operation and reverse automatic braking. The EyeSight Assist Monitor projected lights onto the windshield to indicate system status. The Ascent also included a rear-seat reminder system and Starlink Safety Plus connected services, with automatic collision notification, SOS emergency calling, and quick access to roadside assistance.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received a 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 rated, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests. The XC40 came with standard safety features like lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, 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 Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.