2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2020 Toyota Highlander

The 2020 Toyota Highlander had a design that was somewhat unremarkable from the side, with a few updates from the previous model year, such as a more slanted tailgate glass and more pronounced body panel creases. The trapezoidal theme was evident in various parts of the vehicle, including the tailgate's license plate cutout, rear bumper, headlights, grille, and lower front bumper. Higher trims like the Limited and Platinum featured projector-beam LED headlights and fog lights, along with attractive LED running lamps. The new 20-inch wheels were exclusive to these top trims, and new paint colors like Blueprint added a touch of appeal. Inside, the Highlander boasted a high-quality cabin with silver-painted accents, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a multi-layered dash. The Limited trim offered a three-tone interior with rich textures and padded surfaces, making it one of the nicest interiors in its class.

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, with gasoline models offering a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, had 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 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.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). This engine delivered 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The eight-speed automatic transmission made full use of the engine's power, although it required a heavy foot for kickdown. The Highlander had loose steering and a soft suspension, which resulted in a floaty ride. However, it offered a calm and isolating driving experience, especially on long road trips. The AWD models on the Limited and Platinum trims included torque vectoring and selectable driving modes. Fuel economy was impressive for a large vehicle, with the FWD model rated at 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, while the AWD model achieved 20/27/23 mpg.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had 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 offered 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge model featured one electric motor for each axle, providing AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft, 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 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 Toyota Highlander could seat eight or seven with the second-row captain's chairs, which were standard on the Limited and Platinum trims. The second-row seats were versatile, with generous adjustments and easy access to the third row. The Highlander offered exceptional ingress and egress, with a front-seat height and rear-seat height that allowed easy entry and exit. It featured three-zone climate control, a 120-volt outlet, side window shades, and a heated second row on upper trims. Cargo space was generous, with 16 cubic feet behind the third row, 48 cubic feet behind the second, and 84 cubic feet with both rows folded. The Highlander also had eight cupholders, four bottle holders, and two shelves integrated into the dash for additional storage.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to the gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The cargo area was also smaller, and the frunk was limited in size due to 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, 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, and a wireless charging pad was optional. However, second-row occupants did not have phone-charging options.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander featured an outdated infotainment system with low-resolution maps, no onboard apps, and a convoluted process for using connected phones. The 12.3-inch touchscreen, optional on the Limited and standard on the Platinum, had limited usable area due to constant display of climate and fuel economy information. However, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration were standard. The Highlander had a 10-inch head-up display and a 7-inch instrument cluster display, both crisp and informative. The semi-automated driving system was effective, and adaptive cruise control, road sign detection, and automatic high beams were standard. The optional JBL audio system had 11 speakers, and the vehicle included SiriusXM, HD radio, WiFi, and four USB-A ports.

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 included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge model also had OTA update capability, allowing for updates to any vehicle function controlled by software. It lacked a start button, instead requiring the driver to shift out of park with the key fob present. The Polestar 2's Digital Key feature, allowing smartphone use in place of the key fob, was expected to be available via OTA update, but Volvo had not confirmed it for the XC40.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear emergency braking. The Highlander had a driver's knee airbag and a special cushion airbag for the front passenger. The IIHS awarded it a 2020 Top Safety Pick, and it scored top ratings in all six crash tests.

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 electric XC40 Recharge had not been rated, 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 driver-assistance system. The Recharge model also had Volvo's latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.