2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen completely overhauled the Tiguan for the 2018 model year, introducing an all-new second generation of its compact crossover SUV. The 2020 model retained the stylish and conservatively German design, with clean and simple lines. The new flat logo adorned a horizontal grille that ran the full width of the front fascia, connecting the Tiguan’s headlights. Inside, however, the Tiguan's interior was plain, with dull surfaces and hard black plastic. The focus was on electronics, with an optional digital dashboard and a glass-covered touchscreen infotainment system that were the highlights.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had more traditional SUV styling, with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch. It featured familial styling cues like “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 and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with every element melding together into a pleasing whole, unlike many competitors in the segment.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. It drove either the front or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Tiguan's curb weight ranged from 3,757 pounds for the front-wheel-drive model to 3,847 pounds for the all-wheel-drive model. The powertrain offered a snappy throttle response with minimal turbo lag, but passing on the highway in a fully loaded Tiguan required patience. The cabin was well insulated from wind noise, making it a quiet highway cruiser, although some road noise could filter through on rough surfaces. The Tiguan's handling was impacted by its larger size, with a longer wheelbase making it less nimble. The suspension was soft, ensuring a comfortable driving experience even on rough roads.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge on top. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Recharge had one electric motor for each axle, enabling AWD and a combined 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. The Recharge's 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack provided electricity, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. The T5 and T4 had 0-60 mph times of 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The XC40 Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. It was also capable of one-pedal driving, using regenerative braking for most deceleration. The Recharge had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan's practicality was a strong point, starting with the second row of seats that could slide up to seven inches fore and aft, making the third row useful. The third row had enough legroom for shorter adults and was cozy for kids. Front-drive Tiguans had the third row as standard, while AWD models were five-seaters with the third row available as a $595 option. The split second-row seats folded flat, giving the cargo hold a 65.7 cubic-foot capacity when the third row was collapsed. Two-row Tiguans had a cargo space of 73.5 cubic feet. The Tiguan felt roomy, with plenty of hip and shoulder room in the front seats and abundant glass in its greenhouse.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it had less legroom in both the front and rear seats compared to the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also very small. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo made up 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 properly shaped to hold a phone, with a wireless charging pad optional and a single USB-C port standard. Second-row occupants did not have phone-charging options.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the MIB II infotainment system, which was set to be replaced by MIB3 the following year. The current system was already one of the best on the market, with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display in the base S trim and an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen in SE and higher trims. The system was responsive and user-friendly, with bright colors and graphics. The Tiguan S had a single USB-C port in the front, while higher trims had two standard USB-A ports in front of the gearshift lever and a third in the second row. A wireless charging pad was available on trims above S. VW’s Digital Cockpit, a fully digital instrument panel, was available on top SEL trims. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a WiFi hotspot were standard.

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 hands-free phone connectivity. The standard hardware setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge was the first XC40 variant to get OTA update capability, allowing for updates to any vehicle function controlled by software. Recharge models lacked a start button, instead requiring the driver to shift out of park with the key fob on their person. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but Volvo had not confirmed it for the XC40.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan improved its standard safety package, adding forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert to all models. Adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and LED headlights with automatic high beams were reserved for the top SEL trim. VW equipped all 2020 Tiguan models with Car-Net, a telematics package that connected the vehicle to an owner’s smartphone or watch through an app. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not crash-tested the Tiguan, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated it a Top Safety Pick for top-of-the-line SEL Premium models with LED headlights.

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. These ratings were not applicable to the electric XC40 Recharge, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests. The XC40 came with a long list of standard safety features, including 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, allowing for more advanced driver aids in the future.