2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2020 Volvo XC90

The 2020 Volvo XC90 represented a pinnacle of modern Volvo design, showcasing a blend of elegance and robustness. The R-Design trim featured blacked-out, honeycomb grille treatments, black window surrounds, mirrors, and a more aggressive chin spoiler, all complemented by bright 22-inch rims. The "Thor's hammer" LED headlights and tall, thin, curving LED taillights were distinctive, adding to the vehicle's sophisticated appearance. The Thunder Grey Metallic paint, contrasted with a beige-leather and aluminum interior, further enhanced its visual appeal. The XC90's interior was a testament to Volvo's craftsmanship, with luxurious materials and thoughtful details like the Swedish flag tag on the front passenger seat and a twist-action ignition knob.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe made its presence known through its unique sound and subtle visual cues. Aside from a "4xe" badge and sky blue accents, it looked much like a regular Wrangler, with the addition of a power port at the left base of the windshield. The Rubicon trim of the test vehicle, painted in Firecracker Red, featured more than $13,000 in options, bringing the price to $66,690. Inside, the Wrangler 4xe retained the classic Wrangler look with some modern touches, such as blue seat stitching and special gauges for the PHEV powertrain. The interior was practical, with a hose-me-out design, soft-touch materials, and a layout that emphasized functionality.

The 2020 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all based on a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The T5 model produced 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which felt insufficient for the vehicle's size. The T6 model, with a supercharger added, delivered 316 hp and 295 lb-ft, providing better performance. The Polestar tune upgrade boosted these numbers to 330 hp and 325 lb-ft. However, the XC90's mid-range acceleration was good but not exceptional, and the engine noise was not refined. Fuel economy was also a concern, with the T6 AWD rated at 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined. The T8 plug-in hybrid offered 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, with an 11.6-kWh battery providing up to 18 miles of electric range. However, the added weight of the hybrid system negated some of the performance benefits.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors and a 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. This setup provided an estimated 21 miles of pure electric driving and a total of 370 miles of driving range. The Wrangler 4xe offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save. In Hybrid mode, the vehicle delivered a total of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to accelerate to 60 mph in six seconds. Electric mode enabled pure electric driving, while e-Save preserved battery power for specific situations. During a road trip to Yosemite, the Wrangler 4xe demonstrated its ability to recharge the battery through regenerative braking, contributing to an overall average of 19.1 mpg over 757 miles.

The 2020 Volvo XC90 featured a well-organized Sensus infotainment system, though some functions were buried in menus. The cabin layout was stellar, with seven seats standard and an optional integrated booster cushion for young children. The first and second rows offered generous legroom and comfort, while the third row was tight and suitable for small children only. Cargo space was ample, with up to 85.7 cubic feet available with the last two rows folded.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe's interior was designed for practicality and comfort. The high door sills and lack of side steps on the Rubicon trim made entry and exit challenging, but once inside, the driving position offered excellent visibility. The center console had limited storage due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever. Rear-seat space was adequate, with air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, and a 115-volt power outlet. Cargo volume measured 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 72.4 cubic feet with the seat folded down.

The 2020 Volvo XC90 came standard with Volvo Pilot Assist, a semi-automated driving system combining adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The R-Design trim featured a Bowers & Wilkins stereo with 19 speakers and 1,400 watts of power, providing an exceptional audio experience. The portrait-oriented touchscreen made navigation easy, though onboard apps were slow to load. The instrument panel could display the map between analog-style dials but lacked major reconfiguration options.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. The system was intuitive but showed signs of aging in terms of load time and responsiveness. The Trip Summary data panel provided charging time estimates, and the five blue charging indicator lights on the dashboard allowed for easy monitoring of charging status.

The 2020 Volvo XC90 received top safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, though the latter's headlight test lowered its rating to a Top Safety Pick. Standard safety features included forward emergency braking, pedestrian detection, a driver-attention monitor, blind-spot monitoring, and traffic-sign recognition. Volvo's commitment to safety was evident in its use of high-strength steels and advanced airbag systems.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered advanced driving assistance systems bundled in the Safety Group and Advanced Safety Group packages. These included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Wrangler received a Marginal rating for small-overlap frontal-impact protection for the driver from the IIHS and a four-star frontal-impact crash-test rating from the NHTSA.