2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E aimed to evoke the spirit of the traditional Mustang coupe and convertible through its exterior design. Despite having four doors and a rear hatch, it retained Mustang-like features such as thin headlights, a long hood, and a large, nonfunctional oval grille. The taillights mimicked the original Mustang's look, complete with sequential turn signals. The vibrant exterior color palette, including the eye-catching Grabber Blue, further reinforced the Mustang connection.

Inside, the Mach-E featured a massive infotainment touchscreen awkwardly suspended in the middle of the dashboard. A thin rectangular display served as the instrument cluster, displaying speed as "ground speed," similar to other Mustang models. The minimalist interior, dominated by the touchscreen and rotary gear selector, was reminiscent of Tesla's design. Interior materials were of decent quality but lacked a leather-upholstery option, even in top trims. The First Edition models boasted unique trim elements like red brake calipers and brushed aluminum pedals.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch. It fit well within the current Volvo lineup, featuring familial styling cues like "Thor’s Hammer" LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle "Recharge" badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a slightly different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive Sage Green Metallic color.

Underneath, the XC40 utilized Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, designed to accommodate both gasoline and electric powertrains. The interior was delightfully minimalist, with high-quality materials like 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 melding together seamlessly. Unlike many competitors, Volvo did not compromise on interior design to meet a specific price point.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E aimed to live up to the Mustang name with sporty performance. The base RWD Select model produced 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, achieving zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The most potent configuration was the AWD GT Performance Edition, boasting 480 hp and 634 lb-ft, with a zero to 60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. Our test car, with a lower-level AWD powertrain, delivered 346 hp, 428 lb-ft of torque, and a zero to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds, quicker than the Audi E-Tron and only slightly behind the Jaguar I-Pace.

The Mach-E handled corners well, with responsive steering and a planted feel due to the low-mounted battery pack. However, the taut suspension and 19-inch wheels resulted in poor ride quality. Ford provided three drive modes—Engage, Whisper, and Unbridled—with minimal differences between them. The Mach-E also offered one-pedal driving and well-tuned friction brakes for a conventional braking feel.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 featured a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine producing 187 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, while the AWD T5 offered 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD, delivering 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack provided a zero to 60 mph time of 4.7 seconds for the Recharge, 6.1 seconds for the T5, and 8.1 seconds for the T4.

The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort over performance, with excellent ride quality even on winter-ravaged roads. It also offered one-pedal driving and a "normal" braking mode. Unlike most electric cars, the Recharge had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, marketed as an SUV, had packaging more akin to a station wagon or hatchback. The low driving position and roofline did not create a spacious feeling, even with a panoramic glass roof. Compared to the Tesla Model Y, the Mach-E offered less headroom and legroom in both rows and less cargo space. The Mach-E provided 29.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the second row in place and 59.7 cubic feet with it folded, along with a 4.7-cubic-foot front trunk (frunk).

Despite the limited space, Ford included clever storage solutions like a decent-sized storage bin between the front seats, a large flat area beneath the touchscreen for smartphones, and USB ports for both rows.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it offered less legroom and headroom than the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, with a smaller cargo area and a tiny frunk. 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 due to the relocated Harman Kardon speakers. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a standard USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured the new Sync 4 infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and OTA software updates. The main infotainment touchscreen measured 15.5 inches, while the instrument cluster was 10.2 inches. Standard features included SiriusXM 360L with satellite radio and a six-speaker audio system, with higher trims getting a nine-speaker B&O by Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The 15.5-inch touchscreen displayed almost everything at once, making for a text-heavy and unattractive design. The bottom of the screen replaced analog controls with touchscreen icons and sliders, which were less convenient to use than physical buttons.

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. Graphics and menu layouts were top-notch, but drivers who disliked Google’s interface might find it displeasing.

The Recharge also had OTA update capability for any vehicle function controlled by software. It lacked a start button, instead allowing drivers 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 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard driver-assist features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, a reverse sensing system, reverse automatic braking, adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, and evasive steering assist. Higher trims included a 360-degree camera system.

The Mach-E was also set to receive Active Drive Assist, enabling automated acceleration, braking, and steering on designated highways. This feature would be available via a $600 OTA update in the third quarter of 2021.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. These ratings did not apply to the electric XC40 Recharge, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests due to a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure.

Standard safety features included 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 a scalable sensor suite for future advanced driver aids.