2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Volvo XC40 was a standout in terms of design among small luxury crossovers. Its traditional SUV styling featured a tall and flat roof, combined with an upright rear hatch, giving it a more robust appearance than many of its rivals. Key Volvo family design cues included the distinctive “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models of the XC40 were available with a white contrasting roof, adding a touch of retro flair to its overall look.

The XC40 Recharge was visually distinguished from its gasoline counterparts by its blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels, with 19-inch wheels standard and 20-inch wheels optional. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a slightly different rear bumper to accommodate the lack of exhaust tips, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. Its charging port replaced the traditional fuel filler location, retaining a largely familiar SUV appearance while catering to the electric vehicle segment.

The XC40's exterior housed the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, shared with the Polestar 2 electric vehicle. This platform was versatile enough to support both gasoline and electric powertrains, ensuring engineering integrity and performance.

Inside, the XC40 showcased a minimalist design adorned with high-quality materials, exuding a premium feel. Real metal trim on the dashboard and a blend of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile for upholstery highlighted the cabin. The interior design was cohesive, with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and well-integrated air vents, setting a high standard for luxury in this segment.

The 2021 Honda CR-V, while competent, had a more conventional and less distinctive aesthetic compared to its peers. Many compact crossover SUVs shared a similar “daylight opening”—the shape of the side window—making the CR-V difficult to distinguish from others on the road. Some unique elements like the grille opening and scattered chromed plastic features provided slight differentiation, but overall, the CR-V's exterior did not stand out.

Honda's color palette for the CR-V included eight options, but many of these were various shades of gray, black, or white. Vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic were reserved for higher trims. In practice, most CR-Vs found on dealer lots were of the more subdued white or gray varieties, making colorful options a rarity.

Inside, the CR-V offered a range of upholstery options—from cloth to leather—depending on the trim level. Higher trims featured additional luxury touches like wood panels and chrome details, aiming for a more upscale appearance. The seating was angular and modern, though perhaps less plush compared to some competitors.

Overall, the CR-V's design leaned heavily on functionality and practicality, rather than making a bold visual statement.

Volvo provided a versatile powertrain lineup for the 2021 XC40. The gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive T4 variant delivered 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the all-wheel-drive T5 variant boosted these figures to 248 hp and 258 lb-ft.

At the top of the range, the XC40 Recharge employed a dual-motor setup with an electric motor on each axle, producing a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain was supported by a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity. The vehicle’s performance was impressive, with a sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, making it faster than many competitors in the electric vehicle segment.

Volvo limited the top speed to 112 mph across all XC40 models, as part of a company-wide safety initiative. The gasoline T5 model could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, while the T4 model took 8.1 seconds.

The XC40 Recharge emphasized luxury and comfort over high performance, with features like one-pedal driving and excellent ride quality even on rough roads. Its towing capacity was a notable 2,000 pounds, when properly equipped—a rarity among electric vehicles of its class.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not engineered for high performance but aimed to provide reliable and steady driving characteristics. Every CR-V trim shared the same 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This setup provided smooth acceleration, and contemporary road tests suggested a zero to 60 mph time of about 7.8 seconds.

Unlike the Volvo XC40, which offered multiple powertrain options, the CR-V focused on a singular, balanced approach. The CVT, while efficient, did not provide the driving engagement found in some competitors with more conventional automatic transmissions. Rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered eight-speed automatic transmissions that enhanced the driving experience.

The CR-V was available in front-wheel drive as standard, with an all-wheel-drive option for those who required extra capability. Honda’s unitized body structure, combined with MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear setup, ensured decent handling and ride quality, consistent with expectations for a vehicle in this class.

Volvo claimed that both gasoline and electric versions of the XC40 offered the same passenger and cargo space. Despite this, the XC40 Recharge was less spacious compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, particularly in terms of front and rear legroom, headroom, and cargo area. The frunk, or front trunk, of the XC40 Recharge was minimal, largely occupied by powertrain components.

In gasoline form, the XC40 fared better against rivals such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 concerning interior space, although the segment’s overall utility was generally modest.

Volvo compensated for its space constraints with smart storage solutions. The center console featured a removable trash bin and a bag hook integrated into the glovebox door. Harmon Kardon system speakers were relocated from the doors to the dashboard, creating larger door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was designed to securely hold a phone. Front occupants could opt for a wireless charging pad, while rear passengers unfortunately lacked phone charging options.

The Honda CR-V excelled in maximizing form and function, maintaining its longstanding objective of accommodating five passengers comfortably while providing ample cargo space. The CR-V offered 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume, slightly surpassing the Toyota RAV4. It also provided a bit more cargo space behind the second row compared to the Toyota, with a total cargo volume of 75.8 cubic feet when the rear seats were folded.

The CR-V’s cargo area access varied by trim. Lower trims required manual operation of the tailgate, while higher trims such as the EX-L featured a power tailgate, and the Touring offered a hands-free version activated by a foot motion under the bumper. Roof rails, necessary for additional cargo carrying, were only standard on the top-tier Touring trim, although competitors like Subaru offered these features at lower prices.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge was equipped with the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, originally introduced in the Polestar 2. This system heavily integrated Google services, including Google Assistant for voice control and Google Maps for navigation. Android phone users could sync their Google accounts for enhanced customization. The 9-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster delivered top-notch graphics and intuitive menu layouts, though the interface might not appeal to all drivers.

Volvo also included conventional Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. The Recharge model offered over-the-air (OTA) update capability, allowing Volvo to push updates for various vehicle functions, similar to Tesla, although Volvo’s plans for future updates remained unspecified.

Interestingly, the XC40 Recharge did not have a traditional start button. Drivers only needed the key fob to be present, and shifting out of park activated the car. Although related to the Polestar 2’s Digital Key feature, Volvo had not confirmed this function for the XC40.

The base 2021 Honda CR-V LX featured a basic 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity. However, higher trims from the Special Edition onwards included a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, plus SMS text messaging functions. The audio system varied by trim, with the Special Edition and EX offering a 180-watt system with six speakers, while the EX-L added two additional speakers. The Touring model boasted a 300-watt system with a subwoofer.

Most trims, except the base LX, included multiple charging ports: 1-amp and 1.5-amp USB ports in the front console, a 12-volt outlet in the center console, and 2.5-amp USB ports in the second row. The Touring trim added a wireless phone charger for added convenience.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 gasoline models received top ratings for safety, earning the IIHS “Top Safety Pick+” and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA. These accolades underscored the vehicle's crashworthiness and overall safety performance, although the XC40 Recharge had not been rated due to its different structure. Volvo anticipated strong safety results for the Recharge, thanks to robust structural reinforcements and a dedicated safety cage around the battery.

Standard safety features in the XC40 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 enhancements incorporated traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, driver-alertness monitoring, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and the Pilot Assist system, combining adaptive cruise control with lane centering.

The Recharge model also benefited from Volvo's latest sensor suite and related software, setting the stage for future advanced driver assistance features.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning both the NHTSA five-star overall rating and the IIHS Top Safety Pick award, though it narrowly missed the Top Safety Pick+ designation due to variances in headlight performance and side crash test updates. The CR-V's LATCH child seat anchoring system also received a less-than-perfect “Acceptable” rating for ease of use.

Honda’s commitment to safety was evident in how it equipped the CR-V across its trims. All advanced safety features were standard under Honda’s Sensing system, irrespective of trim level. Standard features included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was exclusive to the EX trim and above.