2021 Honda HR-V vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and an upright rear hatch, aligning well with the rest of the Volvo lineup. It featured distinctive design elements like the “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a retro look with a white contrasting roof. The XC40 Recharge, the electric variant, was set apart by a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and unique 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 high-quality materials like Nappa leather and Nubuck textile, and a coherent design that integrated elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen seamlessly.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda HR-V had a softer, friendlier appearance compared to Honda’s larger SUVs. It featured distinctive styling with converging window lines near the taillights, housing the rear door handles. Most trims came with 17-inch alloy wheels, while the Sport model had matte-black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim. The interior was plain but functional, with good material quality and fit. Higher trims offered features like push-button start, automatic climate control, a moonroof, and heated front seats. The HR-V’s interior was solid, though not luxurious, and provided a sensible design with easy-to-use controls.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 produced 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 delivered 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring dual electric motors for AWD, generating a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. It had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity, and could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The XC40 emphasized luxury and comfort, offering excellent ride quality and one-pedal driving capability. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Honda HR-V was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). While AWD was available, FWD was standard. The HR-V was considered underpowered for highway driving, with an ineffective CVT. However, its chassis provided a rewarding driving experience on twisty roads, living up to Honda’s reputation for fun cars. The HR-V offered decent ride quality but lacked the capability for rough terrains, with minimal ground clearance and no towing capacity.

The 2021 Volvo XC40, both in gasoline and Recharge models, offered clever storage solutions despite not being particularly spacious. It had less legroom and headroom compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The XC40 featured a small frunk, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. However, it compensated with features like a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox, and large door bins due to relocated speakers. A wireless charging pad was optional, but second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2021 Honda HR-V excelled in cargo space, thanks to the “Magic Seat” 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat. It offered 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the seat down (57.6 for AWD models) and 24.3 cubic feet with the seat up (23.2 for AWD). The HR-V led the segment in rear-seat legroom, though front-seat legroom and headroom were average. While it lacked clever storage solutions, the HR-V had sensibly-designed controls, including large knobs for climate control and a standard tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel for easy driving position adjustments.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, integrating Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It 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 offered OTA update capability, though Volvo was vague on future plans for this feature. It lacked a start button, allowing drivers to shift out of park with the key fob present.

The 2021 Honda HR-V’s base LX trim came with standard Bluetooth, a 5-inch display screen, and a four-speaker audio system. The Sport and higher trims offered a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while EX and EX-L models added SiriusXM satellite radio. The infotainment system was plain but functional, with two USB ports located conveniently ahead of the shifter. However, the 7-inch touchscreen was considered small, and competitors offered more standard features.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received top safety ratings, including the “Top Safety Pick+” from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. It came with a comprehensive list of standard safety features, such as lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition and Volvo’s Pilot Assist system. The Recharge model had a new sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Honda HR-V received top “Good” scores in IIHS crash tests and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. However, it had “Marginal” and “Poor” headlight ratings and an “Acceptable” LATCH rating. Honda Sensing safety features were available only on EX and EX-L trims, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The HR-V also featured Honda’s LaneWatch, providing a camera view when the turn signal was activated.