2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling compared to other small luxury crossovers, featuring a tall, flat roof and an upright rear hatch. It seamlessly fit into the current Volvo lineup with 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 was distinguished by a 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, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The charging port was located where the fuel filler would normally be.

Underneath, the XC40 used Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, designed to accommodate both gasoline and electric powertrains. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with high-quality materials like real metal trim on the dashboard 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 into a pleasing whole.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, a new seven-passenger model, was an extended-length version of the upcoming redesigned 2022 Grand Cherokee, featuring a third-row seat and more cargo volume. Its styling was strong, resembling a smaller version of the more expensive Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. Signature Jeep elements like the seven-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel arches, and familiar lighting arrangements made it instantly recognizable. The Grand Cherokee L was available in multiple trims: Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve, with prices ranging from $36,995 to $64,235, plus a $1,695 destination charge.

The test vehicle, a Summit trim with 4WD, metallic paint, the Advanced Pro Tech Group, the Luxury Tech Group, and a 19-speaker McIntosh premium audio system, had a window sticker price of $64,770. While some interior materials and fittings didn’t meet the high price point's scrutiny, the Summit’s quilted and perforated leather, real wood trim, and loaded technology represented a substantial improvement over the old model.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The two gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 had 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor for each axle, enabling AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. It had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh of usable capacity.

Volvo quoted zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds for the Recharge, 6.1 seconds for the T5, and 8.1 seconds for the T4, with all versions electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort over speed, with excellent ride quality even on winter-ravaged roads. It also offered one-pedal driving using regenerative braking and had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine making 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive or three different 4WD systems. The maximum tow rating was 6,200 pounds, and the EPA estimated 21 mpg in combined driving. An optional 5.7-liter V8 engine, available only with Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve trims and 4WD, generated 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, increasing towing capacity to 7,200 pounds but reducing fuel economy to 17 mpg combined.

The test vehicle had the V6 engine and 4WD, offering brisk acceleration but loud when revved. The eight-speed automatic transmission was well-behaved but sometimes resisted downshifts to improve fuel economy. The Grand Cherokee L averaged 17.8 mpg on the testing loop. It featured a Sport driving mode and additional Selec-Terrain off-road modes, with the Quadra-Drive II 4WD system including an electronic locking differential and a low-range transfer case setting. The Quadra-Lift suspension provided up to 10.9 inches of ground clearance and 24 inches of water fording capability.

Volvo claimed no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline XC40 models. However, the XC40 Recharge had less legroom and headroom 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 compensated 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 Harman Kardon system's speakers being moved to the dashboard. A wireless charging pad was optional, with a single USB-C port standard, but second-row occupants didn’t get any phone-charging options.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered comfort with Summit trim, featuring heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats with 12-way power adjustment, a heated steering wheel, and a four-zone automatic climate control system with air vents in all three rows. However, the dashboard vents were too small, making it take longer to cool off the cabin. Captain’s chairs were standard for the second row, with an option for a bench seat. The captain’s chairs provided plenty of legroom and comfort, with manual side window sunshades. The third row was comfortable for all but the tallest adults, with large side windows ensuring a great view.

The Grand Cherokee L lacked practical storage space for front-seat occupants but had a storage console between the second-row captain’s chairs, useful for third-row passengers. Cargo space behind the third-row seat measured 17.2 cubic feet, with a useful storage bin underneath the load floor. Folding the third-row seat down provided 46.9 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum volume of 84.6 cubic feet behind the front seats.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It 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 also had OTA update capability for any vehicle function controlled by software. It lacked a start button, with the driver simply getting in the car and shifting out of park.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L employed the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, offering faster response and an improved user experience. Two touchscreen sizes were available: 8.4-inch and 10.1-inch with navigation. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa compatibility, satellite radio, and connected services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. It also offered a natural voice-recognition system with a programmable wake phrase. The test vehicle had the optional 19-speaker McIntosh high-end audio system, which sounded terrific but had a logo that didn’t fit the interior vibe.

Depending on the trim level, the Grand Cherokee L offered a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel, a digital rearview mirror, a thermal-imaging night vision system, and a Fam Cam rear-seat monitoring system. The head-up display remained visible to drivers wearing polarized sunglasses.

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 weren’t 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, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L introduced Active Driving Assist, a hands-on driving-assistance system combining adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance. The system was good but not great, with artificial steering assist. Jeep planned to make it a hands-free system for the 2022 model year. The Grand Cherokee L also featured Intersection Collision Assist, which could detect threats at intersections and apply brakes if necessary. It offered a complete package of driving assistance and collision avoidance technologies, including Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist. Crash-test ratings were unavailable, but the new model was expected to improve upon the old Grand Cherokee’s flaws.