2021 Land Rover Defender 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. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a slightly different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with high-quality materials, real metal trim, and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender aimed to echo the vibe of its predecessors while bringing the SUV into the modern era. It featured half-round LED headlights, a structural-looking grille, flat-topped fenders, and a floating roof. The spare tire was mounted on the side-hinged tailgate. The interior emphasized exposed structure, with a dash held between horizontal beams and exposed Allen-head bolts securing the door panels. The controls and steering wheel were beefy, and the leather-upholstered seating was both tough and luxurious. A digital instrument panel and a securely mounted center touchscreen interface added to the modern feel. The interior felt authentic, high-quality, and thoughtfully designed.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The AWD T5 increased output to 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD, delivering a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The Recharge had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity, and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The T5 and T4 models achieved 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads, and was capable of one-pedal driving. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender offered two powertrains in the U.S. The base model had a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine producing 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The more powerful option was a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder mild-hybrid setup, delivering 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. All models used an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD with low range and Terrain Response. The Defender had impressive off-road specs, including a 30.1-degree approach angle, 37.6-degree departure angle, and a maximum wading depth of 35.4 inches. On-road, the Defender was quick, with the 2.0-liter model reaching 0-60 mph in 7.7 seconds and the 3.0-liter in 5.8 seconds. It had a maximum towing capacity of 8,200 pounds and a payload capacity of over 1,700 pounds. The Defender excelled in both highway and city driving, offering a comfortable and capable ride.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, with less legroom and headroom, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also small due to powertrain hardware. 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. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, and a wireless charging pad was optional.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender rode on a unibody platform shared with the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Discovery, using aluminum for weight reduction and strength. It featured four-wheel independent multi-link air suspension, enhancing both on-road and off-road performance. The Defender offered flexible seating configurations, including an optional jump seat between the front seats and a third-row seat in the long-wheelbase 110 model. The Defender 110 had 34-34.6 cubic feet of luggage space behind the second row and 78.8 cubic feet behind the first row. The three-door Defender 90 had 15.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 58.3 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 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 both the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, instead allowing the driver to shift out of park with the key fob on their person.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender used Land Rover's Electronic Vehicle Architecture 2.0, allowing for remote software updates to 14 individual modules. It featured the new Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Defender offered multiple camera views, including a "transparent hood" view using the 3D surround-camera system. The audio system could be upgraded to a Meridian sound system with up to 14 speakers and a subwoofer. A full-color head-up display and a ClearSight rear-view mirror were also available.

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. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, 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 had a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. However, it came with an extensive list of standard safety features, including a perimeter alarm, front airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, electronic traction control, dynamic stability control, roll stability control, emergency braking, anti-lock braking, emergency brake assist, cruise control speed limiter, blind spot assist, lane-keep assist, driver condition monitor, traffic sign recognition, rear traffic monitor, clear exit monitor, and a 360-degree parking aid. The Defender underwent extensive durability testing during its development.