2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2021 Lincoln Corsair

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 “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille, with gasoline models offering a white contrasting roof for a retro touch. The XC40 Recharge differentiated itself with a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also had a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a unique rear bumper, and a model-exclusive Sage Green Metallic color. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery, creating a coherent and pleasing design.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair replaced the Lincoln MKC, offering a refined design with slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, making it appear larger. It shared design cues with the Aviator and Navigator, and its cabin featured a flowing dash, floating center touchscreen, and “Piano Key” shifter buttons. While it shared the overall look of more expensive Lincoln SUVs, the Corsair had more hard-touch materials. The interior was geared towards both older and younger buyers, with options for black leather with dark wood or lighter palettes with tan leather. The Corsair offered trims like Standard, Reserve, and the Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, each with varying features and luxury options.

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 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 shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD, with a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. It had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, providing a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. The XC40 emphasized luxury and comfort, with excellent ride quality and one-pedal driving capability. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair's base engine was a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine offered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft, providing strong acceleration. Both engines used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the 2.0-liter available in FWD or AWD, and the 2.3-liter exclusively in AWD. The Corsair featured unique drive modes like “Conserve” and “Excite,” with the latter akin to Sport mode. The 2.3-liter engine provided brisk acceleration, confident cornering, and strong braking. The Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 266 hp, offering 28 miles of pure EV driving and 78 MPGe in electric mode.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models, but it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. It had clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console and a bag hook in the glovebox door. The Harman Kardon system's speakers were moved to the dashboard, allowing for larger door bins. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair had a spacious cabin with comfortable seats and ample storage space. It featured reclining and sliding rear seats, providing impressive legroom for a compact SUV. The Corsair offered 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 57.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. It came standard with a power liftgate and an available hands-free power liftgate. However, the pronounced lip when stepping in or out of the vehicle required caution.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge offered OTA update capability, allowing for software updates without visiting a dealership. It lacked a start button, requiring only a key fob to shift out of park.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen running the SYNC 3 infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Reserve trim added wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display. The steering wheel design allowed easy access to voice control, enhancing user experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 received a “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. It came with standard safety features like lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. The Recharge model included Volvo’s latest sensor suite, allowing for future driver aid advancements.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. The Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus suite added features like adaptive LED headlights, surround-view parking cameras, and stop-and-go adaptive cruise control. The Corsair was an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus when equipped with high-feature headlights.