2021 Nissan Murano 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 slightly retro look. The XC40 Recharge distinguished itself with a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with high-quality materials like real metal trim 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 Nissan Murano, once a cutting-edge design, had become more mainstream with its L-shaped LED headlights and heavily contoured front end. Its interior and dash design remained conservative, focusing on comfort for commutes and road trips. The Murano offered trims ranging from S to Platinum, each adding more features. The base S included essentials like 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like power-adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control, leather upholstery, and a Bose premium stereo system. The range-topping Platinum trim included a dual-panel panoramic moonroof and semi-aniline premium leather with Prima-Tex protection.

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 one electric motor for each axle, providing AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. It had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh of usable capacity. The Recharge could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, the T5 in 6.1 seconds, and the T4 in 8.1 seconds. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, offering excellent ride quality even with optional 20-inch wheels. It also featured one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Nissan Murano came with a single engine option: a 3.5-liter V6 producing 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and offered standard front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. The V6 provided strong low-speed acceleration, making it great for city driving, but the CVT dulled its power at higher speeds. The Murano excelled in comfort, offering a refined ride that absorbed bumps well. It had a towing capacity of 1,500 pounds, which was lower than many midsize and even some compact SUVs.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 claimed no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it was not particularly spacious, offering less legroom and headroom compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The cargo area was also smaller, and the frunk was limited in size due to powertrain hardware. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive in interior space against rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated with 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. A wireless charging pad was optional, and a single USB-C port was standard, though second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2021 Nissan Murano offered up to 67 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 32.1 cubic feet with the seats in use. This was less than competitors like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda Passport. However, the Murano excelled in ease-of-use, with a traditional shifter design and a center console loaded with trays and cubbies. It focused on two rows of seating, providing ample headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers. The second-row seats even had partial reclining functionality.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, which included Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. Gasoline models continued with the previous system. The standard setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also offered OTA update capability for both the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing drivers to simply shift out of park with the key fob on their person. The Polestar 2's Digital Key feature was expected to be available via OTA update, but Volvo had not confirmed it for the XC40.

The 2021 Nissan Murano came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring a sensible menu layout and hard buttons and dials for easy navigation. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Available tech features included an 11-speaker Bose premium stereo system and navigation.

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, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model featured Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Nissan Murano came with standard driver assistance features as part of Nissan Safety Shield 360, including reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. Additional features included forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Optional features included a surround-view parking monitor, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.