2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting nicely with the rest of the Volvo lineup. It featured “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille, with gasoline models offering 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 had a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The interior was minimalist with high-quality materials, including 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 together seamlessly.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander stood out in a crowd with its wide headlights, long hood, and assertive trapezoidal grille. It had a character line similar to the Supra sports car and taillights reminiscent of Lexus models. The Highlander looked longer and lower than its predecessor without sacrificing size. The XSE trim level added a more aggressive front end, 20-inch wheels with black accents, and a unique front fascia and lower spoiler. The Limited trim, just below the Platinum, featured chrome roof rails and accents, giving it an upscale look. Inside, the Limited trim had near-flawless fit and finish, tan leather seats, dark brown trim, and wood details, emphasizing comfort and luxury over sportiness.

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 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, 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 XC40 Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on winter-ravaged roads. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. The Highlander Hybrid was available as a separate model. The powertrain provided smooth and predictable operation, suitable for merging onto highways without feeling underpowered. Compared to competitors, the Highlander’s performance was on par, with similar horsepower and torque levels to the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. The XSE trim added higher-rated springs, retuned shock absorbers, power steering, and a rear stabilizer bar, enhancing driving excitement without turning it into a track beast.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also small, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on 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 to hold a phone, with a wireless charging pad optional and a single USB-C port standard. However, second-row occupants didn’t have phone-charging options.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander excelled in keeping driver and passengers comfortable, hauling luggage, and keeping essentials easily accessible. It featured large shelves ahead of the front seats, a wireless charging pad standard on trims above the LE, and plenty of legroom for second-row passengers. The seats moved forward and backward to maximize space for the middle row or grant extra legroom to the third row. The third row could accommodate adults if the second row moved forward. The rear-seat climate control air vents were positioned on the ceiling, blowing straight down on middle-row passengers’ heads. The Highlander offered 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 48.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 84.3 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps built-in. 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 the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing drivers to shift out of park with the key fob on their person. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but it wasn’t confirmed for the XC40.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander offered an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen optional on the Limited trim and standard on the Platinum trim. Navigation was available but struggled with points of interest compared to Google Maps. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard across the lineup. The 12.3-inch unit was bright, crisp, and fast, with a JBL audio system that sounded good but not overly impressive. The system included a volume knob and a tuning knob, but only certain apps displayed on the full width of the screen.

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. It came with standard safety features like 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 Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander upgraded to Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+), including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and intersection support. It also featured road-sign assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, and automatic high beams. The NHTSA awarded the Highlander five out of five stars, and the IIHS named it a Top Safety Pick+.