2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 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 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 real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan had clean lines and balanced proportions, offering a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. It was large for its class, nearly as big inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. The interior was roomy and accommodating, with plenty of space for four people, and an optional third-row seat expanded capacity to seven. The Tiguan combined modern geometric interior forms with a no-nonsense control layout, though it had some hard plastic and flimsy steering wheel stalks. The SEL trim featured digital instrumentation and a flush touchscreen display, but the standard six-speaker sound system was underwhelming.

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. The Recharge had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh of usable capacity, and could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The T5 and T4 models achieved zero to 60 mph in 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The XC40 emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads, and the Recharge model offered one-pedal driving.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with the 4Motion AWD system available as an option. The powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The Tiguan’s nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg in combined driving with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, but real-world testing showed an average of 22.6 mpg. The Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and refined braking action. However, it struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and its tires gave up grip early in corners. The Tiguan was quiet and composed on the highway, making long road trips enjoyable.

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, and a wireless charging pad was optional.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors and tall seating hip points for easy entry and exit. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments for proper support and excellent visibility. The V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided generous legroom and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for passengers. The Tiguan had a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, allowing for long items and four passengers. Cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on whether the SUV had the third-row seat, with a maximum capacity of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, while gasoline models continued with the previous system. The Android Automotive OS used Google apps, including Google Assistant and Google Maps, and allowed Android phone users to sync their personal Google accounts. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge model also had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing drivers to simply get in and shift out of park.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim. MIB3 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and an expanded offering of features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The system also included Car-Net connected services with remote engine starting, automatic crash notification, and Family Guardian settings. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation. However, the voice recognition technology was lacking, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL Premium R-Line had a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system.

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. The electric XC40 Recharge had not been rated, 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, 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 also had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came with the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL trim included lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to accelerate when traffic cleared. The lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent. The Tiguan’s parking sensors were overly sensitive, and the reversing camera provided a clear view. The SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view vantage point. Car-Net connected services included automatic collision notification, emergency calling, and Family Guardian alerts. The Tiguan earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, but the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.