2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting well 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 2022 Honda Passport shared its platform with the Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot, making it look almost identical to the Ridgeline from the doors forward. The Passport had a new nose design for a tougher look, applied across all three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite. The TrailSport trim aimed to appeal to off-road enthusiasts with standard all-wheel drive, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and traction management driving modes. The TrailSport also featured unique 18-inch wheels, a purposeful-looking roof rack, and simulated skid plates. Inside, the Passport had one of the largest interiors in the two-row midsize SUV segment, with quality materials and thoughtful design elements like orange contrast stitching and amber ambient lighting in the TrailSport trim.

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 had 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge featured an electric motor for each axle, providing AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft, powered by a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Recharge could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the T5 and T4 took 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 and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The EX-L trim was available with front-wheel drive, while the TrailSport and Elite trims came with Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management Four (i-VTM4) AWD system. The Passport's V6 engine was smooth and strong, with the TrailSport trim averaging 21.3 mpg. The i-VTM4 system provided mechanical torque vectoring, delivering up to 70 percent of the engine's power to a single rear wheel when needed. The Passport offered satisfying acceleration, a firm and communicative ride, and athletic handling. However, the brakes could heat up and vibrate during mountain descents, which was concerning given the SUV's 5,000-pound towing capacity.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it had 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 compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated for the lack of space with clever storage solutions, such as 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.

The 2022 Honda Passport had large doors and a low step-in height, making it easy to enter and exit. The front seats were large and comfortable, with leather upholstery and heated front seats standard. The Elite trim added ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The rear passengers enjoyed plenty of room and a slightly elevated seating position, with large side windows creating an open and airy feel. The Passport offered ample storage, including a massive center console storage bin, shelving in the front door panels, and cupholders in the rear door panels. The cargo space was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The Passport's simple utility and comfort made it easy to live with.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps built-in. 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 also had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. The gasoline models continued with the previous system. The Recharge lacked a start button, allowing the driver to simply get in and shift out of park.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. The system had shortcut buttons for the Home menu, a Back button, a screen brightness button, and a stereo volume and power knob. However, it lacked a stereo tuning knob. The navigation system was clunky, and Apple CarPlay was preferred for ease of use. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, but the Passport was not technologically advanced.

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 due to a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure. The XC40 came with a long list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and more. The Recharge model had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Honda Passport came with the Honda Sensing collection of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, a rear-seat reminder system, and a seatbelt reminder system. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control was not smooth in heavy traffic. The blind-spot monitoring warning light was poorly placed. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA in most categories but had a four-star rating for front passenger protection in a frontal-impact collision and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings in most respects but an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.