2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 INFINITI QX80

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 yet premium, with 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 INFINITI QX80 shared a platform with the Nissan Armada, featuring a distinctive Infiniti grille and tastefully integrated LED lighting. The QX80's front-end styling was unique, with a prominent but not overdone grille. The SUV had stylish 22-inch dark chrome alloy wheels, adding to its upscale look. Inside, the QX80's cabin had unique and upscale materials, including wood trim and quilted semi-aniline Saddle Brown leather seats. However, the design theme closely resembled the Armada, and the style was becoming outdated. Despite this, the QX80's cabin was comfortable and attractive, though it fell short of the high bar set by competitors in the premium full-size SUV market.

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 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack had 75 kWh of usable capacity. 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 Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality and one-pedal driving capability. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 featured a 400-horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 engine with 413 lb-ft of torque. The engine delivered robust performance and a great exhaust note, though it was thirsty and required premium fuel. The seven-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift control and manual mode provided seamless and smooth shifts. The QX80 offered 2WD as standard, with 4WD available for an additional $3,100. The 4WD system had a computer-controlled transfer case with settings for Automatic, 4Hi, and 4Lo. The QX80 had a ground clearance of 9.2 inches and a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds. The available Hydraulic Body Motion Control system helped control body lean during cornering and quick maneuvers, though the QX80 reminded drivers of its nearly three-ton weight when taking turns too quickly.

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 very small due to 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, 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. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 required climbing into due to its tall ride height, with a step-in height of nearly two feet. The spacious greenhouse provided an open and airy feel, with good head- and legroom in the front seats. Forward visibility was commendable, though the sideview mirrors were a bit small. The power-sliding moonroof was smaller compared to panoramic designs on other Infiniti models. The QX80 could hold up to eight passengers with the optional second-row bench-seat package, or seven with second-row captain's chairs. The third-row seating was cramped, especially for adults or taller tweens. The split-fold third-row seats could be powered down, but the process was slow. Cargo space measured 16.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 49.6 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 95.1 cubic feet with all seats folded. The test vehicle had illuminated kick plates, a cargo scuff plate, and radiant exterior welcome lighting, adding a premium touch.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system 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, with the driver simply needing 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 was not confirmed for the XC40.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 had a new 12.3-inch Infiniti InTouch display, providing access to Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The display also included navigation with lane guidance, voice recognition, and Infiniti InTouch connected services. A Bose 13-speaker premium sound system was standard, with the top Sensory trim getting a 17-speaker Performance Series Bose system. Other standard features included multiple USB ports, illuminated steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and a wireless smartphone charger. The test vehicle had a dual-screen rear entertainment system with screens in the front-seat headrests and two wireless headsets, though the HDMI adapters were missing. The QX80 lacked Infiniti's ProPilot Assist advanced driving-assistance system due to its older vehicle systems architecture.

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. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, 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 also had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Infiniti QX80 came with standard safety features such as forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with lane-departure prevention, forward-collision warning, backup collision intervention, a smart rearview mirror, and adaptive cruise control. Additional safety items included driver attention alert, front knee airbags, and seat belt pre-tensioners for second-row outboard passengers. The NHTSA had not rated the 2022 QX80, but the 2021 model received four stars for overall crash protection, with three stars for front crash protection and five stars in side crashes. The IIHS had not rated the QX80 for safety.