2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting well within the Volvo family thanks to features 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, the electric variant, was distinguished by 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 design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents blending seamlessly.

The 2022 Lexus RX continued its modern and sporty design from its 2020 facelift, available in base 350, F Sport, and L trim levels, with a hybrid RX 450h model. The RX had the most aggressive styling among its competitors, with razor-sharp character lines and angular features. The F Sport trim was the most athletic, featuring 20-inch wheels, black-housing outside mirrors, and a unique front fascia. The interior maintained a luxury appeal, with F Sport models adding sporty elements like Scored Aluminum trim and NuLuxe synthetic leather. However, the center stack felt dated, and the NuLuxe seats in the F Sport trim were less comfortable, with limited lumbar support and a challenging driving position.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for 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 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 Lexus RX 350 was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h added two electric motors for a combined 308 hp. All RX models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard on the RX 350 and AWD available. The hybrid RX had AWD as the only option. Despite the F Sport designation, the RX lacked sporty performance, with a V6 engine that hummed rather than growled and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport Handling package added adaptive variable suspension and other tuning bits, but the drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+) showed minimal differences in driving dynamics. The RX excelled in driving comfort and cabin quietness, with a compliant ride and isolated road noise. The RX 350 returned 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 combined, while the RX 450h hybrid achieved 30 mpg combined.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models, but it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive in interior space against rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Clever storage solutions included a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and extra-large door bins due to relocated speakers. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a single USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The standard two-row Lexus RX had 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably fitting four adults, with headroom of 39.4 inches in the front and 39.1 inches in the rear. Legroom was 44.1 inches up front and 38.0 inches in the back. The three-row L models had limited space, suitable mainly for groceries. The RX 350L had a 2/3/2 seating configuration, with optional second-row captain’s chairs. Cargo space in the standard RX was 16.0 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 32.6 cubic feet with the second row folded. The three-row models had only 7.45 cubic feet with all seats upright, increasing to 23.03 cubic feet with the third row down and 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows down. The rear seats did not fold completely flat, and the load-in height was high. Thoughtful interior features included a dedicated smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, quick-access head-up display button, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

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 any vehicle function controlled by software. It lacked a start button, with the car starting when the driver shifted out of park. The gasoline models continued with the previous infotainment system.

The 2022 Lexus RX had an 8-inch touchscreen display as standard, with a 12.3-inch version available. The touchscreens were moved 5.5 inches toward the driver in the 2020 refresh but remained ergonomically unfriendly. The screen's position created access issues, with a lip partially blocking icons and forcing downward taps. The touchscreen was quick and responsive, but the alternatives—voice commands and a touchpad—were frustrating to use. The touchpad was hypersensitive and unintuitive, while the drive mode selector was often mistaken for an infotainment controller. Despite these issues, the RX offered quality tech features like six USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, premium audio systems, navigation with cloud-based updates, and heated and ventilated seats. The Lexus App allowed for remote engine start, vehicle settings, and service scheduling.

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. Standard safety features included 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 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional standard features were blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the “plus” designation due to its headlights rating. The NHTSA gave the RX four stars overall, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance. Despite its age, the RX remained competitive in safety.