2022 Toyota Venza vs 2021 Volvo XC40

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, “Recharge” badging, model-specific alloy wheels, and a gloss black roof and mirror caps. It also had a model-exclusive color, Sage Green Metallic, and a charging port where the fuel filler would normally be. 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 Toyota Venza, reintroduced for the 2021 model year, rode on the Toyota New Global Architecture K (TGNA-K) platform, shared with several other Toyota and Lexus models. It measured 186.6 inches long, 73.0 inches wide, and 65.9 inches tall, with a 105.9-inch wheelbase. The Venza had excellent proportions and a modern exterior design, with a deeply scalloped body side and a prominent nose. The interior was Lexus-like, with an elegant layout and high-quality materials. The layered dash and well-placed touchscreen display added to the premium feel. The front seats were supportive and comfortable, and the rear seats could accommodate three adults easily.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The two 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, enabling AWD and a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack provided electricity, with 75 kWh of usable capacity. Volvo quoted zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds for the Recharge, 6.1 seconds for the T5, and 8.1 seconds for the T4. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge model emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality and the capability of one-pedal driving. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2022 Toyota Venza had a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and three electric motors, producing a combined 219 horsepower. The Venza balanced electric and gas drive for optimum efficiency and performance. Drivers could opt for electric-only operation for short distances or select among Normal, Eco, and Sport drive modes. Regenerative braking helped recharge the lithium-ion battery, while the main charge came from the motor-generator driven by the gas engine. The Venza offered sprightly performance and agile handling, feeling maneuverable like the Camry. It delivered a comfortable ride, suitable for a midsize family hauler.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 claimed 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 included 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 didn’t get any phone-charging options.

The 2022 Toyota Venza seated five in two rows, with good headroom and legroom in both rows. The second row had 45.2 inches of hip room, adequate for three adults. The cabin felt roomy, especially with the available Star Gaze fixed panoramic glass roof on the Limited trim. The interior featured numerous convenience features, including an overhead console with LED map lights, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat on XLE and Limited models. The electric parking brake allowed for a switch in the center console, and the sun visors had sliding extensions and illuminated vanity mirrors. The cabin had four cupholders and four bottle holders, with each door holding a 24-ounce bottle. The lithium-ion battery pack under the second-row seats had little impact on cargo capacity, with up to 28.8 cubic feet of luggage space behind the second row and 55.1 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. Toyota added sound-blocking and absorbing insulation, making the Venza serene and quiet on the road.

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, allowing for updates to any vehicle function controlled by software. Recharge models lacked a start button, with the car starting automatically when the driver got in with the key fob. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but Volvo hadn’t confirmed it for the XC40.

The 2022 Toyota Venza’s hybrid setup required no special attention and eliminated range anxiety. The Venza’s Predicted Efficient Drive (PED) program used the navigation system to analyze drivers’ habits and optimize battery charging. The LE and XLE models came with an eight-inch touchscreen, AM/FM/HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa capability, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Limited added a nine-speaker JBL audio system, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and intelligent touch-capacitive controls. Both multimedia setups included Toyota Connected Services, with Safety Connect, Service Connect, Remote Connect, and WiFi Connect. An Advanced Technology Package was available for the Limited trim, including a head-up display and rain-sensing windshield wipers. A digital rearview mirror was also available.

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. These ratings weren’t applicable to the electric XC40 Recharge, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests. The XC40 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 also had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Toyota Venza included the Toyota Star Safety System, with stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, smart stop technology, and a rearview camera. It also had eight airbags, three-point seatbelts for every seating position, and LATCH lower anchors for child safety seats. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 group of driver aids included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane tracing assist, and road-sign assist. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and hill-start assist were standard on all trim levels. XLE and Limited models got front and rear parking assist with automated braking, and Limited models also got fog lamps. The 2022 Toyota Venza received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.