2021 Volvo XC60 vs 2021 BMW X5

The 2021 Volvo XC60 stood out with its sleek, Scandinavian-inspired design. Although it was no longer an independent Swedish brand, Volvo embraced a rebirth under Geely Holding Group, shedding its Ford influences to become a near-luxury, innovative lineup. Positioned between the compact XC40 and the larger XC90 in Volvo’s crossover lineup, the XC60 was built on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, shared with other 60- and 90-series vehicles.

The XC60 exuded elegance with its tailored two-box design, short overhangs, and crisp details emphasizing an agile form. Its upright grille, adorned with the iron mark logo, and LED Thor's hammer-shaped daytime running lights provided a distinct Swedish touch. Paint quality, chrome, and big alloy wheels (up to 21 inches) added to its premium appearance.

Inside, the XC60 offered clean lines, authentic materials, and a serene atmosphere. The 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen became more acceptable since its 2018 introduction, providing a sophisticated center stack. HVAC vents, chrome-knob controls, and harmonious textures and colors elevated the XC60 to near-luxury status.

The 2021 BMW X5, part of BMW’s true SUV range, maintained the iconic kidney grille and body shape, ensuring it was unmistakably a BMW. However, its familiarity sometimes caused it to blend in among other BMWs. Full adaptive LED headlights and matte aluminum or high-gloss black trim, depending on the model, provided an upscale and sporty appearance. The X5 rode on wheels ranging from 19 to 22 inches.

Inside, the X5 showed off BMW’s high-quality craftsmanship. However, the interior suffered from a sameness issue, with switches, dials, and displays looking similar to other BMW models. Despite this, the leather and soft-touch materials and unique M Sport styling in certain models provided comfort and a touch of luxury.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 offered various powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T5 models, available in FWD or AWD, featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 models, with AWD only, used a turbocharged and supercharged version of this engine to generate 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 models added an 87-hp electric motor, achieving a combined 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, while the T8 Polestar Engineered variant pushed these figures to 415 hp and 472 lb-ft.

Our tested XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), demonstrated smart decisions regarding electric motor engagement, energy recapture, and gasoline engine performance. The XC60 glided around corners effortlessly, with solid road feel, quiet cabin, and smooth suspension, making it suitable for road trips. EPA fuel economy ranged from 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway/25 mpg combined for T5 FWD models to 27 mpg combined for the T8 PHEV and 57 MPGe in electric-only mode.

In contrast, the 2021 BMW X5 came with various powertrain options, all with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base X5 sDrive40i/xDrive40i featured a 3.0-liter inline-six engine, delivering 335 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque, with sDrive indicating RWD and xDrive indicating AWD. The X5 M50i, equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, achieved 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The high-performance X5 M model reached 600 hp from its twin-turbo V8, or 617 hp with the Competition Package.

BMW introduced the X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid for 2021, with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine paired with a 24-kWh battery, producing 389 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. It offered up to 30 miles of all-electric range, seamlessly switching between all-electric, hybrid, and gasoline-only modes. Despite the power, the X5 xDrive45e’s steering dynamics fell short of BMW’s reputation, feeling disconnected and struggling with lane-keeping. At low speeds, it steered like a truck, and at higher speeds, it lacked engaging handling.

Fuel economy varied, with the X5 M achieving an EPA-estimated 15 mpg combined, the X5 M50i at 18 mpg combined, the X5 xDrive at 23 mpg combined, and the X5 xDrive45e at 20 mpg combined (gasoline only) or 50 MPGe (electric and gas).

The 2021 Volvo XC60 excelled in design and functionality, particularly for drivers seeking comfort and safety. The front seats garnered praise for their adjustability and heating system, effectively dealing with harsh winter conditions. Swedish winter expertise was evident in the heated seats, assertive rear glass heater, windshield defroster, washer, and wipers, all of which performed exceptionally in sub-freezing temperatures.

The XC60’s interior featured smart storage solutions in the center console, dashboard, and door panels, with intuitive controls and secure storage for rear passengers. Its cargo space offered 21.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and up to 63.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, accommodating a variety of needs. With a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds, the XC60 was well-suited for various tasks.

The 2021 BMW X5 made efficient use of space with thoughtfully placed cupholders and a wireless phone charging pad. However, the front seat’s comfort waned on long trips, and its console controls were challenging to read at night. Heated seats and armrests worked as expected, adding to the comfort.

Rear seats comfortably accommodated children and two adults, with an optional, untested third row. The climate controls were easy to manage, located conveniently for the driver. BMW retained its split liftgate, with full power functionality and an SUV height adjustment button for easier cargo loading.

Without the third row, the X5’s cargo area was spacious, though the xDrive45e offered slightly less space. Despite this, moving children and cargo in and out of the second row was cumbersome due to narrow door openings.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 centered its infotainment around the Sensus system, a tablet-style touchpad interface that elicited mixed reactions. Frequent iPad users found the swipe, pinch, and pull gestures familiar, while others struggled with its learning curve. The system’s segmented screen into function quadrants provided an intuitive approach once mastered. Smartphone integration included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot with a three-month trial. The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system in the test XC60 offered exceptional audio quality.

The 2021 BMW X5 featured a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. However, Apple CarPlay sometimes hijacked audio functions when connected, a quirk remedied by disconnecting the phone. Standard features included a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 10-speaker sound system, voice recognition, Bluetooth, five USB ports, navigation, HD radio, satellite radio, automatic climate control, proximity key, and a panoramic moonroof. Additional options included remote start, head-up display, quad-zone climate control, massaging seats, WiFi hotspot, 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, rear sunshades, and dual-panel panoramic roof. The iDrive system required acclimatization but eventually became user-friendly.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 continued Volvo’s legacy of safety innovations. It received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five-star ratings for some models from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features included LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision avoidance, driver alert control, run-off-road protection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping aid, front, side, and curtain airbags, whiplash protection, slippery road/hazard light alert, rear park assist camera, and power child locks. Volvo’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous system and a top speed limiter of 112 mph further enhanced safety.

The 2021 BMW X5 came with standard safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, fatigue alert, lane departure warning, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rearview camera. However, the Driving Assistance Professional Package had issues, struggling with sunshine and light rain conditions, and requiring frequent human intervention. Despite high safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA, the X5 had already faced seven recalls.