2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2021 Volvo XC60

The 2021 Volvo XC60, though no longer purely Swedish, benefited greatly from its acquisition by Geely Holding Group. This transition allowed Volvo to shed its Ford-influenced designs and emerge with a near-luxury lineup of cars and crossover SUVs. The XC60, positioned between the compact XC40 and the larger XC90, was built on Volvo’s SPA platform, sharing its architecture with other 60-series and 90-series vehicles. The XC60 featured an elegant, tailored design with short overhangs, an upright grille adorned with Volvo’s iron mark logo, and distinctive Thor’s hammer LED headlights. The interior was a showcase of Scandinavian design, with clean lines, authentic materials, and a serene atmosphere. The 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen was user-friendly, and the cabin’s details, such as the elegant HVAC vents, added to its near-luxury status.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, launched in 2005 and in its second generation since 2014, received a significant refresh in 2018 that carried over into 2021. This refresh introduced the dual-screen center console, a defining feature of Land Rover interiors. The Range Rover Sport offered a variety of trims, from the base SE to the high-performance SVR Carbon Edition. Standard features on the base SE included leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, and an eight-speaker Meridian sound system. Higher trims added luxury features such as quad-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and a 19-speaker Meridian sound system. The Autobiography trim introduced high-end luxury with 22-way power-adjustable front seats and power soft-close doors. The SVR models featured a more powerful V8 engine and performance-oriented seats and suspension.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 offered a range of powertrains, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T5 models, available in FWD or AWD, produced 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 models, with AWD, delivered 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque thanks to a turbocharger and supercharger. The T8 models, plug-in hybrids, combined a gasoline engine with an 87-hp electric motor, resulting in 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Polestar Engineered variant pushed these figures to 415 hp and 472 lb-ft. The XC60’s AWD system and torque vectoring provided a smooth and secure driving experience, making it an excellent road-trip car. Fuel economy ranged from 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the T5 FWD to 27 mpg combined for the T8 PHEV, with the T8 achieving 57 MPGe in electric-only mode.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain, found in the SE and SE Silver Edition, combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque. The HST model’s P400 powertrain delivered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The HSE Silver Edition offered a plug-in hybrid with 398 hp and 472 lb-ft or a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 with 254 hp and 443 lb-ft. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft. The SVR models boasted a more powerful version of this engine, making 575 hp and 516 lb-ft. All models had an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD. The Range Rover Sport’s air suspension and Terrain Response system provided impressive off-road capabilities and smooth on-road performance. Towing capacity was up to 7,716 pounds, except for the SVR, which could tow 6,613 pounds.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was designed for comfort and style, with a focus on safety and functionality. The front seats were highly adjustable and heated, making them ideal for cold weather. The heating system, rear glass heater, and windshield defroster performed exceptionally well in sub-freezing temperatures. The cabin featured smart storage solutions and intuitive controls, with 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 63.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The XC60 could tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered up to 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity to seven but reduced cargo space to 10.8 cubic feet. The first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was best suited for children. The Range Rover Sport’s interior combined space with luxury appointments, making it suitable for road trips and daily use.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 featured the Sensus infotainment system, a tablet-style touchpad interface with a portrait orientation. The system divided the screen into function quadrants, making it intuitive for frequent iPad users. It included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot with a three-month trial. The Volvo On Call app added vehicle-specific functionality. The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system in the test vehicle was exceptional.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport’s interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console. The lower screen controlled climate and vehicle settings, while the upper screen handled infotainment. The system had a learning curve and was not always intuitive, but the pair of dials on the lower screen provided versatile control. The upper screen featured reasonably sized icons for easy navigation between menus and smartphone integration. The system included a real volume button, though it was somewhat hidden.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was a testament to Volvo’s commitment to safety. It received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA for the T5/T5 AWD and T6 AWD models. Standard safety features included LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision avoidance, and various mitigation systems. The semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system was available, integrating adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. The XC60’s top speed was limited to 112 mph for safety.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came with standard driver assistance features such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and park assist. A head-up display was also available.