2021 Volvo XC90 vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Volvo XC90 successfully reshaped Volvo's image with its design, maintaining traditional styling features like a boxy profile and rectangular grille while adding character through softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights with “Thor’s Hammer” daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome trim and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, was the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more basic looks, respectively. The XC90 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models, ensuring a cohesive design language across the brand.

Inside, the XC90 embraced “Swedish minimalism” with thoughtfully arranged, high-quality materials. The matte-finish wood trim and optional wool upholstery provided a natural and unique touch, while the Orrefors crystal shifter added a high-end element. The interior focused on simplicity and elegance, avoiding overwhelming flashiness and instead offering a restrained, luxurious environment.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a smaller sibling to the anticipated Bronco, captured a modern retro feel reminiscent of the Land Rover lineup. Its design featured short front and rear overhangs, tall fender wells, and tucked-in body sides, all aimed at enhancing trail driving capabilities. The front end echoed the larger Bronco, with bold white lettering on the grille and tailgate announcing its name. The Bronco Sport's wheels varied by trim, with options ranging from 17-inch Sparkle Silver wheels on the Base model to 18-inch machined-face aluminum wheels on the Outer Banks trim.

Inside, the Bronco Sport offered a tastefully rugged design with an uncluttered layout. The center stack featured convenient storage cubbies and an 8-inch infotainment screen, while the rotary gear selector and multiple storage compartments added practicality. The interior trim stepped up from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats, and the cargo area was designed to accommodate active lifestyles, with features like a slide-out work table and liftgate floodlamps.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all built around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 engine was turbocharged, producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 engine added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T5 came standard with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive was optional on the T5 and standard on the T6 and T8.

Despite the impressive power figures, the XC90's small engine struggled to provide the flexibility of larger engines found in competitor SUVs. The plug-in hybrid's electric-only mode was limited to low speeds and gentle acceleration, often requiring the gasoline engine to assist. However, the XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and offered a quiet cabin. The XC90's towing capacity was respectable at 5,000 pounds for most models, though the base FWD T5 was rated at 4,000 pounds.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured two engine choices tied to trim levels. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims were equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition trims came with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 245 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. All models had an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, along with a terrain management system with up to seven G.O.A.T. modes.

The Bronco Sport impressed off-road with its short wheelbase, independent suspension, and generous ground clearance. On-road, it offered good manners, though the 1.5-liter engine could feel strained under hard acceleration. The 2.0-liter engine was better suited to the Bronco Sport's character, providing a more satisfying driving experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 was available in six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. Headroom and legroom were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The interior felt spacious thanks to an optional power moonroof and upright roof profile. The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, though a power-adjustable steering wheel was not available. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console and few storage options on the console itself.

Cargo space for the T8 Recharge model was near the bottom of the segment, with 11.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 34.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 64.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The hands-free power tailgate was a convenient feature.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered clever features for active buyers, including cargo space designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. Ford provided over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories for transporting various gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds (100 with moonroof), and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds, while the 1.5-liter engine could tow 2,000 pounds.

The cargo area featured a flip-up rear glass, an optional cargo management package with a slide-out work table, a 400-watt inverter, and liftgate floodlamps. The front cabin had ample storage compartments, though taller drivers might struggle with visibility due to the roof overhang and hood bulges. The seating position could also be challenging for off-road visibility.

The 2021 Volvo XC90's Sensus infotainment system featured a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Two front USB-A ports and two rear USB-C ports were standard. A 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and head-up display were available. The portrait-oriented touchscreen was user-friendly, though the text and typeface could be difficult to read while driving. The wireless charging pad was too small for most phones, and the lack of front USB-C ports was a drawback.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring SYNC 3, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM capability. FordConnect with 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard. The base audio system had six speakers, while a Bang & Olufsen sound system was available on higher trims. The Bronco Sport's terrain management system included up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, with additional off-road tech like trail control. Intelligent access with push-button start was standard on all trims except the Base, and higher trims featured heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels and a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS for non-hybrid models, with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The NHTSA gave all XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver aid.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including pre-collision assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and a reversing camera. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, voice-activated navigation, and road-sign recognition. Trailer sway control was included with the tow package. Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA had released crash-worthiness ratings for the Bronco Sport.