2021 Jeep Cherokee vs 2021 Volvo XC90

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy, moving away from its traditionally conservative styling. The XC90 retained Volvo's recognizable boxy profile and blunt front end with a rectangular grille, but introduced 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. The Inscription trim featured luxurious elements like an Orrefors crystal shifter, although it seemed out of place in the otherwise restrained interior. The XC90's interior was designed to be functional and aesthetically pleasing without overwhelming the occupants with excessive flash.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee's styling had evolved since its debut, with its short grille opening and swept-back headlights becoming more accepted over time. The exterior appearance varied significantly with trim levels, from the basic Latitude with 17-inch wheels to the more refined 80th Anniversary Edition with 19-inch Granite Crystal wheels and painted lower body cladding. Jeep's expertise in roof design was evident in the Cherokee's optional panoramic sunroof, which covered the entire top surface.

The Cherokee's design ensured it stood out in a crowded market of crossover SUVs, bearing a resemblance to the larger Jeep Grand Cherokee. The interior layout was simple and businesslike, with the quality of materials and finishes improving with higher trim levels. The Latitude trim featured basic rubberized black plastic, while the Trailhawk offered suede seat inserts and contrasting stitching, and the Latitude Lux boasted perforated Nappa leather upholstery for a more upscale appearance.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all based on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 model added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, 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, with the gasoline engine frequently kicking in. The XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and offered a quiet cabin. Most models had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, except for the base FWD T5, which was rated at 4,000 pounds.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee offered three engine options, depending on the trim level. The base Latitude and Latitude Plus trims featured a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower. The 3.2-liter V-6 engine, available on higher trims, delivered 271 hp. The top-tier engine was the 2.0-liter GMET4 turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 270 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine was optional on the Latitude Lux and Limited trims. All engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

While none of the Cherokee's engines provided outstanding acceleration, they offered adequate performance for most driving situations. The V6 and turbo-four engines achieved 0-60 mph times of around 7.2 and 7.4 seconds, respectively. The Cherokee's off-road capability was notable, particularly in the Trailhawk model, which featured Jeep Active Drive Lock and Selec-Speed Crawl Control. The Cherokee was available in front-wheel drive to keep prices competitive, although most buyers preferred the all-wheel-drive versions.

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 in all three rows were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The optional power moonroof and upright roof profile gave the interior a spacious feel. The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but lacked a power-adjustable steering wheel. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console storage bin and few storage options on the console itself. Cargo space was 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, placing it near the bottom of the segment.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee filled a space between the smaller Renegade and larger Grand Cherokee, competing with compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The Cherokee's cargo space was limited, with 26 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 55 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded, placing it at the bottom among compact SUVs. The Cherokee offered about 102 cubic feet of passenger volume, making it competitive in that metric. The interior layout was simple and businesslike, with higher trims offering more upscale materials and finishes. The Latitude trim featured basic rubberized black plastic, while the Trailhawk and Latitude Lux trims offered more luxurious materials like suede seat inserts and perforated Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which emphasized simplicity and functionality. The system included 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, with a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and head-up display available as options. The portrait-oriented touchscreen was easy to use, but the amount of text and typeface made reading some menus difficult while driving. The wireless charging pad added for 2021 was too small for most phones, and the lack of front USB-C ports was a drawback.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee featured the Uconnect infotainment system, available with a 7-inch touchscreen on the Latitude, Latitude Plus, and Latitude Lux trims, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen on the Limited and Trailhawk trims. The system was user-friendly, with heat and air conditioning controls accessible from any screen. The Cherokee offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and integration with Amazon Alexa. Remote start was also available, a useful feature in both cold and warm climates. The Uconnect system was consistent across Stellantis brands, providing a familiar and reliable experience for Cherokee buyers.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for non-hybrid models, with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave all XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating. The XC90 offered a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including 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 Jeep Cherokee did not earn a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, but received top “Good” scores in every crashworthiness category and a G+ score for ease of use of the LATCH child seat anchors. The Cherokee's headlights received mixed ratings, with upper trims rated “Acceptable” and lower trims rated “Marginal.” The NHTSA gave the Cherokee a four-star overall safety rating. The Cherokee offered standard advanced safety features, including lane departure warning with lane keep assist, full-speed forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control with stop and go was only available on the Limited and Trailhawk trims.