2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Volvo XC90

The 2021 Volvo XC90 successfully reshaped Volvo's image with its design, adding more character while retaining recognizable Volvo elements. Unlike Lexus, which opted for a radical styling revamp, Volvo maintained its traditional boxy profile and blunt front end with a rectangular grille. The XC90 featured softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights with “Thor’s Hammer” daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with 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 lineup.

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 Orrefors crystal shifter in the test car added a high-end feel, though it seemed slightly out of place in the otherwise restrained interior. The XC90’s interior design focused on simplicity and elegance, avoiding overwhelming flashiness.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator, arriving as a 2020 model and carrying over to 2021 mostly unchanged, nailed its styling by avoiding the temptation to emulate rivals. The Aviator adopted the design language of the larger Navigator, featuring crisp lines and heavy use of chrome, resulting in a sharp and distinctive look. Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a cabin defined by comfort and warmth, featuring soft-touch materials and a center console that elegantly rose to the standard 10.1-inch touchscreen.

The Aviator’s interior also featured a piano button shifter, which, while not as intuitive as a traditional shift lever, was sensibly laid out. The Aviator’s cabin was further enhanced by soothing chimes for alerts, contributing to an air of class and luxury. The trim levels ranged from Standard to Black Label Grand Touring, each adding progressively more luxurious features, with the Grand Touring trim offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain and adaptive headlights.

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 was both turbocharged and supercharged, 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 400 hp, the XC90’s small engine struggled to provide flexible power, especially when accelerating from stops. The plug-in hybrid’s Pure mode was only usable at low speeds with gentle acceleration, as the gasoline engine often had to assist. The XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and maintained a quiet cabin. Most XC90 models had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, with the base FWD T5 rated at 4,000 pounds.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in the Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims added a plug-in hybrid configuration, increasing output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque, with a 21-mile electric-only range.

The hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration, though the Aviator’s heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The long wheelbase made maneuvering in tight spaces challenging. The Aviator’s drive mode selector offered modes like “Excite” and “Conserve,” reflecting its suitability for highways and cul-de-sacs rather than city driving.

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 for the T8 Recharge model 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, near the bottom of the segment.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, increasing to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The Aviator’s second row, especially in the Grand Touring trim with captain’s chairs and a digital control panel, offered superior comfort and functionality. The use of power-button door releases was a potential issue, as they might be problematic if the battery died.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The system was easy to use, with a portrait-oriented touchscreen that allowed for tablet-like swiping across menus. However, 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 XC90 only had second-row USB-C ports.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Sync 3 infotainment system, which was easy to use with a sensible menu layout. The Aviator’s screen extended from the dash in a landscape format, making for a more natural layout. The Aviator also featured Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with large icons that took up the whole screen. The fully digital instrument panel and optional head-up display (HUD) provided clear and easy-to-read information.

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 2021 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 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features as part of the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.